In the 1990s, WorkSafe Victoria (then the Occupational health and Safety Authority) coordinated Hazardous Chemicals Audit Teams (HCAT). I was one member of the administrative unit for HCAT. This coordinated approach to inspection and enforcement had substantial merit and was very effective as the Auditor-General found in 1995. I was reminded of this initiative by the simultaneous action taken by the Victorian Government against Mobil Australia, a subsidiary of ExxonMobil, on 3 June 2010.
The Environment Protection Authority (EPA) has
“…cancelled Mobil Refining Australia Pty Ltd’s accredited licence”.
The EPA media release quotes CEO John Merritt (formerly executive director of WorkSafe Victoria):
“In the absence of [an ongoing commitment to constantly improving their environmental performance], EPA has the power to cancel the accreditation…. EPA is less than impressed with Mobil’s track record in which there has been a number of incidents at the site all with the potential for environmental and community risk.
It is EPA’s belief that Mobil’s onsite practices have not demonstrated a high level of environmental performance to justify accreditation.” Continue reading “The advantages of integrated enforcement action”