Neste
– At Neste’s terminals, safety is the absolute top priority
Neste Oyj’s Finland is supplied from the company’s distribution and storage terminals in different parts of Finland. Safety is the number one concern in terminal operations, as all terminals are large-scale users of hazardous chemicals. Protect provides Neste’s terminals with an ongoing, up-to-date maintenance service for internal emergency plans and safety reports in accordance with the requirements of the Regulation on the Control of the Handling and Storage of Dangerous Chemicals (685/2015). Protect acts as the operator’s authorised agent directly under the direction of the supervising authority, Tukes, for plan updates.
Head of Neste Oyj’s Terminal Operations in Finland and Head of Operational Principles works Jani Rentola based in Kokkola. In addition to distribution and storage terminals, he is responsible for the facilities operated by Neste medical supply rooms.
In Finland, terminal operations are concentrated in a few locations. In addition to the Porvoo refinery, Neste has distribution and storage terminals in Hamina, Kokkola, Kemi, Naantali and Tornio. Maintenance depots related to service assurance activities are located in various locations around Finland.
The safe handling and storage of flammable liquids and gases has the added challenge of terminal logistics, including unloading and filling situations. Around 500 tanker combinations are loaded daily at Neste’s terminals, in addition to train wagons and tankers. In terms of individual loading and unloading operations, this means more than 5,000 operations per day.
– Safety must be earned every day. In an industry like this, the risk of accidents is ever-present, and we must be able to work safely every day. Planning, foresight, and awareness of operational risks, accident mechanisms, and the causes and control measures for them play a significant role in maintaining overall safety. In safety work and its development, the Group’s own HSEQ functions support the line organizations, but managing such a broad scope of operations requires expert partners to complement the organizations’ own expertise. We found such a partner in Protect,” says Jani Rentola.
QR tags as the icing on the cake
The cooperation with Protect started with internal emergency plans, for which Protect provided a good tool and know-how. Today, the PRO24 system is in use at every one of our sites. In addition to the emergency plans, the system contains safety reports, including explosion protection documents as an important part of the system.
Updating the safety reports and entering them into the system was a natural extension of Protect Protect also provides us with expertise in the form of a plan maintenance service. They also handle the processing of raw data, data entry and updating. This saves us time and allows our staff to focus on their core work, so that safety goes from good plans to concrete where the work is done. At the same time, we have been able to harmonise practices and share best practices between different sites,” says Rentola.
Rentola estimates that the PRO24 system has become more user-friendly. The tablet-like view allows access to the desired section with a single click, and updating electronic data is easy.
– Thanks to the user-friendly desktop view, all documentation is easy to browse and find. For example, documents needed for various regulatory inspections, audits, and accident drills can be found very easily in the PRO24 system.
Access to the system itself is also quick and easy, if necessary, by scanning a QR tag to view information on the site, such as fire cards, chemical lists and handling instructions, as well as alarm and incident instructions. Such a view is particularly useful in accident situations where time is often of the essence. The necessary instructions are available almost immediately,” says Rentola.