3.6 Health and safety at work

Evolution of annual accident frequency rate (FR) (S_14)

FR = (total number of accidents with sick leave/number of hours worked) x10⁶

Evolution of the annual accident severity rate (SR) (S_15)

SR = (number of days lost due to accidents/number of hours worked) x10³

Effort made in occupational risk prevention training (S_17)

Security and safety exercises and simulations (S_18)

The following security drills and exercises were carried out in 2023:

The following objectives were set for the annual Port Security Plan exercise:

• CEPIC/HPA communications protocol check
• CPIC/Subdelegation/FFCCSE communications check
• Training in level change procedures
• Coordination with the FFCCSE:
  • Anti-DRON team action – PEGASO Team
  • TEDAX Procedures
  • CBRN procedures
• Communications with PCC members.
• CPCS and Port Police action for PPIPs and PPPs
• Redundancy check of fibre-optic communications CCTV system
• Implementation of corrective actions taken in 1/2022

The approach taken in the exercise was that an incident in a critical infrastructure located in a port in the north of Spain (e.g. energy sector – gas subsector), led to the SES ordering through CEPIC the Port Security Plan to be upgraded to Protection Level 2 (NP2).

In accordance with the nature of the exercise, the incident, and therefore the threat to the HPA, was specified as a drone attack.

In addition to the personnel with Port Authority security responsibilities, the members of the Port Security Committee, CNPIC, the Civil Guard teams defined in the objectives and security officers of the terminals located in the Outer Harbour all participated in the exercise.

The objectives for the exercises in self-protection can be summarised as follows:

• Knowledge of the port environment
• Familiarising the IG with port infrastructures
• Familiarising the IG with on-board emergencies
• Familiarising the GO with its operating procedures
• Training in communication procedures between the agents of the Self-Protection Plan.

The exercise carried out on 24 and 25 January was a local exercise to combat marine pollution of chemical origin, originating in the navigation channel accessing the port and in which a situation of leakage of a dangerous and toxic chemical product such as ammonia (NH3) was considered, with two action scenarios: Scenario 1; waters of the navigation channel of the Huelva Port, in front of the South Wharf; and Scenario 2; South Wharf terminals and facilities.

The exercise carried out on January 24 and 25 was a local exercise to combat marine pollution of chemical origin.

This exercise is part of the IRA-MAR project. WP4, incorporated into the training programme and periodic activation simulation exercises of the National Maritime Plan, defined in article 30 of Order FOM/1793/2014.

In this exercise, both the Port Authority’s Self-Protection Plan and its Maritime Interior Plan were activated.

The specific coordination objectives were:

• Establish the phases and scenarios of the emergency and the use of response resources to a marine chemical pollution event, taking into account potential risks and vulnerable areas.
• Assessment of potential damage to people, property and the marine environment caused by the event.
• Improve coordination between the activated plans.
• Strengthen and promote cooperation between the Directorate General of the Merchant Navy, Emergencias 112 Andalucía, SASEMAR, the Port Authority and companies involved in pollution response.
• Improve coordination mechanisms for response to a chemical pollution event between maritime entities, companies (private sector) and the Port Maritime Administration.
• Improve the training of personnel involved in the response, clarify their roles and responsibilities in a marine pollution incident.
• Assess the shortcomings in dealing with an HNS accident at this specific port.

And in relation to operational objectives:

• Determine the correct monitoring of the established operational procedures, as well as the response and action times with resources, and their possible optimisation.
• Strengthen cooperation and understanding between operational groups.
• Check the security standards that should be achieved in the response.
• Check the condition and suitability of LCC and chemical risk equipment to be deployed in the exercise and the potential combination of equipment from different agencies/agencies and their coordination.
• Assess through the ALOHA programme the possible trajectories of the toxic cloud in different scenarios.

Among the objectives achieved was to improve the response coordination mechanisms between maritime entities and companies and the Maritime Port Administration.