Safety and environment at Fawley

Article

3 min read

Safety is a core value

Staff use the behavioral based Loss Prevention System in their everyday work activities, creating a culture with safety at its heart with the aim that nobody gets hurt and everyone goes home safely at the end of each day.

Units are built to the highest engineering standards, with safety reviews carried out at all stages of design, construction and operation. Complimenting this is regular training to keep staff, neighbors and the environment safe.

The Fawley site has its own Fire Response Group (FRG) who ably assist with site emergencies.

Fawley is regulated under the Control of Major Accident Hazards Regulations 2015 (COMAH) and works closely with the Environment Agency and the Health and Safety Executive.

Emergency preparedness and response

Approximately 200 dedicated responders undergo ongoing and thorough training to ensure a world-class emergency response. In addition, our response teams work closely with Hampshire Emergency Planning and the services to safeguard, our employees, contractors, neighbors, environment and facilities. Fawley’s emergency response teams routinely take part in training and simulated scenarios to ensure the most appropriate preparation and coordination.

COMAH Shelter-in-place: What you need to know in the event of an emergency at Fawley

There are simple, but vital steps that you need to take in the event of an incident at Fawley and the COMAH alarm sounding. Take a look at the Safety Information documents below for more.

safety information documents

Safety information packs - distribution areas

Blackfield distribution area

PDF/0.07 MB

Fawley distribution area

PDF/0.07 MB

Holbury distribution area

PDF/0.05 MB

RapidReach

Rapid Reach is an easy to use notification system, which sends information directly to you via your chosen option of text or email. This system will help provide real time information on our operations.

Signing up is easy and can be completed via this link – Rapid Reach Sign Up

Annual COMAH alarm testing

The COMAH alarm is tested on the first Tuesday in October each year at 2.30pm and 7.00pm. Notifications of the alarm test are placed in local and social media.

COMAH all clear siren

The COMAH alarm has never been sounded in earnest in 70 years of operation. Watch the videos to understand the sound of the alarm siren and the all clear siren.

Join Carl, Site Shift Manager and Charlotte, Energy Coordinator in explaining the use of our flares.

Flaring

At ExxonMobil Fawley our flares are an essential part of our site operations and production process, in addition to being a vital and integral safety feature.

We understand that you may have questions about our flares, the video and information below, provides answers to some of the most common questions.

Operational use: Primarily, our flares are used for planned operational purposes, to prepare site equipment and to ensure units are hydrocarbon free prior to mechanical work.
Ultimate safety mechanism: Our flares are Fawley's ultimate safety mechanism, operating quickly and safely to manage operational upsets when we need to release pressure and hydrocarbons from our units.
Safe and approved: The use of our flares is completely safe and approved and poses no risk to our neighboring communities.
Regulating emissions: Our flaring emissions, including noise, are strictly regulated and monitored by the Environment Agency with flaring rates reported on a monthly basis.
Controlled on-site: Our operational control team constantly monitor the flares when they are in use. The teams focus on minimizing the duration and the size of the flare, with each planned use subject to internal approval.
Minimizing use: We continue to pursue technical performance, process improvements and new technology to further reduce the use of our flares.

Behavioral changes driving reduction in flaring

We are proud of the innovative behavioral changes we have made to how we operate and the specific targeting of reduction in flaring that has positively influenced a return to historic norms.

Our level of flaring in 2022 was the lowest since 2014, and less than half the amount recorded in 2021 and 2020.

Furthermore, our flaring rate last year was the second lowest level recorded in the previous nine years.

In line with our sustainable environmental performance we have made a conscious effort to minimize potential sources of flaring. The data shows we have made progress and we will always strive to limit flaring events.

Although our flares will always be a critical safety measure, we will continue to rigorously pursue technical performance, process improvements and new technology to further decrease the use of our flares.

Site security

The security of our operations are a key priority for everyone onsite. This video gives an insight to the range of security measures we have in place.

ExxonMobil in Fawley

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