04

Doc 164/20 - Safe Handling of Liquid Carbon Dioxide Containers that have Lost Pressure (Globally Harmonised Document)

The purpose of this publication is to provide information to personnel to ensure that carbon dioxide containers that have lost pressure and may contain dry ice are safely repressurised before being returned to service.

This publication can be viewed or downloaded on the EIGA Website by clicking here

05

TP 58/20 - Safe Design and Handling of Filling Connectors

Connectors are used in cylinder filling stations for connecting the filling hose to the cylinder valve outlet. Connectors are complex components that require monitoring, care and maintenance. This Training Package also explains the difference between a filling connector and a filling adaptor because both require close management.

This publication can be viewed or downloaded on the EIGA Website (restricted to EIGA Members only, please login first) by clicking here.

Doc 102.06/20 - Safety Audit / Assessment Tool – Acetylene Plant and Cylinder Filling

The former Appendix 5 of Doc 102 – Safety Audit/Assessment Tool for Acetylene Plant and Cylinder Filling - has been reviewed and published as Doc 102.06.

All annexes of Doc 102 are listed in Doc 102.01.

This publication can be viewed or downloaded on the EIGA Website by clicking here

BN 25/20- COVID-19 - Emergency measures to maintain continuous supply of medical gases

EIGA member companies that are producing medical gases are deploying significant technical, human and financial resources in order to support the healthcare system to deal, in the most efficient way, the current emergency situation due to the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic. This can only be achieved with the cooperation of competent health authorities.

EIGA members propose temporary measures in this Briefing Note, in order to assure continuity of supply of medicinal gases and services, particularly medicinal oxygen to the healthcare system.

This publication can be viewed or downloaded on the EIGA Website (restricted to EIGA Members only, please login first) by clicking here.

Doc 228/20 - Use of Quality Risk Management for Preparation of Validation Protocols for Medicinal Gas Cylinder Filling

This publication is intended to provide guidance on preparing the protocols for performing validation of systems used for filling medicinal gas cylinders, in compliance with Good Manufacturing Practices.

It provides an overall risk assessment to identify and evaluate potential critical steps in the manufacturing processes for filling medicinal gas cylinders.

This publication provides guidance to EIGA members on how to perform the risk assessment of their medicinal gases manufacturing operations at container filling facilities.

This publication can be viewed or downloaded on the EIGA Website by clicking here

09

ETS State Aid Guidelines

Early March, EIGA provided feedback on the improvement of the State Aid Guidelines (on financial compensation for the cost of indirect emissions under the new EU ETS Directive 2018/410 for Phase IV).

In particular, EIGA welcomed the Commission report, which confirms many of the findings we presented to the Commission last year. Today, EIGA primarily insist for a better Level Playing Field between insourced and outsourced gas production ; see here.

10

NACE classification of hydrogen

With the ongoing review of the NACE classification of economic activities, EIGA jointly with other sectors have asked to not decide without the sectors concerned being involved. See here for the jont letter.

11

EU announces, ‘clean hydrogen alliance’ for launch in the summer

On the 10th of March, the formation of an EU-wide hydrogen alliance was announced along the presentation of the EU Industrial Strategy. The Alliance aims to identify technology needs, investment opportunities and regulatory issues.

Link to Euractiv article

12

EU ETS price slump yet to boost coal plant margins

Coronavirus pandemic has pushed down EU ETS prices close to its deepest month-to-month decline since 2008, due to the decrease of demand of power. This implies a competitiveness boost of coal-fired production of energy across Europe and other CO2 intensive industries.

Link to Argusmedia article

13

Technical Expert Group (TEG) publishes final “taxonomy” report

The European Commission’s TEG has published its final report, outlining the technical screening criteria – including metrics and thresholds – that will define whether an economic activity can be considered sustainable. In the context of the report’s publication, the TEG emphasises the importance of scaling up green hydrogen, and stressed the importance of carbon capture and sequestration. The European Commission will now need to translate the recommendations of the TEG into technical legislation that sets out the thresholds in EU law.

Link to the full report

A new Focus Area on Human Factors

Analysis of Lost Time Injuries and Recordable Injuries reported to EIGA shows that 70% are attributed to human factors, of which were classified as 60% human failures, 3% management failures and 7% failures of management systems and procedures. EIGA has been analysing these human errors in more detail by asking members to subdivide human errors as different types of human failure, to better identify and manage these contributing factors.

EIGA has produced a number of Human Factors Information sheets, and a new Focus Area on Human Factors has been added to our website (click here).

15

Doc 102.01/20 - Listing of Safety Audit Assessment Tools

List of annexes of Doc 102/19.

This publication can be viewed or downloaded on the EIGA Website by clicking here

16

Doc 102.06/20 - Safety Audit / Assessment Tool – Acetylene Plant and Cylinder Filling

The former Appendix 5 of Doc 102 – Safety Audit/Assessment Tool for Acetylene Plant and Cylinder Filling - has been reviewed and published as Doc 102.06.

All annexes of Doc 102 are listed in Doc 102.01.

This publication can be viewed or downloaded on the EIGA Website by clicking here

17

Info 38/20/REV (revision of Info 38/20) - Abuse of Nitrous Oxide for Recreational Inhalation

This publication has been revised with more representative information.

Nitrous oxide use as an intoxicating substance and recreational drug, is on the rise particularly at festivals, events and night clubs. The growing popularity may lie in the fact that nitrous oxide is relatively cheap and easy to obtain. Nitrous oxide may appear harmless but can entail serious health risks. This safety information outlines some of those significant risks.

EIGA strongly disapproves of the personal use of gases without medical surveillance and, in particular, disapproves the inhalation of any gases, except those when prescribed and used as medicines, or when specifically produced, sold and used for breathing applications such as diving.

This publication can be viewed or downloaded on the EIGA Website by clicking here

18

Info TS 12/20 - In Vehicle Distraction Management

Driving a vehicle safely in a fast moving and dynamic environment takes a large amount of concentration by the driver. Anything that distracts the driver to lose their concentration on the road ahead, even for just a few seconds, can have disastrous consequences that puts their life and those of the public at risk. Drivers need to be aware that relatively common actions can cause a distraction and lead to an incident while management need policies, procedures and training in place to recognise these risks and mitigate them.

This Safety Information provides an overview of the types of potential in vehicle distractions and steps that can be taken to reduce them to improve the transport safety performance of gas company and their contractors’ delivery vehicles, for the transportation of industrial and medical gases.

This publication can be viewed or downloaded on the EIGA Website by clicking here