10 October 2018

WorkSafe has exempted the New Zealand Antarctic Institute from compliance with regulations 2.5, 2.6, 2.10, 8.1, 10.26, 10.30, 10.32, 10.34 and 10.37 of the Health and Safety at Work (Hazardous Substances) Regulations 2017 for the transport, use and storage of unleaded petrol (Mogas, class 3.1A), Premixed 2-stroke (class 3.1A) and kerosene (AN8, class 3.1C) fuels by New Zealand Antarctic Institute in the Antarctica field environment, where the field environment is defined as outside Scott Base and McMurdo Station.

The exemption has been granted by WorkSafe in accordance with section 220 of the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015.

The exemption is made subject to the following conditions:

1. New Zealand Antarctic Institute must only use flexible fuel bladders that have been manufactured by ATL and to the military specification Mil-T-52983.
2. New Zealand Antarctic Institute must ensure the flexible fuel bladders are limited to holding kerosene fuel (AN8, class 3.1C) only.
3. New Zealand Antarctic Institute must provide information, training and instruction to all relevant personnel on the Antarctica New Zealand Spill Prevention and Response Plan.
4. New Zealand Antarctic Institute must follow the international Antarctica protocol of using blue flags to identify all fuel cache installations.
5. New Zealand Antarctic Institute must maintain and follow the Antarctica New Zealand FU-008 - Field fuel standard handling procedures standard operating procedure relating to fuel installations.
6. New Zealand Antarctic Institute must ensure all relevant personnel are trained on the Antarctica New Zealand FU-008 Field Fuel Handling Procedures standard operating procedure relating to fuel installations.
7. New Zealand Antarctic Institute must maintain and follow the Antarctica New Zealand Traverse: 2 hourly checks standard operating procedure when transporting, using and storing fuel in the field.
8. New Zealand Antarctic Institute must ensure all relevant personnel are trained on the Antarctica New Zealand Traverse: 2 hourly checks standard operating procedure.
9. New Zealand Antarctic Institute must maintain and follow the Antarctica New Zealand Traverse: Bladder cache standard operating procedure when establishing fuel caches and must ensure each fuel cache has only one fuel bladder.
10. New Zealand Antarctic Institute must ensure all relevant personnel are trained on the Antarctica New Zealand Traverse: Bladder cache standard operating procedure.
11. New Zealand Antarctic Institute must maintain and follow the Antarctica New Zealand Traverse: Drum cache standard operating procedure when establishing fuel caches.
12. New Zealand Antarctic Institute must ensure all relevant personnel are trained on the Antarctica New Zealand Traverse: Drum cache standard operating procedure.
13. New Zealand Antarctic Institute must maintain and follow the Antarctica New Zealand Traverse: Bladder response standard operating procedure.
14. New Zealand Antarctic Institute must ensure all relevant personnel are trained on the Antarctica New Zealand Traverse: Bladder response standard operating procedure.
15. The exemption is revoked if any of the conditions are not complied with.

The exemption takes effect on 10 October 2018 and expires on 10 October 2023 unless it is sooner replaced or revoked.