Litvínov, 23 June 2011 – An emergency exercise by Unipetrol RPA took place this morning at the Chempark Záluží facility. A level 2 chemical alarm was declared due to a simulated toxic gas leak. The aim of the exercise was to check the efficiency and timeliness of internal emergency plans. 

"The chemical training we have just completed was a success, going exactly according to plan. Employees, firefighters, paramedics and the police managed the given situation without problems," said Vladimír Zemánek, director of the Chemical Production Unit, Unipetrol RPA, who managed the exercise. 

Course of the exercise:

At 9 o'clock in the morning an acid gas leak was discovered due to a technical fault. A company employee breathed the leaked substances, and immediately informed his superiors about the event by radio. The employee was evacuated from the contaminated area and given first aid. 

The Company Fire Service and first aid medical service were informed immediately and set off to the site of the leak straight away. The company control centre reported the leak to institutions and external entities according to valid regulations. A level 2 chemical alarm was declared and an accident zone determined, from which people were evacuated. The I/27 Most – Litvínov road was also closed, with police carrying out a traffic safety operation, during which compliance with a ban on entering the affected area was checked. The exercise enabled as well to check the communication with the Most and Litvínov Public Transport Company. 

"The exercise showed that in the event of any larger incident, we are able to ensure immediate evacuation of employees and other people in the vicinity of the affected area," said Vladimír Zemánek on the exercise. 

Upon arrival, members of the Company Fire Service immediately began to test the affected area and liquidate the leaked gas using water curtains. With the help of operating personnel, they closed the relevant valve and prevented further residual leaking from the broken pipe. 

The toxic cloud was then located and liquidated using a water curtain. After checking the site of the incident and measuring concentrations in the surrounding area and the drainage, the emergency exercise was successfully completed.

UNIPETROL RPA, s.r.o., is a leading Czech producer in the field of refinery, petrochemical and agrochemical raw materials, which is also reflected in the initial abbreviation “ RPA”: refinery, petrochemistry, agrochemistry. The company supplies the market primarily with motor fuels, fuel oils, asphalts, liquefied petroleum products, oil hydrogenates, other refinery products, olefins and aromates, agrochemicals, alcohols, carbon black and sorbents, polyolefins (high-density polyethylene, polypropylene).

Contact: 
Bořek Konečný 
Communication Specialist 
Telephone: +420 225 001 670, +420 736 502 600 
E-mail: borek.konecny@unipetrol.cz​