The environmental and sustainability working groups offer a unique opportunity for close engagement between members on a host of issues which impact the Biopharmachem sector.
How to get involved / Working groups
The EHS working group meets weekly during the current pandemic. Topics covered by this group includes CWW BAT-C, safety culture, environmental sustainability, pharmaceuticals in the environment, REACH, CLP, Responsible Care, etc. This group has regular engagements with both the EPA and HSA.
The process safety working group covers a range of the topics from ERT on Seveso and non-Seveso sites, risk criteria used for LOPA assessments, managing ageing plants, PHA methodology, ‘Significant Modifications’ under COMAH regulations, etc. The HSA meet with this group every year to outline their programme of work for the year ahead.
The Biosafety working group topics include inactivation of GMM material, renewal of Vet 15 licences, biological agents, working of biosafety committees, etc. This group was established to engage with the Department of Agriculture and Food wrt the animal by-products directive. Since then we have had other bi-laterals with the GMM committee (EPA) and HSA.
This is a spin-out group from the EHS working group. Topics covered include the management of live permits, arc flash, functional safety, the testing of safety critical electrical devices, LOTO, high energy work permits, etc.
Occupational health advisors working group is the newest working group and meets monthly during the current pandemic. It is exclusively for OHA in member companies and topics covered include pre-employment screening versus medicals, managing contractors and contingency workers, fit testing, standardisation of accident reports, GDPR and the implications for pre-employments & accident reports, etc
Responsible Care is the global chemical industry's environmental, health and safety (EHS) initiative to drive continuous improvement in performance of the pharmaceutical and chemical sector in all aspects, which directly and indirectly impact on the environment, employees or the general public. Responsible Care companies actively strive to maintain leadership in safety and environment performance.
The industry recognises that the Responsible Care programme must continue to evolve and meet the ongoing concerns and expectations of its stakeholders. The concept of continuous improvement is firmly established within the sector and drives the performance of companies to achieve the highest standards of performance in excess of legislative compliance.
Each year Biopharmachem Ireland produces an annual Responsible Care report outlining the performance of the sector over a three-year period.