Safe and effective threshold determination reports

The report is two-fold: It is a detailed analysis based on the last ten years of environmental data collected for the site(s) of the transfer operation; and it contains the manufacturer’s design parameters and operational recommendations for boom performance. The report needs to include the following::

• A summary of the safe and effective threshold values for each location where Rate A transfers will occur,
• A detailed analysis of the proposed threshold values,
• Supporting data from within the last 10 years, 
• How the safe and effective determination will be made for each transfer based on the conditions at the transfer location, including monitoring on-site environmental data before and during the transfer,
• Type and specifications of the boom,
• How boom will be deployed and retrieved up to the limits of the approved S & E thresholds,
• How the safe and effective decision will be reevaluated based on changes in environmental conditions before or during a transfer,
• How the safe and effective decision will consider pre-booming when it is safe to do so, even if the boom might not be fully effective due to wind, waves, or current, and
• How alternative measures will be met at that transfer location if it is not safe or effective to preboom.

The report must also evaluate the safety of personnel involved in boom deployment and the potential for oil recovery.

We require a safe and effective threshold determination report to be submitted for each location that a delivering vessel or facility plans to conduct Rate A transfers, at least 120 days before the first transfer operation. Safe and effective threshold determination reports are made available to the public for review and comment before we approve them.

Send your report by email to start our review process. Contact our Facility Engineer Lead if you need help identifying the engineer or inspector to send your report to.

We will respond to safe and effective threshold determination reports with a letter approving, conditionally approving, or disapproving. Approvals are valid for five years.

For more help:

• 173-180-224 WAC. Provides detailed reporting requirements for facilities.
• 173-184-130 WAC. Provides detailed reporting requirements for vessels.
• Publication 25-08-005. Provides guidance on how to find, download, and process data for Safe & effective threshold determination reports.