In 2022 we started working with Brown Forman, who own the BenRiach Distillery, Glenglassaugh Distillery and GlenDronach Distillery as well as a bottling facility at Newbridge, Edinburgh where the world famous Jack Daniels brand is bottled for the UK market.

Our DSEAR scope of supply to the Brown Forman sites has included:

• DSEAR Risk Assessment updates for all sites.  Each malt distillery site includes malt intake, milling, mashing, fermenation, distillation, spirit handling and cask handling operations.

We have also carried out other project related work including:

• P&ID development and improvement as part of site projects.

• HAZOP and LOPA updates as part of site projects.

We first worked with Brewdog Distilling in 2020, as part of their distillery expansion plans.  Our first work with Brewdog was to carry out HAZID, HAZOP and DSEAR Risk Assessment for new distillation equipment being installed in the distillery.

Following this as part of a larger design project being undertaken with IDEA (www.idea-ltd.co.uk), we carried out process design and risk assessment activities including HAZOP and LOPA, and DSEAR and HAC updates for their distillery move project.

We have subsequently been engaged on site to carry out site wide risk assessments as the Brewdog site (brewing and distilling) in Ellon continues to grow and develop.

OTECSA have been providing DSEAR and HAC support for the Benriach Distillery Company.  This includes full site reviews for their bottling plant in Newbridge, Edinburgh and their three Scottish distilleries: Benriach, Glendronach and Glenglassuagh.

ATOM Supplies is a leading distilled spirits producer with a focus on innovative brands and products.  OTECSA are providing pragmatic DSEAR and hazardous area classification services to ATOM at their sites across the UK for production, bottling and warehousing operations.

Barkip Biogas are a biogas producer in West Scotland, taking solids and liquid waste from industry to produce biogas.  As part of the process inert materials are digested to produce biogas, which is a flammable material and although at low pressures can generated flammable atmospheres within equipment or around release points.  OTECSA were engaged to carry out a site update to the DSEAR Risk Assessment following successful completion of other DSEAR studies for the parent company sites.

OTECSA were delighted to provide early stage DSEAR support to the Mutley Rum Distillery in Plymouth.  As part of the project planning and definition stage OTECSA were engaged to support on advice for compliance with DSEAR and definition of best practices for a small craft rum distillery in a high street unit setting.  This was an exciting project for us as one of the first from our South West office in Cornwall and we can't wait to taste the final product from the process when up and running.

Oilfast are a fuel supplier to the domestic and commercial sectors, supplying heating fuel and other other products from several sites across the UK.  As part of the requirement to update DSEAR risk assessments on a regular basis OTECSA were commissioned to carry out DSEAR RA updates on all the Oilfast sites.  Our geographically diverse team distributed the work to deliver a cost effective DSEAR update to Oilfast.

OTECSA provided support to HC Innovations in their goal of DSEAR Compliance and hazardous area zoning definition at their site in Perth.  HCI are in the process of developing new products handling flammable solvents and needed support to ensure regulations were adhered to and processes were as  safe as possible.  This was a challenging project with a great outcome, making use of existing processes and equipment with minimal changes required.

Lam Art Dundee produce wood based laminate products at their factory in Dundee for the housebuilding and home improvement industries, as well as for commerical property work.  Due to the nature of the activities the site handles a significant amount of wood dust in various machining processes, with LEV systems, spray booths and other operations handling flammable liquids and gases.  OTECSA were pleased to support a local business achieve their goal of DSEAR compliance with pragmatic advice and practical reporting.

At their site in the Borders, Scotland, Rathburn Chemicals produce solvents for the medical and science sectors using small batch distillation in various laboratories. The list of chemicals handled is extremely diverse and provided a great DSEAR and Hazardous Area Classification challenge, following on from HAZOP studies OTECSA were originally engaged for.

Mahle Engine Systems manufacture automotive parts for the car industry and for high performance motorsport at their site in Kilmarnock.  In the processes the site has to handle atmospheric gases, combustible metal dusts and various flammable liquids for their operations.  The site has some fantastic metal processing equipment providing some challenging DSEAR scenarios to assess.

The Moorhead & McGavin site produce milled cereals for the food service industry.  As with many companies the requirement for an up to date DSEAR RA was not something that had been recommended by previous assessments and as part of compliance with the DSEAR Regulations the team in Motherwell commissioned OTECSA to keep them on track.

The site handles, cooks and mills various grains and includes packing and re-packing lines as well as other flammable liquids and gases for general activities.

Following installation of a new silo and dust extraction system for handling flammable food materials and a site expansion the Shortbread House of Edinburgh commissioned OTECSA to provide an up to date DSEAR RA and Hazardous Area Classification Study.

OTECSA provided a swift turnaround, delivering the reports for the Shortbread House in double quick time.

OTECSA supported Deeside Water Company with some exciting expansion plans at their site in Aberdeenshire.  This included transfer, handling and packaging equipment for flammable materials.

OTECSA provided a bespoke assessment to meet the site needs, giving them what they needed to keep their project compliant and maintain a safe working environment for employees.

To assist with compliance with the DSEAR Regulations, OTECSA have been commissioned by Land Energy Girvan to provide DSEAR Risk Assessmment review and update expertise.

The site in Girvan processes wood, bark and brash at their site to produce wood pellets, equine bedding and other wood pellet products.  The site uses a Biomass boiler and CHP system to make the most use of the woodland products.

OTECSA have carried out a DSEAR assessment for a chemical treatment plant Puretech Environmental are installing at an upper tier COMAH facility in Wales.  The DSEAR assessment covers an ozone generator room, with oxidising gases produced.

OTECSA carried out a full site DSEAR and HAC study for the expanding Metaflake site in Anstruther, Fife where aluminium is milled in water and solvent solutions to produce pigment for specialist products such as car paints.  The site handles flammable solvents, combustible metal dusts and welding and cutting compressed gas cylinders.

OTECSA also carried out a general fire risk assessment for the site to aid with fire safety regulation compliance.

OTECSA carried out a site DSEAR and HAC study for the Ochil Timber joiners workshop and storage site in Denny, Falkirk.  The site manufactures structural timber products and involves handling combustible wood dust materials, fuels for vehicles such as diesel and LPG and flammable chemicals in various forms for the manufacturing activities.

OTECSA have carried out various DSEAR and HAC studies for William Grant and Sons at their Dufftown site.  This has included extensive work on the recent Glenfiddich expansion project.  The project has included a new still house, tank farm, and malt milling and mashing systems.

OTECSA have continued to build on our long standing relationship with one of Scotland's best known whisky brands by working with William Grants at their Bellshill Strathclyde Bottling Plant.  Our work has included the update of the full site DSEAR RA and HAC following various expansion and upgrade projects.  OTECSA have brought together a set of separate studies into one overall site DSEAR project to ensure William Grants are able to manage their fire and explosion risks and provide consistent reporting for internal and external stakeholders.

OTECSA have been retained by Celtic Renewables Grangemouth Plc. to provide process safety services for their Demonstration Plant in the central belt of Scotland.  The plant is to provide the commercial basis for the conversion of whisky and farming industry by products into acetone, butanol and ethanol in a proprietary fermentation process.

This has included HAZOP, LOPA and DSEAR Studies for the new facility.

OTECSA are excited to be assisting on this groundbreaking project with another dynamic food tech startup in Scotland.

Our work at Girvan has included work on the full site including the continuous distillation systems (grain spirit), mashing, milling, vat storage, energy centre (boilers, ammonia systems, gas turbines) as well as the world famous Hendrick's Gin distillery, Ailsa Bay distillery and the on site cooperage and spirit supply activities.

Over the years this has included DSEAR, HAZOP, LOPA and HAZID studies some of which were carried out prior to OTECSA being incorporated.

As part of ongoing changes to their Thistle and Magnus offshore asset, OTECSA provided an update for EnQuests Hazardous Area Classification documentation in line with EI 15 guidance (Energy Institute).

Note: this project was carried out by Wood plc, with OTECSA sub contracted to Wood for the delivery of the study.