THOR Spain tests emergency response in major chemical safety exercise

Colleagues at THOR Spain’s Castellgalí site recently took part in a major chemical emergency exercise, working alongside government authorities and external emergency services to put the site’s emergency plans and procedures to the test.

Organised by Protecció Civil de la Generalitat in collaboration with THOR Spain, the exercise brought together Civil Protection, the Fire Brigade, Emergency Medical Services (SEM), Mossos d'Esquadra (Catalonian police force), Rural Agents, Castellgalí City Council, and other local organisations.

The scenario simulated a leak of benzyl chloride from a tank at the THOR facility, resulting in a toxic cloud and three simulated casualties. It then developed further, with contaminated water simulated to have escaped beyond the site towards the Llobregat River.

While the incident was entirely simulated, the response was designed to be as realistic as possible, giving THOR and the participating emergency services an opportunity to practise how they would work together in a genuine emergency.

Putting our plans into practice

The exercise tested THOR’s Self-Protection Plan alongside Catalonia’s external chemical emergency plan, PLASEQCAT, and Castellgalí's Municipal Action Plan (PAM) for chemical risk.

Following detection of the simulated leak, THOR’s internal emergency procedures were activated and external emergency services mobilised. Teams practised locating and controlling the leak, search and rescue, casualty treatment and decontamination, environmental monitoring, traffic management, and communication between the organisations involved.

The exercise extended beyond the THOR Spain site too. Castellgalí City Council activated its municipal chemical emergency arrangements, while a nearby residential facility practised the precautionary sheltering of its residents.

Preparedness through collaboration

Exercises like this allow us to move beyond written emergency plans and test how they work in practice.

For the Castellgalí team, this meant testing THOR’s internal response, communication with public authorities, and coordination with the specialist organisations that would respond to a real chemical emergency.

The exercise provided a valuable opportunity to validate emergency arrangements, identify lessons learned, and further strengthen coordination with external emergency services.

Albert Garcia Codina, THOR Spain Managing Director, said:

“I’d like to share a big thank you to everyone involved at THOR Spain, and to Protecció Civil, Bombers, SEM, Mossos d'Esquadra, Agents Rurals and Castellgalí City Council for their professionalism and excellent cooperation. Preparation, coordination and teamwork are essential parts of our safety culture, and I am proud of the team and of the way everyone approached the exercise.”

Safety is about preventing incidents, but also being prepared to respond effectively if something does happen. By practising challenging scenarios alongside external emergency partners, we can better understand how our plans, people, and procedures work together when they are needed most.

Thank you to everyone at THOR Spain who supported or participated in the exercise, and to the external emergency services, authorities, and local organisations involved.