Does anyone manage a CA store, where the oxygen is depleted, using alcohol which is changed into ethanol, I Need to review the risk assessment, as I feel the current risk assessment is in adequate. I take it this would full under DSEAR , any advice would be welcome

GVellam Are you asking about banana ripening rooms by any chance? They comprise rooms in which newly imported bananas (as large bunches) are stored and ripened using ethylene gas. From memory of dealing with such places in my HSE days I think the gas was added to increase the level of ethylene inside the storerooms (in order to stimulate/speed up the natural ripening process by which bananas naturally emit ethylene as they ripen) rather than deplete/replace their normal atmosphere. In view of the limited concentrations of ethylene involved I don't think there was any real concern about the risk of explosion. The main topics were manual handling of very large bunches of bananas, and occasionally encountering large hairy spiders which had hidden in the bunches. Some spiders were poisonous and/or could inflict a nasty bite. As my memory might be creaky, please can anyone with knowledge of such places confirm my impression about them or provide an update? Also, apologies to any arachnaphobes regarding the reference to spiders of the sort involved!