STA Task Groups: Shaping the Future of Emission Monitoring and Guidance Database
Andy Curtis, STA Administrator
The STA and its members have significantly influenced emission monitoring practices in the UK and worldwide, led by the work of STA task groups. Established in 1996, the Health and Safety Task Group is STA’s longest-running group, closely followed by the Quality and Technical Task Group. New task groups have been added over the years, including those for Process Operators, Equipment Suppliers, Low Particulate Monitoring (LPM), EN14181, and Carbon Capture and Biogenic concerns. Each task group works to identify and address industry challenges, with contributions from members across all sectors and regulators from England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland, and Ireland.
Health & Safety Task Group
The Health & Safety Task Group is dedicated to the safety of stack emission monitoring professionals, continuously creating guidance on safe practices and safety legislation implementation. One of its best-known publications, the Risk Assessment Guide for Industrial Emission Monitoring (Yellow Book), serves as the industry’s safety guide and has been adopted into EA guidance and the MCERTS scheme. This guide is updated annually to refl ect changing legislation and remains an accessible resource for all—from those in the fi eld to managers and operators.
In regular meetings, the group reviews legislative changes and updates STA members on potential impacts, issuing guidance notes on the website as needed. When incidents occur within the industry, the group discusses lessons learned, sharing updates through bulletins or emails. The Health & Safety Task Group has also made training a priority, establishing a comprehensive safety training course for stack testers, often referred to as the “safety passport.” Through this training and the shared knowledge of experienced testers, the group continues to emphasize the importance of safety in this demanding fi eld.
Quality and Technical Task Group
The Quality and Technical Task Group addresses issues related to the accuracy and reliability of data in emission monitoring. Regular discussions cover topics like profi ciency testing (PT) schemes, CEN standards, EA implementation documents, EN 14181 guidance, calibration methods, and calibration gas availability. Representatives from stack testing companies, UKAS, EA, process operators, and gas suppliers participate, allowing for an exchange of insights on member- raised topics.
This task group also develops valuable resources for STA members, such as the STA Guide to Calculation of Uncertainty and sample uncertainty calculation spreadsheets.
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