2.1. Definition and identification of major hazard installations
2.1.1. Competent authorities should make arrangements for both existing and proposed new major hazard installations to be clearly defined and identified by a list of hazardous substances or categories of substances and associated threshold quantities, which should include:
very toxic chemicals such as:
methyl isocyanate;
phosgene;
toxic chemicals such as:
acrylonitrile;
ammonia;
chlorine;
sulphur dioxide;
hydrogen sulphide;
hydrogen cyanide;
carbon disulphide;
hydrogen fluoride;
hydrogen chloride;
sulphur trioxide;
flammable gases and liquids;
explosive substances such as:
ammonium nitrate;
nitroglycerine;
trinitrotoluene.
2.1.2. The definition and identification of major hazard installations by the competent authorities should be arranged in such a way that they allow priorities to be set for those installations requiring particular attention.
2.2. Information about the installations
2.2.1. The works managements of all major hazard installations should notify details of their activities to the competent authorities.
2.2.2. For major hazard installations within the scope of the definition, a safety report should be prepared by the works management. This should include:
technical information about the design and operation of the installation;
details on the management of its safety;
information about the hazards of the installation, systematically identified and documented by means of safety studies;
information about the safety precautions taken to prevent major accidents and the emergency provisions that should reduce the effects of such accidents.
2.2.3. This information should be made available by the works management to all parties concerned in major hazard control systems, including workers, workers’ representatives, competent authorities and local authorities where appropriate. These parties should respect the confidentiality of information obtained in the conduct of their duties, in accordance with national law and practice.
2.2.4. For works management the information should:
lead to an appropriate level of safety which should be maintained or updated on the basis of new data;
be used for communication with, and training of, workers;
be used as part of the licence or permit application if such is required;
be used for the preparation of an on-site and off-site (where appropriate) emergency plan.
2.2.5. This information should create awareness in workers at all levels to enable them to take appropriate safety precautions on site.
2.2.6. For the competent authorities the information should:
give insight into the plant and its hazards;
allow the evaluation of these hazards;
allow licence or permit conditions to be determined where appropriate;
allow priorities to be set for the inspection of major hazard installation in their country or state;
allow the preparation of off-site emergency plans (where appropriate).
2.2.7. The information should be systematically arranged in such a way that parts of the installation which are critical to its safety are clearly identified, possibly by the use of rapid ranking systems.
2.2.8. The information should represent the current activity within the installation. Works management should ensure that this information is updated regularly, and in the case of significant modification.
2.2.9. Relevant information in suitable form should be made available to the public nearby.
2.3. Assessment of major hazards
2.3.1. Major hazard installations should be assessed by works management and, depending on local arrangements, by the competent authorities.
2.3.2. This assessment should identify uncontrolled events which could lead to a fire, an explosion or release of a toxic substance. This should be achieved in a systematic way, for example by means of a hazard and operability study or by check-lists, and should include normal operation, start-up and shut-down.
2.3.3. The consequences of a potential explosion, fire or toxic release should be assessed using appropriate techniques and data. These will include:
estimation of blast waves, overpressure and missile effects in the case of an explosion;
estimation of thermal radiation in the case of a fire;
estimation of concentration profiles and toxic doses in the case of a toxic release.
2.3.4. Particular attention should be paid to the potential for domino effects from one installation to another.
2.3.5. The assessment should consider the suitability of the safety measures taken for the hazards identified in order to ensure that they are sufficient.
2.3.6. The assessment of major hazards should take account of the likelihood of a major accident taking place, although not necessarily in the form of a full quantified risk analysis.
2.4. Control of the causes of major industrial accidents
2.4.1. Works management should control major hazard installations by sound engineering and management practices, for example by:
good plant design, fabrication and installation, including the use of high-standard components;
regular plant maintenance;
good plant operation;
good management of safety on site;
regular inspection of the installation, with repair and replacement of components where necessary.
2.4.2. Works management should consider the possible causes of major accidents, including:
component failure;
deviations from normal operation;
human and organisational errors;
accidents from neighbouring plant or activities;
natural occurrences and catastrophes, and acts of mischief.
2.4.3. Works management should regularly evaluate these causes taking into account any changes in plant design and operation. In addition, further available information arising from accidents world-wide and technological developments should be included in this evaluation.
2.4.4. Works management should arrange for safety equipment and process-control instrumentation to be installed and maintained to a high standard consistent with their importance to the safety of the major hazard installation.
2.5. Safe operation of major hazard installations
2.5.1. The primary responsibility for operating and maintaining the installation safety should lie with works management.
2.5.2. Good operational instructions and sound procedures should be provided and enforced by works management.
2.5.3. Works management should ensure that workers operating the installation have been adequately trained in their duties.
2.5.4. Accidents and near misses should be investigated by works management.
2.6. Emergency planning
2.6.1. Emergency planning should be regarded by works management and the competent authorities as an essential feature of a major hazard control system.
2.6.2. The responsibility for on-site emergency planning should lie with works management. Depending on local arrangements, the responsibility for off-site emergency planning should lie with local authorities and works management.
2.6.3. The objectives of emergency planning should be:
to localise any emergencies that may arise and if possible contain them;
to minimise the harmful effects of an emergency on people, property and the environment.
2.6.4. Separate plans should be established for possible emergencies on site and off site. These should give details of appropriate technical and organisational procedures to reduce the effects and damage:
to people, property and the environment;
both inside and outside the installation.
2.6.5. The emergency plans should be clear and well defined, and available for use quickly and effectively in the event of a major accident. On-site and off-site plans should be co-ordinated for maximum efficacy.
2.6.6. In industrial areas where available emergency equipment and manpower are limited, works management should attempt to make provisions for mutual assistance between the neighbouring industrial activities in the event of a major accident.
2.7. Siting and land-use planning
2.7.1. Competent authorities should make reasonable attempts to ensure that there is appropriate separation between major hazard installations and:
facilities such as airports and reservoirs;
neighbouring major hazard installations;
housing and other centres of population nearby.
2.8. Inspection of major hazard installations
2.8.1. Major hazard installations should be regularly inspected in order to ensure that the installations are operated according to the appropriate level of safety. This inspection should be carried out both by a safety team which includes workers and workers’ representatives and separately by inspectors from competent authorities. Both types of inspection may be carried out in other ways where appropriate.
2.8.2. Safety personnel from the installation within this safety team should be independent of production line management and should have direct access to works management.
2.8.3. Inspectors from competent authorities should have the legal right to free access to all information available within the installation that is necessary in pursuit of their duties, and to consultation with workers’ representatives.