The Control of Major Accident Hazards Regulations 2015 (COMAH) are the enforcing regulations within the United Kingdom of the
Seveso III Directive devised in
Brussels
Brussels, officially the Brussels-Capital Region, (All text and all but one graphic show the English name as Brussels-Capital Region.) is a Communities, regions and language areas of Belgium#Regions, region of Belgium comprising #Municipalit ...
following the
Seveso disaster
The Seveso disaster was an industrial accident that occurred around 12:37 on 10 July 1976, in a small chemical manufacturing plant approximately north of Milan in the Lombardy region of Italy. It resulted in the highest known exposure to 2,3,7 ...
. They are applicable to any establishment storing or otherwise handling large quantities of industrial chemicals of a hazardous nature. Types of establishments include chemical warehousing, chemical production facilities and some distributors.
Details
The principal aim of the regulations is to reduce the risks of potential major accidents, such as the
Flixborough disaster
The Flixborough disaster was an explosion at a chemical plant close to the village of Flixborough, North Lincolnshire, England, on Saturday, 1 June 1974. It killed 28 and seriously injured 36 of the 72 people on site at the time. The casualty ...
, that are associated with the handling of hazardous substances. The regulations operate on two levels depending on the establishment's status which is divided into two categories,'Lower Tier' and 'Upper Tier', determined by inventory.
Lower tier establishments are required to document a Major Accident Prevention Policy which should be signed off by the managing director. A top tier COMAH establishment is required to produce a full safety report which demonstrates that all necessary measures have been taken to minimise risks posed by the site with regard to the environment and local populations. The penalty for unauthorised storage can be severe and companies unsure of whether the COMAH regulations apply should seek advice from trade associations and local health and safety inspectors.
The Competent Authorities and enforcing agencies in the UK are the
Health and Safety Executive
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is a British public body responsible for the encouragement, regulation and enforcement of workplace health, safety and welfare. It has additionally adopted a research role into occupational risks in Great B ...
and either the
Environment Agency
The Environment Agency (EA) is a non-departmental public body, established in 1996 and sponsored by the United Kingdom government's Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with responsibilities relating to the protection and enha ...
in England,
Natural Resources Wales
Natural Resources Wales () is a Welsh Government sponsored body, which became operational from 1 April 2013, when it took over the management of the natural resources of Wales. It was formed from a merger of the Countryside Council for Wales, E ...
(NRW) in Wales or the
Scottish Environment Protection Agency
The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA; ) is Scotland's Environmental regulation, environmental regulator and national flood forecasting, flood warning and strategic flood risk management authority.[Scotland
Scotland is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It contains nearly one-third of the United Kingdom's land area, consisting of the northern part of the island of Great Britain and more than 790 adjac ...]
.
References
{{Reflist
External links
Health and Safety ExecutiveCOMAH guidance for businesses
on NetRegs.gov.uk
COMAH regulations
on Legislation.gov.uk
Environment AgencyScottish Environment Protection AgencyChemical Warehousing Trade AssociationsWorkSafe Victoria - Major HazardsEmergency Management Portal - online resources for UK emergency managers
1999 in British law
Chemical industry in the United Kingdom
Health and safety in the United Kingdom
Regulation of chemicals in the United Kingdom
Statutory instruments of the United Kingdom