Reset Password

Welcome to our new website

If you have previously had an account with us, please use the forgotten password link to reset your password here. This does not include the password for our CAT system, your existing password will still work. Thank you.

Arcoservices > Health and Safety News > The Control of Major Accident Hazards Regulations 2015 was laid before Parliament 9th March 2015.

The Control of Major Accident Hazards Regulations 2015 was laid before Parliament 9th March 2015.

These Regulations impose requirements with respect to the control of major accident hazards involving dangerous substances. The expressions “major accident” and “dangerous substances” are defined in regulation 2(1).

The Regulations implement Directive 2012/18/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council on the control of major accident hazards involving dangerous substances, amending and subsequently repealing Council Directive 96/98/EC (O.J. No. L 197, 24.7.2012, p.1) (the “Seveso III Directive”), except for Articles 13 and 15, which relate to land use planning, and Article 30, which was implemented by the Heavy Fuel Oil (Amendment) Regulations 2014 (S.I. 2014/162).

 

To see the full PDF regulation document click here:

The Control of Major Accident Hazards Regulations 2015

 

PART 1
INTRODUCTION

Citation, commencement and extent
1.—(1) These Regulations may be cited as the Control of Major Accident Hazards
Regulations 2015 and come into force on 1st June 2015.
(2) These Regulations extend to Great Britain.

 
Application and exceptions

3.

(1) These Regulations apply to any establishment which is either a lower tier establishment or an upper tier establishment.
(2) These Regulations do not apply to any of the following—

(a) an establishment which is under the control of—
(i) the Secretary of State for the purposes of the Ministry of Defence;
(ii) a headquarters or organisation designated for the purposes of the International Headquarters and Defence Organisations Act 1964(a) or the service authorities of a visiting force within the meaning of any of the provisions of Part 1 of the Visiting Forces Act 1952(b);

(b) hazards created by ionising radiation originating from substances;

(c) substances which create a hazard from ionising radiation if present on a nuclear establishment;

(d) the exploitation, namely the exploration, extraction and processing, of minerals in mines and quarries, including by means of boreholes, except any of the following which involve dangerous substances—
(i) onshore underground gas storage in natural strata, aquifers, salt cavities and disused mines;
(ii) chemical and thermal processing operations and storage related to those operations;
(iii) operational tailings disposal facilities, including tailing ponds or dams;

(e) the offshore exploration and exploitation of minerals, including hydrocarbons;

(f) the storage of gas at underground offshore sites including dedicated storage sites and sites where exploration and exploitation of minerals, including hydrocarbons, are also carried out;
(g) waste landfill sites, including underground waste storage,

etc…….

 

PART 2
GENERAL DUTIES OF OPERATORS OF ALl ESTABLISHMENTS

General duties of operators
5.

(1) Every operator must take all measures necessary to prevent major accidents and to limit their consequences for human health and the environment.
(2) Every operator must demonstrate to the competent authority that it has taken all measures necessary as specified in these Regulations.
(3) Every operator must provide the competent authority with such assistance as is necessary to enable the competent authority to perform its functions under these Regulations.
(4) Without prejudice to the generality of paragraph (3), every operator must in particular provide such assistance as is necessary to the competent authority to enable it to—
(a) carry out inspections and investigations; and
(b) gather any necessary information, in connection with the performance of its functions under these Regulations.

 

etc……

Other parts of the regulations include:

  • SAFETY REPORTS FOR UPPER TIER ESTABLISHMENTS
  • EMERGENCY PLANS FOR UPPER TIER ESTABLISHMENTS
  • INFORMATION
  • FUNCTIONS OF THE COMPETENT AUTHORITY
  • ACTION TO BE TAKEN FOLLOWING A MAJOR ACCIDENT
  • ENFORCEMENT AND PENALTIES
  • CONSEQUENTIAL AMENDMENTS, REVOCATIONS, SAVING AND
    TRANSITIONAL PROVISIONS
  • SCHEDULE

 

For the full PDF of the regulations click here:

The Control of Major Accident Hazards Regulations 2015