TABLE OF CONTENTS "The purpose of this legislation is to ensure that in the control of industrial major hazards, the ignorant seek knowledge, the wise think again, and the incompetent, never be in control."
Debate in the House of Lords on the CIMAH Regulations
Major hazards and in particular, major hazard facilities (MHFs) have taken on a growing importance in international and national regulations. Accidents such as Flixborough (UK), Seveso (Italy), Bhopal (India) and Piper Alpha (North Sea) have led directly or indirectly to the current regulatory framework that exists worldwide.
Due to the potential of MHFs to cause major disasters if poorly designed, located or controlled, these comprehensive regulations and guidelines are aimed at the effective management of risk generated by such activities. Amongst the drivers for control of major hazards is the associated land use planning issues. This has been a major concern to national governments, where new activities are to be located nearby to sensitive land uses such as residential areas or high occupancy activities. Appropriate siting of new developments near to existing MHFs is also a major planning challenge. The other drivers include an increasing concern for environmental damage, injury or fatality to facility personnel and the loss of plant and equipment leading to major business interruption.
In this chapter we discuss the general regulatory framework surrounding risk management of major hazards, whilst in Chapter 16, the important issue of land use planning is considered in more detail. We set out the key factors in risk management of...
