Safety Report

A Safety Report must be prepared and submitted to the Authority by an establishment that exceeds the thresholds of dangerous substances set out in Schedule 1 of the Regulations.

Purpose of the Safety Report

• demonstrating that a major accident prevention policy and a safety management system for implementing it have been put into effect in accordance with the information set out in Schedule 2
• demonstrating that major accident hazards and possible major accident scenarios have been identified and that the necessary measures have been taken to prevent such accidents and to limit their consequences for human health and the environment
• demonstrating that adequate safety and reliability have been incorporated into the: design, construction, operation and maintenance of any installation, storage facility, equipment and infrastructure connected with its operation which are linked to major accident hazards inside the establishment
• demonstrating that internal emergency plans have been drawn up and supplying information to enable the external plan to be drawn up
• providing sufficient information to the HSA to enable decisions to be made regarding the siting of new activities or developments around existing establishments

The safety report must contain at least the data and information specified in Schedule 3 and the name(s) of the relevant organisations involved in drawing up the report.

Timelines for submission of COMAH documentation

Guidance on the assessment of safety reports

Guidance has been created by the Authority for its inspectors on the assessment of safety reports under the Chemicals Act (Control of Major Accident Hazards Involving Dangerous Substances) Regulations 2015.

It is directed at all COMAH, Chemical Production and Storage (CCPS) inspectors involved in the assessment of safety reports submitted under the Regulations.

The Guidance is not exhaustive and professional judgement will always be required in applying it to the assessment of any particular safety report.

While the Guidance will be of assistance to any operator preparing or updating a safety report for assessment, they should bear in mind that the legal duty to identify and characterise the major accident scenarios and appropriate risk-reduction and mitigation measures resides entirely with the operator and this internal guidance document does not relieve them of that responsibility.

Safety Report Guidance 2017