National Environmental Management Act, 1998 (Act No. 107 of 1998)

Environmental Management Plan : Department of Labour

Chapter 4 : Environmental Management Policies

4.5. Major Hazard Installation Regulations
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"Major hazard installation" within these regulations refers to "an installation where any substance is produced, processed, used, handled or stored in such a form and quantity that it has the potential to cause a major incident", where major incident "means an occurrence of catastrophic proportions, resulting from the use of plant and machinery, or from activities at a workplace."

 

These regulations are applicable to employers, self-employed persons and users, who have on their premises, either permanently or temporarily an installation or a quantity of a substance which can pose a significant risk of resulting in a major incident, that could affect the health and safety of persons outside the premises. These regulations are in the process of being reviewed.

 

These regulations require employers to undertake a risk assessment of the major hazard installation. Some of the components which the risk assessment should include are:

•general process description of the major hazard installation;
•description of the major incidents associated with this type of installation and the consequences of such incidents, which shall include potential incidents;
•an estimation of the probability of a major incident;
•a copy of the on site emergency plan in the case of toxic release, an estimation of concentration effects of such release;
•the potential effect of a major incident on any other installation, members of the public, which includes all persons outside the premises of the major hazard installation and on residential areas;
•the suitability of existing emergency procedures, for the risks identified;
•any requirements as laid down in terms of the Environmental Conservation Act (Act 73 of 1989).

 

These regulations require that an on site emergency plan is compiled and is readily available for implementation at all times.