Route map to emergency planning guidance

1 Legal requirements for the production of on-site and off-site emergency plans formajor hazard sites are laid down in the Control of Major Accident HazardsRegulations 1999 (COMAH) (as amended by the Control of Major AccidentHazards (Amendment) Regulations 2005). Regulation 9 lays down the requirements for top-tier COMAH establishments towrite an on-site emergency plan, and regulation 10 requires the relevant localauthority (LA) to produce an off-site plan. Full details of the COMAH Regulationsand guidance on the legal requirements is given in A guide to the Control of MajorAccident Hazards Regulations 1999 (COMAH). guidance on these top-tier establishments, specific guidance on the reasons for andconstituents of the on-site emergency plan are given in emergency planning formajor accidents: Control of Major Accident Hazards Regulations 1999 (COMAH) 7 of the COMAH Regulations requires that top-tier COMAH establishments write a safety report.

2 The safety report must include details of theon-site emergency plan arrangements, and must contain the information requiredto enable the LA to write the off-site plan. Detailed requirements for what must beincluded are listed in Chapter 7 of Preparing safety reports: Control of MajorAccident Hazards Regulations 1999 (COMAH) lower-tier establishments, COMAH regulation 5 requires that a Major AccidentPrevention Policy (MAPP) be written. The MAPP must include details of the on-siteemergency arrangements in place at the establishment. See Major accidentprevention policies for lower-tier COMAH establishmentsChemical InformationSheet , this document highlights the requirements in HSG191 asguidance for emergency importance of working together on the preparation of emergency plans andthe roles of the different agencies involved is laid down in emergency response andrecovery5(available from emergency planning College) and in Dealing withdisasters together(Second edition),6available from the Scottish Executive Office.

3 A brief summary of the key requirements from the main Health and SafetyExecutive (HSE) publications is given overleaf. Numbers refer to paragraphnumbers in the relevant map to emergencyplanning guidance1 of 22 pagesRoute map to emergency planning guidanceThis is a web-friendlyversion of leaflet INDG###(rev#), revised ##/0#Health and Safety ExecutiveRegulation 5(1), 5(2)Lower-tier (LT)/top-tier (TT) for MAPP to give high level of protection to documentsHealth and Safety at Work etc Act 1974,7 Management of Health and Safety atWork Regulations of 22 pagesRoute map to emergency planning guidanceL1111125: All operators must haveMAPP LT must be : Details of when MAPP mustbe.

4 Links MAPP to safetymanagement system (SMS) andrefers to Schedule 2 for what mustbe included in SMS. MAPP mustbe in 132: Links MAPP to otherhealth and safety : MAPP should be short andsimple refer to 16 and 26: Detailsrequirements for LT sites. TheMAPP should include informationon procedures for identifyingforeseeable emergencies, and thelevel of planning should beproportional to probability of anaccident 212: Specifies contents (d)(v): requires arrangements foridentifying foreseeable emergenciesby systematic analysis, and forpreparing, testing and reviewingemergency plans in response tosuch 5(3) MAPP document shall: take account of the principles specified in paragraphs 1 and 2 of Schedule 2.

5 And include sufficient particulars to demonstrate that the operator has establishedan SMS which takes account of the principles specified in paragraphs 3 and 4of that , Schedule 2(e) requires that the SMS addresses planning foremergencies adoption and implementation of procedures to: identify foreseeable emergencies by systematic analysis; prepare, test and review emergency plans to respond to such emergencies; and provide specific training for all persons working in the documentsCHIS3:4 HSE guidance document on MAPP for LT sites. Reinforces need toidentify and control emergencies. Refers to COMAH regulation 5 and Schedule 2,and to HSG191 for of 22 pagesRoute map to emergency planning guidanceL111 Schedule 2 requirements relevantto on-site plan:427 428: MAPP must demonstrateSMS in 456: Detail of requirements : Roles and responsibilities(control of emergencies).

6 434 436: Identification 449: MAPP/SMSrequirements for emergencyplanning are detailed for LT 208: Specifies generalrequirements of : Figure 2 shows how MAPPand on-site plan fit with overall riskcontrol 212: Specifies contents (d)(v): Requires arrangementsfor identifying foreseeableemergencies by systematicanalysis, and for preparing, testingand reviewing emergency plans inresponse to such : Requires details ofresponsibilities for 5(4)MAPP shall be reviewed and revised where necessary in the event of 5(5)The operator shall implement the policy set out in their 5(6) MAPP not required separately for top-tier of 22 pagesRoute map to emergency planning guidanceL111138: Reinforces when changes arerequired and references guidanceunder regulation 8(4) on whatconstitutes significant : Emphasises must implementthe policy in the 141: Emphasises TT do notrequire separate MAPP, but that LTsites must have 7 TT.

7 Requirement to have safety report and when it must be of 22 pagesRoute map to emergency planning guidanceL111 Schedule 4 Part 1 referenced details objectives of safety 4 Part 2 referenced details information required insafety report.(See separate section relating toemergency plans below.)HSG1918 10: repeat top-tier operatorduties on emergency planning ,provision of information and writingof safety : Requires safety report todetail arrangements for co-operation with emergencyservices/LA : Requires arrangements forcommunications with LA, emergency services, otherestablishments, the public : Requires safety report todetail organisation for (c)(vi): Requires identification ofpossible , 256 259.

8 Requires SMS todescribe risk control systems forplanning for 9(1)Every operator of an establishment shall prepare an on-site emergency plan whichshall be adequate for securing the objectives specified in Part 1 of Schedule 5 andshall contain the information specified in Part 2 of that of 22 pagesRoute map to emergency planning guidanceL111235 236: Adequate emergencyplans in writing, proportional : Objectives of on-site and off-site emergency plans inaccordance with Schedule 5 Part 1(see below).239 242: Require communicationto the public and emergencyservices, systems for managinginformation, definition of roles andresponsibilities, and provision forrestoration and clean : COMAH requires operators ofTT sites to prepare on-siteemergency : Repeats objectives to beachieved by on-site : Requires production of on-siteplan in : Requires dovetailing with 33: Give reasons for theemergency : Highlights it is the responsibilityof the : Requires the involvement of allparties in the 57: Describe the emergencyplanning process and how toprepare : Requires documentation of planin 80.

9 Cover scope of on-siteemergency plan the operator scomplete response to a majoraccident. Concentrate on eventsidentified as being the most of planning proportional to theprobability. Plan should haveflexibility to allow it to be extendedand increased to deal with extremelyunlikely consequences. The plan should detail how theoperator prepares people for anemergency, and how to control,contain and mitigate the effects ofan 122: Require development ofthe range of hazardous scenariosand prediction of their frequencyand consequence for use inemergency : Requires provision 9(2)Timing of preparation of on-site 9(3) The operator shall consult: persons working at the establishment; the agency; the emergency services; and the health documentsRCS8 41:9refers to consultation with relevant statutory 9(4)The operator shall consult the LA (except where the LA is exempted fromrequirement for preparation of an off-site plan).

10 7 of 22 pagesRoute map to emergency planning guidanceL111243 244: Further details of 68: Repeat detail of timing 247: Details on reasons forconsultation and roles of , 40 42: Details of consultees foron-site plan employees/ emergency 61: Suggests ways of workingtogether on the : Requires consultation duringthe preparation of the on-site : Require consultation 10(1)The LA, in whose area there is an establishment, shall prepare an off-site emergencyand such a plan shall be adequate for securing the objectives specified in Part 1 ofSchedule 5 and shall contain the information specified in Part 3 of that 10(2)Timing of preparation of off-site of 22 pagesRoute map to emergency planning guidanceL111249: Plan in : Must meet objectives inSchedule 5 Part 1 (see below) and include consideration topeople, property and 253: Must provide forrestoration, clean up withappropriate remedial consider effects on : Plan can be generic if forestablishments in close.