Consultancy - Major Accidents

Advice on and assistance with all aspects of legislative compliance

Are you managing the risk of a major accident?

If you have materials present on your site in large quantities, then you may have duties under the Control of Major Accident Hazard (COMAH) Regulations.

The COMAH regulations came into force in 1999, and replaced the Control of Industrial Major Accident Hazards Regulations, 1984. COMAH implements the Seveso II Directive regarding the prevention and mitigation of major accidents involving dangerous substances. COMAH was amended in 2005 to reflect changes to the Seveso II directive.

The main duty imposed by COMAH is to take all measures necessary to prevent major accidents and limit their consequences to people and the environment. This requires thorough risk assessment, control and planning, in the form of a policy or a safety report, as well as efficient communication to third parties who may be involved or affected in case of an accident (such as the emergency services, local residents and neighbouring businesses). Your ability to take these measures must be evaluated by the competent authority before authorisation will be given to commence business.

If you are unsure whether your business or proposed business will come under the scope of COMAH, or need help with risk assessment and control to achieve compliance, then contact us.

We can help you:

• Audit your compliance with COMAH, and recommend remedial actions where necessary.
• Provide advice on the regulations and how they apply to your operation.
• Assist with compilation of reports to enforcing authorities.
• Provide in-house, bespoke training for your employees.

Further information

If you would like more information, please contact the Consultancy team