Chemical industry professionals did not wait for the first European directive in the 1970s to set up a risk assessment. Subsequently, the various accidents that occurred, first at Seveso in 1976, at AZF in Toulouse in 2001, and then in Rouen in 2019, have made this regulation evolve. Here is an overview of industrial safety at chemical risk sitesHere is an overview of industrial safety at chemical risk sites, as well as the evolution of the associated regulations.
Risk management on chemical industrial sites
The "Guide Lines" of the Union of Chemical Industries present management methods to guarantee the safety of industrial sites. Chemical companies must set up a system to improve their "safety" performance. The objective is to obtain a risk assessmentThe objective is to obtain an assessment of the risks, to reduce them until they are eliminated, and to improve the training measures. A methodology has been developed to analyze the risks at chemical sites in the face of terrorist threats.
The evolution of the regulation of chemical installations
The regulatory systems have evolved over time as a result of feedback from accidents that have occurred on chemical sites. Here is a quick overview.
The impact of the Seveso directives on the chemical industry
The European directive 82/501/CEE was issued following the Seveso disaster. It requires companies to identify the risks inherent to their hazardous industrial activities. The establishments must also organize the prevention and implement corrective measures. The directive was later amended by adding the notion of control and monitoring of hazardous installations.
The Directive 96/82/EC of December 9, 1996, known as Seveso IIextends the scope of the installations to all establishments that store dangerous substances. The operator must implement a safety management system according to the identified accident risks. He must also update the risk studies generated by the facilities every five years. Periodic inspections are carried out by the Administration. Urbanization around industrial sites must also be controlled. This directive 96/82/EC came into force in French law in February 2001.
Prevention measures following the fire in Rouen
The decree n° 2020-1168 of September 24, 2020 has reinforced the ICPE provisions by amending the Environmental Code. The operator of a facility subject to a declaration or authorization must inform the Prefecture. The Prefecture may require the submission of a hazard study and a prevention plan. It can also impose measures to modify the structure or operation of the facility in order to preserve the safety of the site. The POI exercises (internal operation plans) are used to control the installations. Their frequency is as follows.
- Each year for establishments classified as Seveso high threshold;
- Every 3 years for other establishments subject to POI.
The five-yearly review of the hazard studies must be accompanied by an exhaustive and periodic list of the hazardous substances present in the facilities.
Thanks to its expertise in industrial safety, Gesip offers you support for safety assessments of chemical industrial sites.