Addition to NSW OHS Legislation
Occupational Health and Safety Amendment (Major Hazard Facilities) Regulation 2008.
WorkCover NSW has published the major hazards facilities regulation in the NSW Government Gazette on 4 July 2008. The regulation will commence on 14 July 2008.
The effect of the regulation is to add a new chapter (Chapter 6B) to the NSW Occupational Health and Safety Regulation 2001 to reduce the risk of a major accident and to minimise the consequences in the event of a major accident.
Major hazard facilities (MHFs) are facilities such as oil refineries, chemical processing plants, large chemical and gas storage depots and large chemical warehouses that have dangerous goods in amounts that exceed specified threshold quantities.
The requirements of any site classed as a Major Hazard Facility (MHF) include:
* Notification to WorkCover - this applies not only to MHFs, but also to other facilities that exceed 10% of the threshold quantities of dangerous materials that are set out in the regulation.
* Hazard identification and risk assessment specifically directed toward prevention of major accidents.
* Emergency plans and security plans.
* Provisional registration and (later) registration of MHFs.
* Preparation and submission to WorkCover of a safety report, demonstrating that the operator of the MHF is adequately managing safety and preventing major accidents.
