Civil Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
activities - paper/board, tanneries, slaughter houses,
food/milk processing, animal carcass disposal, intensive
pig/poultry units, organic solvents users.
Control of Major Accident Hazards Regulations
1999 (COMAH)
COMAH Regulations came into force on 1 April 1999
and were amended by the Control of Major Accident
Hazards (Amendment) Regulations 2005 on 30 June
2005. These regulations require the operators of large
industrial sites to take certain precautions against any
incident on the site affecting the environment. In order
to come within the scope of these regulations industrial
sites must store specifi ed quantities of specifi ed hazard-
ous substances (see Appendix 13.1).
COMAH requires that every relevant operator
must prepare and keep a 'major accident prevention
policy document' setting out the policy with respect to
the prevention of major accidents. The policy must be
designed to guarantee a high level of protection for
persons and the environment by appropriate 'means,
structures and safety management systems'.
The major accident prevention policy should be
established in writing and should include the operator's
overall aims and principles of action with respect to the
control of major accident hazards.
The safety management systems should include
the general organisational structure, responsibilities,
practices, procedures, processes and resources for
determining and implementing the major accident preven-
tion policy.
Figure 13.3
Contaminated water following a fi re
may be subject to the terms and conditions of a trade
effl uent consent. Where there is a disposal to sewer this
should always be subject to such approval. In addition
to process effl uent, trade effl uent includes compressor
or boiler blow-down, steam condensates, cooling water,
pressure testing liquids, air conditioning water, vehicle
and plant cleaning effl uent, and yard wash-down water.
These should all be directed to foul drains.
Surface water drainage
- surface water drainage
discharges to a watercourse or to groundwater via a
soakaway. Surface water drains should therefore carry
only uncontaminated rainwater from roofs and clean yard
areas. A discharge of waste water to the surface water
drain will result in pollution. It is an offence to pollute
controlled waters either deliberately or accidentally. In
addition, the formal consent of the Environment Agency is
required for many discharges to controlled waters, includ-
ing both direct discharges and discharges to soakaways.
Such consents are granted subject to conditions and are
not granted automatically. Breaching this legislation can
lead to fi nes, prison sentences and paying remedial costs
for damage caused.
13.3
Preplanning to minimise the
environmental impact of fi re
Most industrial and commercial sites have the poten-
tial to cause signifi cant environmental harm and to
threaten both water resources and public health. The
Environment Agency has published a series of Pollution
Prevention Guidance Notes with the aim to reduce the
risk of signifi cant environmental incidents occurring.
However, regardless of the measures that may be
taken to prevent environmental pollution, under normal
circumstances there is always a residual risk of a spillage
or a fi re that could cause serious environmental damage.
In addition to the obvious threat posed by chemicals and
oils, even materials that are non-hazardous to humans,
such as foods and beverages, can cause serious
environmental harm. The run-off generated in the event
of a fi re can be very damaging and the discharge of toxic
effl uent into the atmosphere can have long effects over a
wide area.
The Pollution Prevention and Control Act 1999
The Pollution Prevention and Control Act 1999 intro-
duced a new regime of control for certain industries, who
were required to develop Integrated Pollution Prevention
and Control (IPPC). Regulations to implement the provi-
sions of the Act were implemented in August 2000.
IPPC is designed to prevent, reduce and eliminate
pollution at source through the prudent use of natural
resources. Installations are covered where one or more
of the following categories of activities are carried out
(subject to certain capacity thresholds): energy industries,
production and processing of metals, mineral industry,
chemical industry, waste management industry and other
