Hazardous Chemicals and Control of Major Accident Hazards (COMAH)

What to do in an emergency

Go In, Stay in And Tune In

Remember, in the event of a chemical-related emergency, the best advice is to Go In, Stay In And Tune In.

You can find details about where to 'tune in' on our Warning and Information Sources page. 

Regulating Hazardous Substances

In order to regulate the use of dangerous substances in industry, the UK Government has enacted the Control of Major Accident Hazards Regulations 1999 and the Amendment Regulations 2005, commonly referred to as COMAH.

COMAH regulations and related guidance aim to prevent major accidents involving dangerous substances and to limit the consequences to people and the environment of any that do occur. This includes:

• Identifying installations that store or use a threshold amount of hazardous substances (Lower tier and Top tier)
• Providing guidelines on the prevention of accidents through the control of substances (Major Accident Prevention Plans, Safety reports)
• Providing guidance on mitigating the effects of hazards, including the effect on the environment and neighbouring sites, through the development of emergency plans.

This is accomplished by focusing not only on technical safety issues, but more importantly, by emphasising the importance of safe management practices. COMAH regulations are enforced by the 'Competent Authority' i.e. the Health & Safety Executive (HSE) and the Environment Agency (EA) acting jointly.

For more information, links to COMAH Regulations are included below or consult the COMAH webpages of the Health and Safety Executive (www.hse.gov.uk) or Environment Agency (www.environment-agency.gov.uk).

COMAH Sites in Bristol

Within and around Bristol there are a number of major accident hazard establishments, mainly situated in the Severnside Industrial Complex, that are subject to COMAH legislation. The Severnside Complex, located to the northwest of Bristol, spans both Bristol City Council and South Gloucestershire Council areas. It occupies a strategic location adjacent to the site of the Second Severn Crossing, the M49, M4 and M5 motorways, and the national rail freight network.

Top tier COMAH sites on Severnside:

Albemarle Chemicals UK Ltd
Avonmouth Works, Avonmouth, Bristol, BS11 0YT
Activity: Produces flame retardant products, biocides and fungicides
Local Authority: Bristol City Council

AstraZeneca (UK) Ltd
Avlon Works, Severn Road, Hallen, South Gloucestershire, BS10 7ZE
Activity: Manufactures Active Pharmacentical ingredients, stores flammable and toxic substances
Local Authority: South Gloucestershire Council

Esso Petroleum Company Ltd
Avonmouth Terminal, St Andrew's Road, Holesmouth, Avonmouth, Bristol, BS11 9BN
Activity: Stores petroleum based products
Local Authority: Bristol City Council

Hallen PSD
Ison Hill, Hallen, South Gloucestershire, BS10 7SG
Activity: Stores aviation fuel
Local Authority: South Gloucestershire Council

National Grid LNG Storage
Severn Road, Hallen, South Gloucestershire, BS10 7SQ
Activity: Stores LNG
Local Authority: South Gloucestershire Council

Lower tier COMAH sites on Severnside:

Augean Treatment
Smoke Lane, Avonmouth, Bristol, BS11 0YA
Activity: Stores and treats waste solvents, oils and water
Local Authority: Bristol City Council

Berwick Wood PSD
Berwick Lane, Hallen, South Gloucestershire, BS10 7RS
Activity: Stores aviation fuel
Local Authority: South Gloucestershire Council

Bristol Oil Storage Ltd
Royal Edward Dock, Holesmouth Road, Avonmouth, Bristol, BS11 9BE
Activity: Stores petroleum based products
Local Authority: Bristol City Council

Bristol Port Co. R-Shed
Holesmouth Road, Royal Edward Dock, Avonmouth, Bristol, BS11 9BT
Acitivity: Stores Gasoline, Diesel and Fuel Additive
Local Authority: Bristol City Council

Yara UK Ltd
St Andrews Road, Avonmouth, Bristol, BS11 9HU
Activity: Stores fertiliser
Local Authority: Bristol City Council

Other lower tier COMAH sites in Bristol:

BOC Ltd
Whitby Road, Brislington, Bristol, BS4 3QH
Activity: Acetylene cylinder storage and filling site

Wales & West Utilities Ltd
Genfrome House Storage Site, Genfrome House, Eastgate Road, Bristol, BS5 5NP
Activity: Stores natural gas under pressure to cope with the peak demands for gas

COMAH Planning

COMAH Emergency Planning occurs at two levels; on-site planning to manage incidents at the installation and off-site planning to deal with effects of a possible incident beyond the site boundary.

The regulations require the Council to prepare adequate emergency plans for COMAH sites within their areas, which have the potential to cause a major accident. These plans must demonstrate the co-ordinated response of agencies to an emergency that has (or may have) off-site effects and are referred to as Off-Site Emergency Plans.

Operators of COMAH sites are also required to prepare Emergency Plans aimed at those who work on site, referred to as On-Site Emergency Plans.

These plans should aim to:

• Minimise the effects of incidents
• Protect people and the environment
• Communicate with those affected
• Provide for restoration and clean up.

Preparation and review of the Off-site Emergency Plan is carried out by the CPU working in partnership with the local emergency services, health agencies and others through the Severnside Emergency Planning Forum.

Severnside Emergency Planning Forum

In order to effectively apply the legal duties there is close liaison between the local industries, the emergency services and the local authorities (including Bristol City Council, South Gloucestershire Council and North Somerset Council) in the Severnside Emergency Planning Forum (SEPF), which facilitates the development and improvement of emergency arrangements for potential incidents on Severnside, meeting biannually.

 Its main objectives are:

• To encourage and facilitate the sharing of principles and developed best practice, and the exchange of views and information, in relation to emergency planning for COMAH related incidents
• To facilitate the preparation and review of joint major on-site and off-site exercises to test multi-agency emergency procedures and plans
• To facilitate initiatives to improve knowledge, skills and training for those involved in the response to incidents
• To facilitate best practice through flexible project groups, as required, to consider training, major exercises, mutual aid (sharing of resources and expertise), warning & informing the public, multi-agency Silver Control, media issues etc
• To visibly demonstrate our Aim and Objectives to a wider audience of other interested bodies and organisations, sharing the principles and developed best practice for the management of incidents and exchanging information and advice with them.

On behalf of local industries, the SEPF also produces the Severnside Sirens Information Booklet - Major Emergency Safety Advice - that is distributed approximately every three years to addresses in and around the Severnside area. An elecronic version of the latest edition of the booklet is available by following the Related Documents 'Severnside Sirens Information Booklet' link below.

Severnside Sirens

For residents and businesses located in the Severnside area, a warning system exists especially to provide an audio warning to areas potentially at risk from hazardous chemical spillages or other related incidents.

The areas covered by the Severnside Sirens System include Portishead, Avonmouth, Shirehampton, Aust, Pilning and Severn Beach (see below for map of the Sirens coverage).

On notification of a significant incident, the Severnside Sirens Alert Warning will be sounded. Only sirens deemed necessary to alert those at risk will be sounded. When the incident is safe and the area clear, the Severnside Sirens All Clear will be sounded. Sound files are attached below.

Remember, if you hear the sirens:

Go In, Stay In, Tune In

The system is tested on the third day of each month at 3pm, for example, on 3 November at 3pm. The audible tests consists of three minutes of the "Alert Warning", one minute silence, followed by one minute of the "All Clear".

The Severnside Siren System is maintained by an independent charitable organisation, the Severnside Sirens Trust.

Additional site sirens are also tested on a regular basis.

For more information on the Go In, Stay In, Tune In campaign go to www.direct.gov.uk.