MHI: Major hazard rules revised
February 27th, 2010
Major Hazard Installation (MHI) Regulations of 2001, based on best practice at the time, are due for major overhaul in 2010.
The current definition of an MHI involves threshold quantities of dangerous good, defined in a list, or the potential to cause a catastrophe. MHIs have to appoint registered approved inspection authorities (AIAs) perform quantative risk assessments (QRAs).
Current problems in application of the MHI Regulations centres on the definition oif ‘potential to cause a catastrophe’. Even simple QRAs would cost some R50 000. Barriers to entry for an AIA is high, and there are only seven consulting AIAs.
MHI QRA process seems to lead to little improvement in safety. The accreditation body SANAS have a technical committee for AIAs, and in 2007 they volunteered to try and clarify the Regulations in a guidance document, but it turned out to be more work than expected.
In 2009 The Advisory Council of the OHS Act agreed that the MHI Regulations should be reviewed, and the Department of Labour’s technical committee appointed a tripartite committee, including government, industry, labour, and the SANAS committee to provide specialist input.
Many local authorities do not have the capacity to deal with MHIs or potential catastrophes. An emergency services workshop in November, attended by 100 fire fighters and ambulance workers, agreed that emergency services functions were fairly chaotic.
A member of the review committee, Nigel Coni, commented that a standard was required for emergency action plans at MHIs. The mining industry, organised business, and the Chemical and Allied Industries Association (CAIA), have consulted their members and noted their views.
“An MHI should be defined solely by a list of substances and threshold quantities,” said Coni. “There should also be provision for different types of MHI, for example, small, large, pipelines, and so on, with different obligations, appropriate to the risk posed to the public”.
Coni also noted the need for more emphasis on ongoing process safety management at major hazard installations.
The review committee is conducting a survey of how other countries have dealt with the relevant problems or regulating hazardous plants.
PHOTO; A member of the review committee, Nigel Coni.
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