Northern Ireland Statutory Rule
2015
Northern Ireland
Control of Major Accident Hazards Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2015
At a glance
Enforced by
What's here
28 compliance obligations
Penalty landscape
1 of 28 obligations carry an unlimited fine. 27 have no criminal penalty — flagged in the list below.
Who this Act binds
Business-side actors with duties under this Act, ranked by how often they appear.
- Operator 18
- Any Person 4
- Occupier 1
Plus 5 non-business duties on Crown ministers, regulators, local authorities or tribunals — shown collapsed under each section below.
Other Acts binding the same actors
For each actor bound by this Act, the other UK Acts that bind them most often. Useful for understanding the full compliance landscape facing each role.
Operators also bound by 730 other Acts (top 5 shown)
- Regulation (EU) No 965/2012 (Air Operations) 2012 138 duties
- Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2018/2066 of 19 December 2018 on the monitoring and reporting of greenhouse gas emissions pursuant to Directive 2003/87/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council and amending Commission Regulation (EU) No 601/2012 (Text with EEA relevance) 2018 121 duties
- Commission Regulation (EU) No 601/2012 of 21 June 2012 on the monitoring and reporting of greenhouse gas emissions pursuant to Directive 2003/87/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council (Text with EEA relevance) (repealed) 2012 112 duties
- Space Industry Regulations 2021 2021 75 duties
- Regulation (EU) 2016/429 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 9 March 2016 on transmissible animal diseases and amending and repealing certain acts in the area of animal health (‘Animal Health Law’) (Text with EEA relevance) 2016 66 duties
Any Person also bound by 2338 other Acts (top 5 shown)
- Human Medicines Regulations 2012 2012 169 duties
- Merchant Shipping Act 1995 1995 144 duties
- Insolvency (England and Wales) Rules 2016 2016 101 duties
- Road Traffic Act 1988 1988 95 duties
- Air Navigation Order 2016 2016 95 duties
Occupiers also bound by 259 other Acts (top 5 shown)
- The Water Resources (Control of Agricultural Pollution) (Wales) Regulations 2021 2021 39 duties
- Avian Influenza and Influenza of Avian Origin in Mammals (England) (No. 2) Order 2006 2006 34 duties
- The Welfare of Animals (Slaughter or Killing) Regulations 1995 1995 34 duties
- Highways Act 1980 1980 23 duties
- Nitrate Pollution Prevention Regulations 2015 2015 18 duties
What this Act requires
Sections that create concrete duties on businesses or carry penalties. Procedural and definitional sections are folded into the “Browse other sections” expander at the bottom of each group. Click any section title to read the source text on legislation.gov.uk.
Part 1 — INTRODUCTION
Browse 4 other sections in this Part — procedural / definitional / commencement
Interpretation
Application and exceptions
The competent authority
Part 2 — GENERAL DUTIES OF OPERATORS OF ALL ESTABLISHMENTS
General duties of operators
- Take all measures to prevent major accidents and limit their consequences Operator
Notifications
- Notify HSENI before building, operating or changing a COMAH establishment Operator
Major accident prevention policies
- Prepare and retain a written major accident prevention policy Operator
Part 3 — SAFETY REPORTS FOR UPPER TIER ESTABLISHMENTS
Purposes of safety reports
- Prepare a safety report for upper tier COMAH establishments Operator
Requirements relating to the preparation of safety reports
- Prepare and submit a safety report to HSENI before starting operations Operator
Review of safety reports
- Review and update your major accident safety report every 5 years and after significant events Operator
Part 4 — EMERGENCY PLANS FOR UPPER TIER ESTABLISHMENTS
Objectives of emergency plans
- Ensure your emergency plan covers containment, protection, communication and clean-up Occupier
Preparation, review and testing of internal emergency plans
- Prepare, review and test internal emergency plans for upper tier COMAH sites Operator
Preparation of external emergency plans
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
- HSENI must prepare external emergency plans for upper tier establishments Statutory regulator
Review and testing of external emergency plans
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
- HSENI must review, revise and test external emergency plans every 3 years Statutory regulator
Implementing emergency plans
- Implement your internal emergency plan without delay when a major accident occurs Operator
Browse 1 other section in this Part — procedural / definitional / commencement
Exemption of Executive from arranging preparation of an external emergency plan
Part 5 — INFORMATION
Provision of information to the public
- Provide public information to the competent authority about your establishment Operator
Provision of information to persons likely to be affected by a major accident at an upper tier establishment
- Provide safety information to people near your upper-tier COMAH site Operator
Provision of information pursuant to a request
- Flag environmental information you believe should be kept from public disclosure Operator
Trans-boundary consequences
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
- HSENI must share trans-boundary accident risk info with affected countries Statutory regulator
Power of the competent authority to accept information in another document
- Tell HSENI in writing if you rely on another document for your COMAH submissions Operator
Part 6 — FUNCTIONS OF THE COMPETENT AUTHORITY
Examination of safety reports by the competent authority
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
- HSENI must examine safety reports and communicate conclusions or prohibit operation Statutory regulator
Prohibition of operation
- Comply with any prohibition notice served by HSENI Operator
Domino effects and domino groups
- Cooperate with other operators in a domino group on major accident risks Operator
Inspections and investigations
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
- HSENI must inspect and investigate major accident hazard sites Statutory regulator
Part 7 — ACTION TO BE TAKEN FOLLOWING A MAJOR ACCIDENT
Action to be taken following a major accident
- Notify HSENI and provide information after a major accident Operator
Part 8 — ENFORCEMENT AND PENALTIES
Enforcement and penalties
Unlimited fine- Breach of major accident hazard requirements Any Person
Part 9 — FEES
Browse 2 other sections in this Part — procedural / definitional / commencement
Fees payable by operators to the competent authority
Fees payable to Executive for arranging for the preparation, review and testing of external emergency plans
Part 10 — CONSEQUENTIAL AMENDMENTS, REVOCATIONS, SAVING AND TRANSITIONAL PROVISIONS
Browse 4 other sections in this Part — procedural / definitional / commencement
Amendments
Revocations
Saving provisions
Transitional provisions
Schedules
If Explosives of Division 1.4 are unpacked or repacked, they...
- Reclassify unpacked or repacked Division 1.4 explosives as P1a Any Person
A safety management system shall— (a) be proportionate to the...
- Maintain a proportionate safety management system for major accident hazards Any Person
The following matters shall be addressed by the safety management...
- Address key safety management matters in your COMAH safety management system Operator
Identification and accidental risks analysis and prevention methods—
- Produce a safety report with detailed major accident risk analysis Operator
Measures of protection and intervention to limit the consequences of...
- Describe your protective measures and intervention plans for major accidents Any Person
An internal emergency plan shall include the following information—
- Prepare an internal emergency plan with specified information Operator
Browse 29 other Schedules — structural / supplementary
Substances and mixtures are classified in accordance with the CLP...
(1) Flammable aerosols are classified in accordance with Council Directive...
According to paragraph 2.6.4.5 in Annex I to the CLP...
Ammonium nitrate (5,000/10,000): fertilisers capable of self-sustaining decomposition. This applies...
Ammonium nitrate (1,250/5,000): fertiliser grade. This applies to straight ammonium...
Ammonium nitrate (350/2,500): technical grade. This applies to ammonium nitrate...
Ammonium nitrate (10/50): ‘off-specs’ material and fertilisers not fulfilling the...
Potassium nitrate (5,000/10,000). This applies to any composite potassium nitrate...
Potassium nitrate (1,250/5,000). This applies to any composite potassium nitrate...
Upgraded biogas. For the purpose of these Regulations, upgraded biogas...
Mixtures shall be treated in the same way as pure...
Polychlorodibenzofurans and polychlorodibenzodioxins. The quantities of polychlorodibenzofurans and polychlorodibenzodioxins are...
In cases where this dangerous substance falls within category P5a...
The CAS number is shown only for indication.
The qualifying quantities set out in Parts 1 and 2...
The following rules governing the addition of dangerous substances, or...
In the case of dangerous substances which are not covered...
In the case of dangerous substances with properties giving rise...
Dangerous substances that fall within Acute Toxic Category 3 via...
The hazard class Explosives includes explosive articles (see Section 2.1...
Testing for explosive properties of substances and mixtures is only...
The data and information to be included in a safety...
Information on the management system and on the organisation of...
The environment of the establishment— (a) a description of the...
The establishment— (a) a description of the main activities and...
An external emergency plan shall include the following information—
A major accident meets the criteria in this Schedule if...
Any major accident falling within paragraph (a), or having at...
Any accidents or ‘near misses’ which the Member State regards...
Enforcement and responsible bodies
The regulators that administer or enforce this legislation.
Health and Safety Executive for Northern Ireland
Promotes and enforces health and safety at work standards in Northern Ireland. NI equivalent of HSE with similar enforcement powers under local …
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Regulators
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