Control of Major Accident Hazards Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2000

Safety report

7.—(1) Within a reasonable period of time prior to the start of construction of an establishment, the operator of the establishment shall, subject to paragraph (12), send to the competent authority a report containing information which is sufficient for the purpose specified in paragraph 3(a) of Part I of Schedule 4 and comprising at least such of the information specified in Part II of that Schedule as is relevant for that purpose.

(2) The report referred to in paragraph (1) may comprise more than one document sent to the competent authority at different times within the period referred to in that paragraph.

(3) Nothing in paragraph (1) shall require the report to contain information which it would not be reasonable to expect the operator to have at the time of sending the report.

(4) Without prejudice to the requirements of regulation 18 (prohibition of use), an operator shall ensure that the construction of an establishment is not started until he has received from the competent authority the conclusions of its examination of the report sent pursuant to paragraph (1).

(5) Within a reasonable period of time prior to the start of the operation of an establishment, the operator of the establishment shall, subject to paragraph (12), send to the competent authority a report containing information which is sufficient for the purposes specified in Part I of Schedule 4 and comprising at least the information specified in Part II of that Schedule, except that this paragraph shall not require the report to contain information already contained in the report sent pursuant to paragraph (1) if that information is still valid.

(6) Without prejudice to the requirements of regulation 18 (prohibition of use), an operator shall ensure that the operation of an establishment is not started until he has received from the competent authority the conclusions of its examination of the report sent pursuant to paragraph (5).

(7) The operator of an existing establishment shall, subject to paragraph (12), send to the competent authority a report containing information which is sufficient for the purposes specified in Part I of Schedule 4 and comprising at least the information specified in Part II of that Schedule.

(8) The report referred to in paragraph (7) shall, subject to paragraph (10), be sent—

(a) in the case of an establishment in respect of which a CIMAH report has been sent to the Department or to the Executive—

(i) within such period after the coming into operation of these Regulations that a report would have been required to have been sent to the Executive pursuant to regulation 8(2) of the 1985 Regulations if those Regulations had remained in operation; or

(ii) by 3rd February 2001,

whichever is earlier, except that where the period referred to in head (i) expires before the date specified in paragraph (9) the report may be sent at any time before that date;

(b) in any other case by 3rd February 2002.

(9) The date referred to in paragraph (8)(a) is 31st August 2000 or such later date (no later than 3rd February 2001) as may be agreed in writing by the competent authority in respect of the establishment concerned.

(10) Where, in a case referred to in paragraph (8)(a), different CIMAH reports have been sent to the Department or to the Executive relating to different industrial activities undertaken at the same establishment—

(a) it shall be sufficient compliance with paragraph (7) if the report referred to in that paragraph is sent to the competent authority in parts, each part relating to an industrial activity to which a CIMAH report related and containing, in respect of that activity, the information referred to in that paragraph, and

(b) where sub-paragraph (a) is relied on, paragraph (8)(a) shall have effect in relation to each part as if the reference in head (i) of that paragraph to a report were a reference to the report relating to the industrial activity concerned.

(11) All or part of the information required to be included in a safety report may be so included in a safety report by reference to information contained in another report or notification sent to the competent authority, the Executive, the Department or the Department of the Environment pursuant to a requirement imposed by or under any statutory provision or contained in an application for a hazardous substances consent.

(12) Where it is demonstrated by the operator of the establishment to the satisfaction of the competent authority that particular dangerous substances present at an establishment, or any part thereof, are in a state incapable of creating a major accident hazard, the competent authority may in writing and in accordance with criteria established by the European Commission pursuant to Article 9.6(b) of the Directive, limit the information required to be included in the safety report for the establishment to those matters which are relevant to the prevention of residual major accident hazards and the limitation of their consequences for persons and the environment.

(13) An operator shall provide to the competent authority such further information as it may reasonably request in writing following its examination of the safety report, and the information shall be so provided within such period as the competent authority specifies in the request.