The primary purpose of the bill on Ratification
of the Prevention of Major Industrial Accidents Convention of the International
Labour Organization No. 174 of 1993 (Reg.
No. 0194) is to strengthen the legal guarantees to prevent major industrial
accidents caused by hazardous substances, minimize the risks and effects of
major accidents.
This Convention applies to major hazard installation, which means the one which produces, processes, handles, uses, disposes of or stores, either permanently or temporarily, one or more hazardous substances or categories of substances in quantities which exceed the threshold quantity. This Convention does not apply to nuclear installations and plants processing radioactive substances except for facilities handling non-radioactive substances at these installations; military installations; transport outside the site of an installation other than by pipeline.
In respect of each major hazard installation employers shall establish and maintain a documented system of major hazard control which includes provision for: the identification and analysis of hazards and the assessment of risks including consideration of possible interactions between substances; technical measures, including design, safety systems, construction, choice of chemicals, operation, maintenance and systematic inspection of the installation; organizational measures, including training and instruction of personnel, the provision of equipment in order to ensure their safety, staffing levels, hours of work, definition of responsibilities, and controls on outside contractors and temporary workers on the site of the installation; the preparation of effective site emergency plans and procedures, including emergency medical procedures, to be applied in case of major accidents or threat thereof, with periodic testing and evaluation of their effectiveness and revision as necessary; the provision of information on potential accidents and site emergency plans to authorities and bodies responsible for the preparation of emergency plans and procedures for the protection of the public and the environment outside the site of the installation; any necessary consultation with such authorities and bodies; measures to limit the consequences of a major accident, etc.