In 1993, the ILO adopted the Prevention of Major Industrial Accidents Convention (C174) and Recommendation (R181) applies to Major Hazard Installations.
The purpose of this Convention and recommendation is the prevention of major accidents involving hazardous substances and the limitation of the consequences of such accidents. By ensuring that all appropriate measures are taken to:
(a) prevent major accidents;
(b) minimize the risks of major accidents;
(c) minimize the effects of major accidents.
Considering the causes of such accidents including organizational errors, the human factor, component failures, deviation from normal operational conditions, outside interference and natural forces.
The ILO in cooperation with other relevant international intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations, should arrange for an international exchange of information on:
(a) good safety practices in major hazard installations including safety management and process safety;
(b) major accidents;
(c) lessons drawn from near misses;
(d) technologies and processes that are prohibited for reasons of safety and health;
(e) medical organization and techniques for dealing with the aftermath of a major accident;
(f) the mechanisms and procedures used by competent authorities.
Convention does not apply to
(a) nuclear installations and plants processing radioactive substances except for facilities handling non-radioactive substances at these installations;
(b) military installations;
(c) transport outside the site of an installation other than by pipeline.
ARTICLE 3 - DEFINITIONS
hazardous substance means a substance or mixture of substances which by virtue of chemical, physical or toxicological properties, either singly or in combination, constitutes a hazard;
threshold quantity means for a given hazardous substance or category of substances that quantity, prescribed in national laws and regulations by reference to specific conditions, which if exceeded identifies a major hazard installation;
major hazard installation means 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;
major accident means a sudden occurrence - such as a major emission, fire or explosion - in the course of an activity within a major hazard installation, involving one or more hazardous substances and leading to a serious danger to workers, the public or the environment, whether immediate or delayed;
safety report means a written presentation of the technical, management and operational information covering the hazards and risks of a major hazard installation and their control and providing justification for the measures taken for the safety of the installation;
near miss means any sudden event involving one or more hazardous substances which, but for mitigating effects, actions or systems, could have escalated to a major accident.
PART II GENERAL PRINCIPLES - ARTICLE 5
The competent authority, or a body approved or recognized by the competent authority, shall, after consulting the most representative organizations of employers and workers and other interested parties who may be affected, establish a system for the identification of major hazard installations , based on a list of hazardous substances or of categories of hazardous substances or of both, together with their respective threshold quantities, in accordance with national laws and regulations or international standards.
PART III RESPONSIBILITIES OF EMPLOYERS
ARTICLE 7 – IDENTIFICATION
Employers shall identify any major hazard installation within their control on the basis of the system [ with the help of MSIHC Rules & Chemical Accident rules]
ARTICLE 8 – NOTIFICATION
1. Employers shall notify the competent authority of any major hazard installation which they have identified:
(a) within a fixed time-frame for an existing installation;
(b) before it is put into operation in the case of a new installation.
2. Employers shall also notify the competent authority before any permanent closure of a major hazard installation.
PART III RESPONSIBILITIES OF EMPLOYERS
ARTICLE 9 – ARRANGEMENT AT THE LEVEL OF THE INSTALLATION
In major hazard installation employers shall establish and maintain a documented system of major hazard control provision for:
(a) Identification and analysis of hazards and the assessment of risks including consideration of possible interactions between substances;
(b) Technical measures, including design, safety systems, construction, choice of chemicals, operation, maintenance and systematic inspection of the installation;
(c)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;
(d) Preparation of effective emergency plans and procedures on potential accidents for the protection of the public and the environment outside the site of the installation;
(e) Measures to limit the consequences of a major accident;
(f) Consultation with workers and their representatives;
(g) Improvement of the system, including measures for gathering information and analysing accidents and near misses.
ARTICLE 10 & 11 – SAFETY REPORT
Employers shall prepare a safety report based on the requirements . The report shall be prepared:
(a) in the case of existing major hazard installations, within a period after notification prescribed by national laws or regulations;
(b) in the case of any new major hazard installation, before it is put into operation.
(c) in the event of a modification which has a significant influence on the level of safety in the installation or its processes or in the quantities of hazardous substances present;
(d) at intervals prescribed by national laws or regulations;
ARTICLE 13 & 14 – ACCIDENT REPORTING
• Employers shall inform the competent authority and other bodies designated for this purpose as soon as a major accident occurs.
• Employers shall, within a fixed time-frame after a major accident, present a detailed report to the competent authority containing an analysis of the causes of the accident and describing its immediate on-site consequences, and any action taken to mitigate its effects. The report shall include recommendations detailing actions to be taken to prevent a recurrence.
ARTICLE 15 – OFF SITE EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS
Taking into account the information provided by the employer, the competent authority shall ensure that emergency plans and procedures containing provisions for the protection of the public and the environment outside the site of each major hazard installation are established, updated at appropriate intervals and coordinated with the relevant authorities and bodies.
ARTICLE 18 – INSPECTION
1. The competent authority shall inspect, investigate, assess, and advise on the matters dealt with in this Convention and to ensure compliance with national laws and regulations.
2. Representatives of the employer and representatives of the workers of a major hazard installation shall have the opportunity to accompany inspectors supervising the application of the measures prescribed in pursuance of this Convention.
ARTICLE 19
The competent authority shall have the right to suspend any operation which poses an imminent threat of a major accident.
ARTICLE 20
The workers and their representatives at a major hazard installation shall :
(a) be adequately and suitably informed of the hazards associated with the major hazard installation and their likely consequences;
(b) be informed of any orders, instructions or recommendations made by the competent authority;
(c) be consulted in the preparation of, and have access to, the following documents:
(i) the safety report;
(ii) emergency plans and procedures;
(iii) accident reports;
(d) be regularly instructed and trained in the practices and procedures for the prevention of major accidents and the control of developments likely to lead to a major accident and in the emergency procedures to be followed in the event of a major accident;
(e) within the scope of their job, and without being placed at any disadvantage, take corrective action and if necessary interrupt the activity where, on the basis of their training and experience, they have reasonable justification to believe that there is an imminent danger of a major accident, and notify their supervisor or raise the alarm, as appropriate, before or as soon as possible after taking such action;
(f) discuss with the employer any potential hazards they consider capable of generating a major accident and have the right to notify the competent authority of those hazards.
ARTICLE 21
Workers employed at the site of a major hazard installation shall:
(a) comply with all practices and procedures relating to the prevention of major accidents and the control of developments likely to lead to a major accident within the major hazard installation;
(b) comply with all emergency procedures when a major accident occur.
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