NOHSC declares the second edition of the Major Hazard Facilities standard
The National Occupational Health and Safety Commission (NOHSC) has declared the second edition of the Control of Major Hazard Facilities National Standard [NOHSC:1014(2002)] (MHF Standard). The MHF Standard is one of NOHSC’s seven priority national standards.
The objective of this standard is to prevent major accidents and near misses, and to minimise the effects of any major accidents, arising from the activities of a major hazard facility (MHF). An MHF is a facility that manufactures, processes, handles or stores chemicals or hazardous substances in quantities greater than those predetermined by the MHF Standard.
The MHF Standard requires operators of MHFs to:
- identify and assess all hazards and implement control measures to reduce the likelihood and effects of a major accident;
- provide information to the relevant public authority, and the community, including other closely located facilities, regarding the nature of hazards at a major hazard facility and emergency procedures in the event of a major accident;
- report and investigate major accidents and near misses, and take appropriate corrective action; and
- record and discuss the lessons learnt and the analysis of major accidents and near misses with employees and employee representatives.
The Workplace Relations Ministers’ Council (WRMC) is seeking to encourage nationally consistent regulation of MHFs based on the MHF Standard. To assist this process WRMC asked NOHSC to examine national adoption, and seek improvement of the standard.
As required under the National Occupational Health and Safety Commission Act 1985, public comment was sought on a proposal to review the MHF Standard. The review of the public consultation exercise showed that only minor changes were required to Schedule 1 of the standard at this time.
The identified amendments to Schedule 1 are the removal of diphenylmethane 4,4 diisocyanate (MDI) from Table 1 to maintain consistency with dangerous goods regulation, and an update of Table 2 Note d to maintain consistency with the Australian Explosives Code (March 2000). A new addition to Table 1 is that of titanium tetrachloride, also to maintain consistency with dangerous goods regulations.
NOHSC declared the second edition on 8 November 2002. Gazettal of the declaration will take place on 21 November 2002 and, from this date, the 2nd edition of the MHF Standard will be available on the NOHSC web site at:
www.nohsc.gov.au/OHSLegalObligations/NationalStandards/nationalstandards.htm
14 November 2002
Page last updated: 10/07/2008