A place is a major hazard facility (MHF) if:
- it stores, handles or processes quantities of specified dangerous goods that exceed specified threshold quantities
- a major incident could occur at that place; and
- the department’s Chief Dangerous Goods Officer has determined it to be an MHF.
Examples of MHFs include:
- oil refineries
- gas processing plants
- large chemical manufacturing plants
These sites need a sophisticated safety management system to adequately address the potential risks of a major incident, such as explosions, fires, toxic chemical releases or an emission or loss of containment of a Schedule 1 substance.
Schedule 1 substances are listed in the Dangerous Goods Safety (Major Hazard Facilities) Regulations 2007 (MHF Regulations).
What legislation applies to MHFs in Western Australia?
The legislation requires MHFs to have a dangerous goods licence and comply with MHF regulations, as well as the applicable storage and handling, explosives and security risk substances regulations.
Operators must:
- demonstrate the measures taken to identify all foreseeable major incidents
- assess the likelihood and consequences of those incidents and
- justify the adequacy of the control measures used to minimise onsite and offsite risks.
Requirement to notify Chief Officer if critical quantity exceeded
Places that intend to have quantities of Schedule 1 substances greater than the critical quantity are required to notify the Chief Officer. The critical quantity is 10 per cent of the threshold quantity listed in the regulations.
The Notifying that critical quantity of Schedule 1 substances will be exceeded: Form should be completed by the operator of a place that is not a classified major hazard facility if:
- the operator intends to store or handle more than the critical quantity of Schedule 1 substances at the place, or
- more than the critical quantity of Schedule 1 substances is present, or likely to be present, and the operator intends to implement a significant change to any plant, process, substance or layout to the place, or
- the Chief Officer directs the operator to provide notification.
Learn more about Notifying that critical quantity of Schedule 1 substances will be exceeded.