Enterprises with a major hazard and dangerous enterprises
The Chemicals Act establishes the requirements for dangerous enterprises and enterprises with a major hazard.
‘Dangerous enterprise’ means an establishment where a chemical is handled in a quantity that exceeds the minimum level of hazardousness and falls short of the threshold quantity. A dangerous enterprise is a category C enterprise. ‘Enterprise with a major hazard’ means an establishment where a chemical is handled in a quantity that exceeds the threshold quantity. Enterprises with a major hazard are divided into enterprises with a major hazard of categories B and A based on the increase of hazardousness.
The minimum levels of hazardousness and threshold quantities are established by Regulation no. 10 of the Minister of Economic Affairs and Infrastructure of 2 February 2016 ‘Procedure for determining the minimum level of hazardousness and the threshold of hazardous chemicals and the enterprise hazardousness category1’.
Special requirements apply to enterprises with a major hazard and dangerous enterprises which depend on the hazardousness category of the enterprise. Pursuant to the Chemicals Act, the enterprises must draw up mandatory documents, hold an operation authorisation and liability insurance, and notify the public.
- Operating authorisation (enterprises with a major hazard and dangerous enterprises)
- Data sheet (enterprises with a major hazard and dangerous enterprises)
- Safety report (category A enterprises with a major hazard)
- Description of the safety management system (category B enterprises with a major hazard)
- Risk analysis (category B enterprises with a major hazard and dangerous enterprises)
- Emergency plan (enterprises with a major hazard and dangerous enterprises)
- Liability insurance (enterprises with a major hazard)
- Preventive informing of the public and the people at risk (enterprises with a major hazard)
Information about enterprises with a major hazard and dangerous enterprises can be found from the map application of the Land Board. The purpose of the map application is to inform the public and the people at risk and to provide information to various authorities which are related to risk analyses, plans, and preparedness planning.
The list of enterprises with a major hazard
Extra-enterprise emergency plan
The competence of the Rescue Board includes drawing up an extra-enterprise emergency plan regarding the enterprises with a major hazard.
The purpose of the extra-enterprise emergency plan is to notify the population of Estonia about the category A enterprises with a major hazard in Estonia, of the chemicals processed at those enterprises, and of advisable conduct in the event of an accident. The plan also informs the public that measures are being implemented by the enterprises processing chemicals as well as the responding authorities to reduce the possibility of materialisation of the risks and that a procedure has been developed to respond to emergencies as efficiently as possible.
The Rescue Board has drawn up one nationwide emergency plan about all category A enterprises with a major hazard as any incidents are responded to base on uniform principles irrespective of the region or the type of the enterprise processing chemicals. Annexes to the extra-enterprise emergency plan include detailed information about all enterprises with a major hazard in Estonia.
