S.L. 646.12 Art. 1Citation, scope, and applicability.

(1) The title of these regulations is the Control of Major

Accident Hazards Regulations.

(2) The scope of these regulations is to lay down rules for the prevention of major accidents which involve dangerous substances, and the limitation of their consequences for human health and the environment, with a view to ensuring a high level of protection throughout the European Union in a consistent and effective manner. These regulations implement Directive 2012/18/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 4 July 2012 on the control of major-accident hazards involving dangerous substances, amending and subsequently repealing Council Directive 96/82/EC.

(3) These regulations shall apply to establishments as defined in regulation 2.

(4) These regulations shall not apply to any of the following:

(a) military establishments, installations or storage facilities;

(b) hazards created by ionising radiation originating from substances;

(c) the transport of dangerous substances and directly related intermediate temporary storage by road, rail, internal waterways, sea or air, outside the establishments covered by these regulations, including loading and unloading and transport to and from another means of transport at docks, wharves or marshalling yards;

(d) the transport of dangerous substances in pipelines, including pumping stations, outside establishments covered by these regulations;

(e) the exploitation, namely the exploration, extraction and processing, of minerals in mines and quarries, including by means of boreholes;

(f) the offshore exploration and exploitation of minerals, including hydrocarbons;

(g) the storage of gas at underground offshore sites including both dedicated storage sites and sites where exploration and exploitation of minerals, including hydrocarbons are also carried out;

*see regulation 1(6) of these Regulations, as originally promulgated.

(h) waste land-fill sites, including underground waste storage.

(5) Notwithstanding the provisions of sub-regulation (4)(e) and (h), onshore underground gas storage in natural strata, aquifers, salt cavities and disused mines and chemical and thermal processing operations and storage related to those operations which involve dangerous substances, as well as operational tailings disposal facilities, including tailing ponds or dams, containing dangerous substances shall be included within the scope of these regulations.