Many organisations are failing to meet the requirements of the latest regulations governing dangerous substances and explosive atmospheres, according to Norwich Union.
Many organisations are failing to meet the requirements of the latest regulations governing dangerous substances and explosive atmospheres, according to Norwich Union.
The Dangerous Substances and Explosive Atmospheres Regulations 2002 (DSEAR) – which came into force on 9 December 2002 - will apply to all dangerous substances at nearly every business in the UK, setting minimum requirements for the protection of workers from fire and explosion risks.
“Few workplaces comply with all the requirements of the DSEAR and many others have a lot to do to get up to scratch” says David Graves, health and safety consultant with Norwich Union Risk Services.
“There has never been a single set of regulations covering dangerous substances and explosive atmospheres in businesses across the UK and the precautions currently being taken by most organisations are simply below par,” Mr Graves says. “This is reflected in the continuing numbers of incidents and successful prosecutions by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE).”
He adds: “From June 2003, another part of the regulations will be implemented and this will require companies to assess where they have flammable atmospheres. These assessments and associated risk management measures will have to be verified by a competent professional, often an insurance provider.
“Unless companies apply the necessary resources to understand and fulfill the requirements, the HSE is empowered to prosecute.
“With the complexity of the regulations – now covering a greater number of materials and substances other than flammable liquids and gases – businesses could benefit from UK insurers’ expertise.
“Equally, brokers should have access to insurers’ knowledge of the technical aspects of the regulations and how best to advise their clients in terms of risk.”
Norwich Union is running a series of one-day seminars to help organisations implement the requirements of the regulations. For further information telephone 0500 559977.
For press enquiries, please contact Jon Clements at Staniforth Communications on 0161 274 0100 or David Ross at Norwich Union on 08703 66 68 65/07786 526350.
Notes to editors
- 1 DSEAR will apply at any workplace where there is present flammable liquids, gases and vapours, combustible dusts and any substance or mixture of substances with the potential to create a risk from energetic (energy-releasing) events such as fire, explosions, thermal runaway from exothermic reactions etc. Such substances, known in DSEAR as dangerous substances, include: petrol, liquefied petroleum gas, paints, varnishes, solvents and certain types of dust that are explosive (e.g. wood dust).
- 2 DSEAR will implement the requirements of two European Union Directives, the Chemical Agents Directive and the Explosive Atmospheres Directive.
- 3 DSEAR was laid before Parliament on 15 November 2002 and came into force on 9 December 2002.
- Norwich Union is the UK’s largest insurer. In general insurance it is more than 1.5 times the size of its nearest competitor, and has a 16 per cent share of the market.
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- one in five households
- one in five motor vehicles
- more than 700,000 businesses
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