HSE publishes societal risk consultation findings

E004:08 29 January 2008

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) today published the results of the Government's consultation on revised policies to address societal risk around major hazard installations.

HSE's advice on planning applications around major hazard installations is currently based on individual risk. Individual Risk is the chance that an individual at a particular location will be harmed by an incident. Societal Risk is the chance of a number of people being harmed by a single incident.

In all, 94 responses to the consultation were received. Respondents were overwhelmingly in favour of societal risk being taken into account both when HSE enforces on-site safety measures, and in the land use planning advice HSE gives to local planning authorities for developments around major hazard sites. Ministers have now agreed that this work will be taken forward.

HSE and other Government Departments will now work together to implement arrangements for societal risk to be incorporated into safety and planning policies. This will include refinement of the methodology for assessing societal risk, and will also involve workshops on the format of HSE advice to those Local Planning Authorities that have hazardous sites within their area of responsibility. This will establish detailed mechanisms for change, particularly on how HSE's advice on land use planning should be provided.

Notes to editors

1. On 2nd April 2007, the Health and Safety Executive published, on behalf of the cross-departmental Task Group on Societal Risk, a consultation document seeking views on a proposal to include information on "societal risk" when assessing safety measures at onshore major hazard installations and for informing decisions on the use of land for development in areas around such sites. The consultation closed on 2 July 2007.
2. At present, HSE provides advice on planning applications around hazardous installations based on individual risk. Societal risk would only be considered when HSE advice based on individual risk does not oppose development.
3. The original consultation document and the report of the consultation exercise are available on http://www.hse.gov.uk/consult/condocs/cd212.htm

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