Draft MHI Regulations point way forward to risk management – Department of Labour workshop told
The draft Major Hazard Installation (MHI) Regulations were clear and straightforward in the classification of MHI, a workshop was told in Kempton Park today (Friday).
So said Rachel Aphane, Deputy Director of MHI in the Department of Labour’s Chief Directorate of Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) who was addressing 150 delegates at the workshop attended by industry experts. She said the draft regulations have a criteria for easy and understandable classification of MHI.
“I can be able to tell myself what the industry needs are to be able to classify for itself in line with the proposed regulations”, she said.
Aphane said the draft regulations also come up with ways of involving sites in ensuring that risk evaluation is conducted using an approved methodology and developing an emergency preparedness plan that is specific to site and addresses risks major incident and consequences at hand.
MHI means an installation more that the prescribed quantity of any substance being kept permanently or where any substance is produced, used or stored and that has the potential to cause a major incident.
Debbie Mitchell and Gary Mcfadden, in a joint presentation on risk assessment said: “It’s important to get consistency in MHI risk assessment, thereby helping the DoL in its job”. They said whereas compliance was initially voluntary, it will become part of AIA’s accreditation in ensuring compliance.
For more information contact:
Rachel Aphane
Senior Inspector
E-mail: Rachel.aphane@labour.gov.za
Cell: 082 749 0496
Tel: 012 309 4724
Teboho Thejane
Cell: 082 697 0694
