The Civil Contingencies Act (2004)
To comply with the Civil Contingencies Act (2004), we:
- Assess local risks and use this to inform emergency planning
- Put in place emergency plans
- Put in place business continuity management arrangements
- Put in place arrangements to make information available to the public about civil protection matters and maintain arrangements to warn, inform and advise the public in the event of an emergency
- Share information with other local organisations
- Co-operate with other local organisations to improve co-ordination and efficiency
- Provide advice and assistance to businesses and voluntary organisations about business continuity management
Further information about the Civil Contingencies Act can be found on the UK Resilience website.
Control of Major Accident Hazards (COMAH)
Certain large industrial sites have to comply with the Control Of Major Accident Hazards (COMAH) Regulations (1999). The regulations require operators of such sites to put together a plan to control any on-site incidents. The Emergency Planning Unit, together with the operators and the emergency services have a duty to prepare an off-site plan. This plan outlines the response to an emergency at the site that may affect people or the environment outside the boundary of the site.
Within South Gloucestershire we have four top tier COMAH sites.
Radiation (Emergency Preparedness and Public Information) Regulations (REPPIR)
Licensed nuclear sites have to comply with the Radiation (Emergency Preparedness and Public Information) Regulations (2001). The regulations require us to prepare an off-site plan with the emergency services and the operator of any nuclear sites, and to make arrangements to provide information to the public in the event of a release of radioactive material.
Oldbury Nuclear Power Station in South Gloucestershire is a licensed nuclear site, and comes under the REPPIR regulations.
Pipeline Safety Regulations (1996)
Certain pipelines such as those used to transport large quantities of natural gas around the country must comply with the Pipeline Safety Regulations (1996). These regulations require us to prepare suitable plans to deal with any emergency, which we do in conjunction with the emergency services and pipeline operators.
In South Gloucestershire, there are three operators of pipelines that fall under the Pipeline Safety Regulations (1996).