What is required for dangerous goods storage and handling licences?

Dangerous goods sites storing or handling more than the manifest quantities of dangerous goods must maintain a:

• manifest
• dangerous goods site plan.

Revision of manifest and site plan

The manifest and site plan must be revised:

• within seven days after any significant change in the information; and
• in any event, at intervals of not more than three years from the day on which the manifest and plan were developed or last revised.

For a dangerous goods site, a risk assessment is a document that:

• identifies all hazards relating to the dangerous goods at the site
• for each hazard
  • assesses the probability of the hazard causing a dangerous goods incident
  • assesses the consequences of the incident to people, property and the environment
  • identifies the risk control measure(s)
• explains the rationale behind the judgements made.

A separate hazard identification and risk assessment should be undertaken for each dangerous good and for each dangerous goods installation.

Revision of risk assessment

The risk assessment must be reviewed:

• at least every five years

or

• if the site is involved in a (significant) dangerous goods incident

or

• if there is a change in circumstances such that the risk assessment is no longer applicable, such as
  • a change to the storage or handling system
  • the emergence of new vulnerable facilities off-site
  • changes in the state of knowledge about the hazards or availability of control measures.

A risk assessment is required for all new applications or for a transfer to a new owner or operator of an existing licence where there is an increase in the quantity of product stored.

Emergency plans are required for all new applications and where there is an increase in the quantity of product stored on an existing licence.

The emergency plan must deal with any dangerous situation associated with the storage and handling of dangerous goods at the site. Guidance on how to prepare a suitable emergency plan is provided in Australian Standard AS 3745 Planning for emergencies in facilities, which is approved as a non-mandatory code of practice.

Revision of emergency plans

The operator of a dangerous goods site must review (and revise if necessary) the emergency plan:

• whenever there is a significant change in the risk
• whenever there is a significant change to the layout of the site or any structure on the site
• as soon as practicable after a dangerous situation occurs on the site
• in any event, at least every three years.

Informing adjacent sites of emergency procedures

If the risk from the dangerous goods extends to an adjacent site, the operator of the licensed site must provide the occupier of the adjacent site with:

• information about
  • the risk and what might happen if a dangerous situation occurs
  • what to do if a dangerous situation occurs
  • what the operator will do if a dangerous situation occurs
• contact details to enable the occupier of the adjacent site to communicate with the operator of the dangerous goods facility.

If the amount of dangerous goods is 10 times greater than the manifest (licensing) quantity – and the site is not a petrol station or a mine site – a FES-ERG will be required.

Contact

For more information on FES-ERG send a blank email to feserg@dmirs.wa.gov.au
For more information on risk assessment send a blank email to ra@dmirs.wa.gov.au
and you will receive an automated reply with guidance information.