The Chemical Accidents Rules 1996: the Crisis Groups

In one line

Four groups, from a national apex body to a group in a factory's neighbourhood, exist to answer a chemical accident.

In the wording a student can write in an examination: the Chemical Accidents (Emergency Planning, Preparedness and Response) Rules 1996, made under the Environment (Protection) Act 1986, require the Central Government to constitute a Central Crisis Group for the management of chemical accidents and to set up a Crisis Alert System within thirty days of the commencement of the rules, the composition of that Group being as specified in Schedule 5 and the Group meeting at least once in six months with power to co-opt any person whose assistance or advice is useful; require the Central Government under the Crisis Alert System to set up a functional control room and an information networking system with the State and district control rooms, to appoint adequate staff and experts, to publish a list of major accident hazard installations, a list of major chemical accidents in chronological order and a list of the members of the Central, State and District Crisis Groups, and to take measures to create awareness among the public with a view to preventing chemical accidents; and provide for a State Crisis Group and for District and Local Crisis Groups with their own compositions and functions.

Why a separate rule set

Because the rules of 1989 tell an occupier what to do before an accident and the rules of 1996 tell the State what to do during and after one.

The two are complementary and a student should say so. The occupier writes the on-site plan; the authority writes the off-site plan; and the crisis groups are the standing bodies that make the off-site plan work when it is needed.

The four tiers

The frequency of meeting rises as the tier descends, which is the correct design: the district and local groups are the ones that will actually meet an accident.

Rule 3, the Central Crisis Group

Constitution. The Central Government shall constitute a Central Crisis Group for the management of chemical accidents and set up a Crisis Alert System in accordance with rule 4, within thirty days from the date of the commencement of the rules.

Composition. As specified in Schedule 5 to the rules.