Effective DSEAR Risk Assessment Training and Support

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Vital Fire Solutions can provide a substantial DSEAR Risk Assessment for your workplace. Our team of trained and qualified experts typically visit site, perform the necessary audit and provide a report, with any remedial actions.

So what is a DSEAR Risk Assessment?

It is the primary legislation applying to the control of substances that can cause fires and explosions in the workplace is the Dangerous Substances and Explosive Atmospheres Regulations 2002 (DSEAR).

DSEAR risk assessment training requires employers to assess the risks of fires and explosions that may be caused by dangerous substances in the workplace. From June 2015 DSEAR also covers the risk caused by gases under pressure and substances that are corrosive to metals.  This is to allow for changes in the EU Chemical Agents Directive the physical hazards aspects of which are enacted in Great Britain through DSEAR. 

 

Risk Assessment

These risks must then be eliminated or reduced as far as is reasonably practicable. The aim is to protect employees and other people who may be put at risk, such as visitors to the workplace and members of the public. The Regulations complement the requirement to manage risks under the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999.

When does DSEAR apply?

Apart from certain activities involving ships, DSEAR applies whenever:

  • there is work being carried out by an employer (or self employed person)
  • a dangerous substance is present (or is liable to be present) at the workplace
  • the dangerous substance could be a risk to the safety of people as a result of fires, explosions or similar energetic events or through corrosion to metal

The following examples illustrate the type of activities covered by DSEAR:

  • storage of petrol as a fuel for cars, boats or horticultural machinery
  • use of flammable gases, such as acetylene, for welding
  • handling and storage of waste dusts in a range of manufacturing industries
  • handling and storage of flammable wastes such as fuel oils
  • welding or other ‘hot work’ on tanks and drums that have contained flammable material
  • work that could release naturally occurring flammable substances such as methane in coalmines or at landfill sites
  • use of flammable solvents in laboratories
  • storage and display of flammable goods, such as paints, in shops
  • filling, storing and handling aerosols with flammable propellants such as LPG
  • transporting flammable substances in containers around a workplace
  • deliveries from road tankers, such as petrol and bulk powders
  • chemical manufacturing, processing and warehousing
  • the petrochemical industry, both onshore and offshore
  • handling, storage and use of gases under pressure
  • handling, storage and use of substances corrosive to metal.

Where does DSEAR apply?

DSEAR applies to workplaces where dangerous substances are present, used, or produced.

Workplaces are any premises or parts of premises used for work. This includes places such as industrial and commercial premises, land-based and offshore installations, mines and quarries, construction sites, vehicles and vessels, etc. Places such as the common parts of shared buildings, private roads and paths on industrial estates and road works on public roads are also premises – as are houses and other domestic premises, if people are at work there.

Some requirements of DSEAR which deal specifically with explosive atmospheres, do not apply to industries such as offshore oil and gas production. See the ‘Explosive atmospheres and ATEX’ section for more information.

What does DSEAR require?

DSEAR places duties on employers (and the self-employed, who are considered employers for the purposes of the Regulations) to assess and eliminate or reduce risks from dangerous substances. Complying with DSEAR involves:

Assessing risks using a DSEAR risk assessment

Before work is carried out, employers must assess the risks that may be caused by dangerous substances. This should be an identification and careful examination of:

  • the dangerous substances in the workplace
  • the work activities involving those substances
  • the ways in which those substances and work activities could harm people

The purpose of DSEAR risk assessment training is to help employers to decide what they need to do to eliminate or reduce the risks from dangerous substances.

If there is no risk to safety, or the risk is trivial, no further action is needed. If there are risks then employers must consider what else needs to be done to comply fully with the requirements of DSEAR.

If an employer has five or more employees, the employer must record the significant findings of the risk assessment.

Preparing emergency plans and procedures

Arrangements must be made to deal with emergencies. These plans and procedures should cover safety drills and suitable communication and warning systems and should be in proportion to the risks. If an emergency occurs, workers tasked with carrying out repairs or other necessary work must be provided with the appropriate equipment to allow them to carry out this work safely.

The information in the emergency plans and procedures must be made available to the emergency services to allow them to develop their own plans if necessary. Appropriate instruction and training must also be provided to employees and visitors to site.

Contact us for a more in-depth discussion on your organisation’s requirements and how we can fully meet your expectations via our online enquiry form here. Or call us on: 0191 375 5690.

One of our team will get back to you with details on how we can help very soon. Thank you for your time and interest in Vital Fire Solutions Ltd, part of the County Durham and Darlington Fire Authority’s service.

Contact

Phone

0191 375 5690

Email

vfsenquiries@ddfire.gov.uk

Address

Vital Fire Solutions Ltd
Belmont Business Park, Durham, DH1 1TW