Industrial hazards regulator, Hungary

All EU member states are required to have in place a regulatory system for controlling risks from major industrial hazards. In 1993, ASK collaborated with AEA Technology to advise on, and pilot, a regulatory system for hazard control in Hungary, which was then working towards EU membership. In doing so, we supported Hungary in complying with EU regulations ahead of its acceptance as a member state in 2004.

The case:
ASK and AEA were contracted by the Hungarian safety organisation, SAFEORG, to develop a methodology for risk assessment and safety management that would enable Hungary to comply with the EU’s major hazards directive - the Seveso Directive. Following a number of serious industrial incidents, SAFEORG had secured funding from the UN Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO) to support improvement of its safety and environmental standards.

ASK’s involvement:
Our consultants took part in designing a workbook document to assist operators of major hazard installations inexperienced in carrying out risk assessments. This ‘Outline Safety Document’, if used appropriately, would enable any major hazard site to comply with the main requirements of the Seveso Directive. The team also carried out a pilot assessment at a chlorine production and storage plant in Budapest and provided a training workshop for the staff of Hungary’s new major hazards inspectorate.

The result:
This collaborative effort between ASK and AEA produced several results, most useful of which is likely to have been knowledge transfer to the new regulator. On the basis of the team’s report and successful pilot project, SAFEORG was able to make a number of recommendations for improving safety standards in Hungary, including implementation of a nationwide safety management training programme.

A UNIDO Representative told ASK: “We thank you for your excellent cooperation. We hope that the output of this project will substantially contribute to the endeavours of the Hungarian government to align the country’s regulatory system with the advanced standards of the EEC.”

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