February 19th, 2026

Safety in Numbers: How a Sector-Wide Partnership is Rewriting the Rulebook

Competency Health and Safety Articles Health and Safety News Health and Safety Training In-House News Industry News Online Health and safety Process Training Reynolds Training Services rts Training Course Trending Uncategorized

HSE proposes changes to COMAH

The Health and Safety Executive is holding a public consultation on proposed changes to the control of major-accident hazards (COMAH) involving dangerous substances.

The draft regulations would see the implementation of Article 30 of Council Directive 2012/18/EU (Seveso III Directive), amending Council Directive 96/82/EC.

Article 30 of the Seveso III Directive categorises heavy fuel oil (HFO) as a ‘petroleum product’ rather than as ‘Dangerous for the Environment’ (DFE).

What would the changes mean for my site?

Implementation of the changes would have two key outcomes for your site:

1. Qualifying inventories of HFO for lower tier and top tier sites would rise from 100 tonnes to 2,500 tonnes and from 200 tonnes to 25,000 tonnes
2. The quantity at which planning requirements became applicable would increase from 100 tonnes to 2,500 tonnes

The HSE says the draft regulations only pertain to planning requirements for England and that devolved administrations within the Kingdom will be tasked with implementing any necessary changes within their own planning regimes.

The public consultation is underway and will run to 18th October, 2013.

View the consultative document PDF

Make your voice heard

The HSE is inviting you to respond to the public consultation. Make your voice heard using the Regulator’s online questionnaire or downloading a form Word document to complete.

Responses should be sent by 18 October 2013 to:

Karen Tollet
Health and Safety Executive
5.S.2 Redgrave Court
Merton Road
Bootle
Liverpool
L20 7HS

Email: HFOconsultation@hse.gsi.gov.uk

Related reading:

• Legislative alert: Seveso 3
• Seveso puts public opinion at the heart of safety policies
• CSB calls for greater regulation of reactive chemicals
• Safety concerns discovered at Dutch storage firms
• CSB applauds oil refinery safety report
• US safety board expected to reprimand OSHA
• Free PPE training for your site