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Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently Asked Questions about Major Hazard Facilities

Click on the questions below for more information.

Do we as the occupier need to carry out consequence modelling as part of Notification?
Should all hazards be included in the hazard identification study such as slips, trips and falls?
Who should notify as a possible Major Hazard Facility?
How do I notify that I am a possible Major Hazard Facility?
Do I have to notify if I am below the thresholds in schedule 2 of the Regulation?
Do I have to notify if I exceed the prescribed quantities in the Regulation but pose no off-site risk?
What happens if I do not notify?
I am unsure whether I am a Major Hazard Facility or Large Dangerous Goods Location, should I notify as both (i.e. fill in both forms)?
Do I have to carry out a Systematic Risk Assessment if the facility poses no off-site risk?
Can an Occupier use the assigned packing group for toxic materials to determine VERY TOXIC and TOXIC categorisation of toxic solids and liquids in calculating the prescribed quantity?
For a facility that stores varying quantities of hazardous materials, what quantities are reported on the MHF Notification form? Should maximum quantities of each hazardous material be reported, even though this may be unrealistic (e.g. maximum physical capacity of the storage area is exceeded)?

Q: Do we as the occupier need to carry out consequence modeling as part of Notification?
A: No. The Regulatory Authority may carry out consequence modelling using RMP*Comp, (or other appropriate modelling tool) from the information supplied by the occupier at Notification.

Q: Should all hazards be included in the hazard identification study such as slips, trips and falls?
A: No. Only hazards that could lead to a major accident arising from the storage and handling of hazardous materials, particularly dangerous goods and combustible liquids.

Q: Who should notify as a possible Major Hazard Facility?
A: A facility that:

stores or handles or is likely to store or handle a quantity or quantities of hazardous materials greater than the prescribed quantities in schedule 2 of the Dangerous Goods Safety Management Regulation 2001; or
stores or handles or is likely to store or handle a number of hazardous materials and the result of the aggregation total exceeds 1 (see schedule 2 of the Dangerous Goods Safety Management Regulation 2001 for the aggregation formula).

Note: More information is available in Guidelines for Major Hazard Facilities, B - Notification and Classification available from the Guidelines page.

Q: How do I notify that I am a possible Major Hazard Facility?
A: Fill out Form 3 - Notification of Possible Major Hazard Facility available from this website and send it to the CHEM services.

Q: Do I have to notify if I am below the thresholds in schedule 2 of the Regulation?
A: The following aggregation calculation should be used where none of the prescribed quantities are exceeded:

Image of equation

Where:

x, y … n are materials stored or handled or likely to be stored or handled
qx, qy … qn is the quantity of each material x, y … and n stored or handled or likely to be stored or handled in an isolated quantity greater than 2% of its individual prescribed quantity
Qx, Qy … and Qn is the individual prescribed quantity of each material x, y … and n in tables 1 and 2 of the DGSM Regulation

If the total from this calculation is greater than 1, notification is necessary. However, if the aggregation total is less than 1, notification as a Large Dangerous Goods Location may be necessary.

Q: Do I have to notify if I exceed the prescribed quantities in the Regulation but pose no off-site risk?
A: Yes. The Regulator will then assess the notification and associated justification for posing no off-site risk and make a decision as to whether the facility should be classified.

Q: What happens if I do not notify?
A: The regulator may issue a penalty of up to 200 penalty points which is equivalent to $15,000 (as at 7th May 2002).

Q: I am unsure whether I am a Major Hazard Facility or Large Dangerous Goods Location, should I notify as both (i.e. fill in both forms)?
A: No, because notification as a Major Hazard Facility is considered notification as a Large Dangerous Goods Location.

Q: Do I have to carry out a Systematic Risk Assessment if the facility poses no off-site risk?
A: Yes. A Systematic Risk Assessment must be completed by all Major Hazard Facilities.

Q: Can an Occupier use the assigned packing group for toxic materials to determine VERY TOXIC and TOXIC categorisation of toxic solids and liquids in calculating the prescribed quantity?
A: No. The categorisation of a material as either VERY TOXIC or TOXIC must be based on Table 4 - Criteria for toxicity for Table 2, Schedule 2 of Dangerous Goods Safety Management Regulation. If the material has an oral, dermal or inhalation toxicity which meets the criteria for VERY TOXIC or TOXIC, the material should be considered as such for the purposes of calculating the prescribed quantity for notification as a possible MHF.

Notification as a possible MHF does not automatically result in a facility being classified as a MHF.

Q: For a facility that stores varying quantities of hazardous materials, what quantities are reported on the MHF Notification form? Should maximum quantities of each hazardous material be reported, even though this may be unrealistic (e.g. maximum physical capacity of the storage area is exceeded)?
A: The maximum storage quantity of each hazardous material or each class/type of dangerous goods at the facility that is listed in Schedule 2 of the Regulation should be reported in Table A or Table B of the possible MHF notification form (Form 3). Wherever possible the dangerous goods specified by class should be identified as specific hazardous materials. In all cases the quantity (kg or tonnes) contained in the largest containment system for each hazardous material or each class/type of dangerous goods must be supplied e g package, drum, container etc. In situations where it is impossible for maximum inventories of all hazardous materials and dangerous goods to be stored simultaneously, the maximum storage capacity of the facility in tonnes should be supplied.