Guiding principles for chemical accident prevention, preparedness and response

Guidance for industry (including management and labour), public authorities, communities, and other stakeholders

This document aims to set out general guidance for the safe planning and operation of facilities where there are hazardous substances in order to prevent accidents and, recognising that accidents involving hazardous substances may nonetheless occur, to mitigate adverse effects through effective emergency preparedness, land-use planning, and accident response. 

The Guiding Principles are designed to be comprehensive, addressing the range of issues related to:

• preventing the occurrence of incidents (accidents and near-misses) involving hazardous substances (e.g., loss of containment of hazardous substances, explosions, fires, etc.);
  
• preparing for accidents, and mitigating adverse effects of accidents, through emergency planning, land-use planning, and communication with the public;
• 
  responding to accidents that do occur in order to minimise the adverse consequences to health, the environment and property;
• and
  follow-up to accidents, including initial clean-up activities, and accident reporting and investigation.