Control of Major Accident Hazards (COMAH)
Planning and Exercising in Cheshire
The Control of Major Accident Hazards Regulations 1999 (COMAH) designates some industrial sites in Cheshire as ‘top tier sites’. Each of these sites require an off-site emergency plan to be in place, which must be tested at least every once every three years. In the Cheshire Local Resilience Forum area, there are 23 sites within the geographical boundaries of the four local authority areas.
The production and testing of these plans is a significant area of work for Cheshire LRF partner agencies. A multi-agency team, working closely with the site operator, plan and deliver these exercises. A variety of formats may be used ranging from simple table-top exercises to large scale exercises involving live scenario practice.