Production and storage facilities handling dangerous chemicals and explosives must be placed in locations where they cannot pose a risk of damage to human health, the environment or property in areas around them. Correspondingly, when town and country planning takes place on areas around such facilities, it is important to make sure that the risk caused by them is sufficiently taken into consideration.
Decisions on location must take into account the areas around the facility (such as residential areas, schools, hospitals, day care facilities) that can be in danger if an accident takes place. Also to be taken into consideration are facilities that may create a further risk in the establishment's operations (such as other industrial facilities). Production facilities (handling or storing chemicals or gases) may not be located in important groundwater areas or other groundwater areas suitable for water supply without a special, justified reason.
Minimum distances in metres are given for flammable liquids, LPG and explosives in relevant legal provisions and standards referred to in these provisions. For other chemicals the sufficient distances are determined case-specifically on the basis of the consequences of potential accidents at the facility.
A licence must be obtained from Tukes before any detailed implementation decisions are taken and well in advance of the launch of construction work at the establishment.