DSEAR Assessment

The Dangerous Substances and Explosive Atmospheres Regulations (DSEAR) is the UK implementation of the European ATEX directive. For sites which fall under COMAH although regulatory activities typically take place under the COMAH framework, DSEAR compliance is an essential part of COMAH compliance. For non-COMAH sites, DSEAR is the principal regulation for process safety in the UK.

Duties under DSEAR largely follow the general duties that the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 places on duty holders. This includes assessing risks, applying the hierarchy of risk reduction to ensure that risks are ALARP, emergency planning and to provide information, instruction and training. DSEAR also places additional requirements on duty holders, including the requirement for a Hazardous Area Classification (HAC) and to assess the likelihood of ignition sources becoming active and effective.