Establishment of a facility

Establishing a facility

A production facility, in which dangerous chemicals are stored or handled on a large scale, requires a permit from Tukes. With the help of the ratio calculation or list of chemicals, determine whether the operations are large-scale or not.

Apply for the permit required for large-scale operations well in advance, at least 8 months before the start of new operations. The information required for a permit application is presented in these instructions (in Finnish). In drawing up the application, you can use the application form for applications and notifications concerning large-scale industrial processing and storage. The processing of the application includes stages for hearing and request for statements.

If the quantities of hazardous chemicals you handle in the cacility are small, the activity is considered minor and notifying the rescue authorities is enough.

Establishing a production facility requires investigating the accident risks caused by chemicals. The decision on the location of the facility is based on the impact areas of the accident. The built environment, nature sites, groundwater areas and the land use planning of the area must be taken into account in the placement. The vulnerability of the environment is assessed based on the criteria determined by Tukes (guide Siting of production plants).

Facility design and construction

Good facility design takes risk and safety analyses as well as the decisions and instructions made based on them into account in order to reduce the risk of accidents.

Tukes has defined requirements for process risk assessment and for the process safety system. The requirements for the process safety management system that must be specifically considered in the design of the plant are listed separately.

You can choose the method of risk analysis to be used, but it must be suitable for the activities to be inspected and the scope of operations. State the methods used and the conclusions achieved with them the methods in writing in the permit application.

The following issues must be taken into account in the facility design:

• In particular, identify the points of the operation, in which leaks may occur, and assess the consequences of possible leaks.
• Find ways to prevent leaks and limit their consequences.
• In the application, justify why the methods used are sufficient, or why they are not needed.
• In the risk analyses, take account of the following issues:
  • integrity of equipment, why the device does not leak?
  • disturbances in the process
  • leak management (including fire extinguishing water)
  • ignition sources and preventing them
  • preventing the spread of fires, explosions and toxic gases
  • chemicals as well as issues such as pressure and steam.

The safety requirements followed in the facilities are based on regulations and the measures found in the facility’s risk assessment (Act on the Safe Handling and Storage of Dangerous Chemicals and Explosives 390/2005 and Government Decree on Safety Requirements for Industrial Handling and Storage of Dangerous Chemicals 856/2012). The facilities can also fulfil the safety requirements by following various technical standards and instructions; complying with their level fulfils the requirements of the regulations.