Land-use planning

When drafting a plan, planning authorities must take into account establishments involving accident hazards. For the planning of areas in the vicinity of establishments involving major accident hazards, an opinion must be obtained from Tukes and the rescue service authority. Sites involving major accident hazards include all establishments with chemicals and explosives under the supervision of Tukes that are obligated to produce a safety report or  a major-accident prevention policy (MAPP). 

Tukes recommends that an opinion be requested also for planning changes in the consulting zones of other establishments involving accident hazards under the supervision of Tukes to ensure that the planning authority will be able to consider the accident hazards of the establishment when preparing the plan. 

Aspects to consider during planning:
•    Consequences of construction and other operations permitted by the plan
•    For example, consequences of potential accidents in nearby establishments with chemicals and explosives

The Ministry of the Environment has prepared a guidance letter on the matter (in Finnish).

Planning authorities should consult Tukes and the rescue service authority as early as possible when planning areas in the vicinity of establishments involving accident hazards. Early contact helps ensure a smooth planning process. We recommend consulting Tukes and the rescue authority at the participation and assessment plan stage, for example, to determine whether opinions and attendance at meetings with the authorities will be required later.

A consultation zone (pdf, 1,8 MB, in Finnish) has been defined for all chemical sites monitored by Tukes.  An opinion must be requested from Tukes and the rescue authority for any plan changes or larger construction projects in a consultation zone.  As a rule, the consultation zone is determined starting from the plot border.

Things to note when planning a new chemical plant

A basic requirement for the siting of a new production plant is that the planning in the area permits a new production plant. The area must be reserved for industrial and storage operations, in which case its plan symbol is “T”, for example. The plan symbol T/Kem is recommended for sites that pose a major accident risk, i.e industrial or storage building areas where a major plant that manufactures or stores dangerous chemicals can be located.

A production plant may not, without specifically justified grounds, be located on a major groundwater area or other groundwater area suitable for water supply.

Tukes assesses the siting of production plants during permit processing.Tukes’s assessment is based on the consequences of potential accidents. Tukes has prepared a guide on the siting of production plants (in Finnish, pdf, 1,5 MB).