Safety for our neighbours

Safety for our neighbours

Hamburg is one of the largest industrial cities in Germany. Among the many small and large-scale businesses located in Hamburg, some handle large amounts of hazardous materials, meaning that if something goes wrong, it is possible for the surrounding area to be exposed to certain dangers.

Such establishments are governed by the Störfall-Verordnung (Ordinance on Hazardous Incidents, 12th Bundes-Immissionsschutzverordnung [German Federal Emissions Control Ordinance]). As such, they are generally labelled as “Störfallbetriebe” (Establishments governed by the Ordinance on Hazardous Incidents).

A “hazardous incident” is defined as an occurrence in which hazardous substances are released due to fire, explosion or other similar incidents, causing a serious threat to people or the environment. As such, not every problem or incident occurring on business premises immediately impacts the surrounding area.

In Hamburg, there are currently 63 “Störfallbetriebe”, 29 of which have basic obligations and are now obliged to provide information for the first time, due to a change in the law. Every one of these establishments has indicated that they are governed by the Ordinance. The 34 establishments with extended obligations have produced a safety report and are obliged to implement appropriate measures to abate hazardous incidents, as well as to limit their impact as much as possible. To achieve this, they should work together with the emergency services.

All these establishments are subject to a particular type of supervision, as per an inspection plan, and authorities make regular site visits. The inspection plan, as well as the date of the last site visit, can be found online (www.hamburg.de/stoerfallbetriebe).

Even though the establishments governed by the Ordinance on Hazardous Incidents must implement particularly strict safety precautions, the possibility of a hazardous incident cannot be ruled out, even if all legal and administrative regulations are observed, and despite all preventative measures and checks implemented.

As such, as a pre-emptive measure and in addition to taking safety precautions, establishments must regularly inform the public about their business, safety measures and any potential dangers, as well as what to do if an incident occurs.

The Hamburg companies concerned have established this website together with the Hamburg Chamber of Commerce and the Board for Energy and the Environment, as well as the sixth version of the information leaflet.

While we hope that a hazardous incident never occurs, it is always good to be prepared for exceptional situations, and this leaflet should help you do just that. It informs all Hamburg citizens what to do in the event of an emergency, as well as who to turn to if help is needed.