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Our DSEAR risk assessments include:
DSEAR stands for the Dangerous Substances and Explosive Atmospheres Regulations 2002 and is a risk assessment.
Dangerous substances can put people’s safety at risk from fire, explosion and corrosion of metal. DSEAR puts duties on employers and the self-employed to protect people from these risks to their safety in the workplace, and to members of the public who may be put at risk by work activity.
When undertaking a DSEAR Assessment, the following ‘how likely’ questions are usually asked: who could be hurt, how severely, what can be done to prevent it?
If you find yourself asking ‘Do I need a DSEAR risk assessment?’, please get in touch and one of our experts will guide you through any preliminary questions you may have.
DSEAR is, in effect, a risk assessment. As part of these assessments, DSEAR requires that a hazard must be present – this is usually the presence of an explosive atmosphere and an effective source of ignition.
The key requirements for complying with DSEAR revolve around the completion of a thorough risk assessment and the undertaking of a Hazardous Area Classification.
We aim to provide a coherent focus for controlling fire and explosion risks from
flammable substances with explosive and oxidising properties alongside substances corrosive to metal
substances which can create explosive atmospheres
controlling work activities involving other substances that could create a fire, explosion or similar energetic (energy releasing) event e.g. runaway exothermic reactions, decomposition of unstable substances, dust explosions.
to reduce the occurrence of industrial incidents caused by fires and explosions
A DSEAR assessment defines a place where potentially explosive atmospheres may or may not occur.
By defining an explosive atmosphere as a hazardous zone, special safeguards can then be created in order to protect business, people, workplace and the environment.
A Hazardous Area Classification is used to identify these places and areas whereby control measures must be put in place (if necessary) and therefore, these classifications make up an integral part of the DSEAR risk assessment.
DSEAR regulations aim to limit incidents involving dangerous substances. A dangerous substance, as defined by DSEAR, is any substance in the workplace that could, if not properly controlled, lead to potential hazards when present in explosive atmospheres.
DSEAR compliance, therefore, requires that the risks from such dangerous substances be removed or controlled to protect people from explosions and fire.
Dangerous substances include a wide variety of substances such as flammable gases, mists, vapours or combustible dust. Examples of potentially dangerous substances found at work include:
We offer a range of testing services for a variety of flammable materials and potentially dangerous substances, including combustible Dust & Powder testing and flammable Gases & Vapour testing, that can aid you in complying with DSEAR and ATEX regulations.
A DSEAR assessment should always be reviewed if you believe your current DSEAR may be invalid. Although this could include the standardised 3-5 year time frame, it is recommended that a risk assessment review should occur if you have recently had a near miss or if you have made minor changes to your process.
Our consultants undertake DSEAR assessments and Hazardous Area Classifications in a holistic way to cover employees and non-employees across UK sites. By implementing best practices by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), our actionable insights, we determine what practicable recommendations should be made for your company to optimise safety and reduce the level of risk to people, business, workplace and environment.
From Hazardous Area Classifications (HAC) to NEIRAs, Sigma-HSE is your single solution provider for DSEAR risk assessment compliance. Whether it’s a new design, a review of existing processes or a plan to deal with future emergencies involving a potentially dangerous substance or an explosive atmosphere, our dedicated team of specialist engineers and safety consultants are committed to helping you ensure and maintain compliance without the exorbitant fees and delay to your operations.
We can aid you in complying with the following explosive atmospheres regulations:
Complying with DSEAR and other potentially explosive atmospheres regulations is essential to keeping people, businesses and the environment safe from fire and explosions. Learn more about how we can assist you with DSEAR risk assessments today.