Achieve DSEAR Compliance and Strengthen Workplace Safety, Faster
ISO 17025 Accredited Combustible Dust Lab
500+ DSEAR/ATEX Assessements
10+ Years in Business
Your employees’ safety from fire and explosion is your responsibility
Dangerous substances can put people’s safety at risk. DSEAR legally requires employers and the self-employed to protect their employees and members of the general public who may be put at risk by work activity.
Have confidence in your DSEAR with our expert guidance
Our tailored approach to DSEAR will guide you and your workplace towards compliance while reducing your risk, improving operational efficiency, and ensuring workplace safety.
- Lifetime guidance: from your first questions to implementing report actions, you’ll get expert guidance throughout the project.
- Cross-functional support: keep project oversight by connecting specialist process safety testing or consultancy solutions from a single expert source.
- Evergreen: DSEAR’s an evergreen document, so our consultants will help you build a culture of continuous improvement so you and your DSEAR can dynamically adapt to future change.
Sigma-HSE is your authoritative source for DSEAR compliance, DSEAR audits and long-term risk management.
Guarantee business continuity and accelerate your journey to DSEAR compliance
Your business continuity is our priority. Our DSEAR consultants focus on maximising business efficiency by working to your strict processing or regulatory deadlines.
- Get a quote in days: waiting weeks to receive a quote isn’t sustainable for you, your project, or your business. Get in touch and we’ll issue a bespoke quote in days.
- UK Wide: our DSEAR experts and process safety engineers are based across the UK. This allows us to quickly respond to and meet your requirements, wherever you and your unit operations are based.
- Internal processes: our DSEAR assessments are streamlined so you will seamlessly move from the quotation stage, to the physical assessment period and a peer-reviewed report in a matter of weeks.
Sigma-HSE will accelerate your journey to compliance by providing, validating or reviewing DSEAR documentation.
Delight the regulators and fulfil your legal obligations, no matter your budget
Not all DSEAR assessments are created equal. Incomplete or poor quality DSEAR assessments can lead to higher insurance premiums, the unnecessary purchasing of expensive ATEX-rated equipment or non-conformity fines.
- Budget friendly: DSEAR compliance, like your business, is unique to you. That’s why we always generate custom quotes tailored to your business and budget.
- Full package: we don’t treat DSEAR like a tick-box exercise. Our assessments go beyond the bare minimum to ensure that you achieve workplace safety and are legally compliant.
- No hidden fees: your quote is your quote. We don’t believe in hidden fees or admin charges.
Sigma-HSE can guarantee DSEAR compliance and your peace of mind, no matter the size or scope of your business or budget.
Align Your Workplace Procedures and Practices with our DSEAR Framework
Whether you have a new design or need a review of an existing process, our dedicated team of specialist engineers and DSEAR consultants will cut through the noise, so you can obtain and maintain compliance without the exorbitant fees and delay to your operations.
Identification of Dangerous Substances
Assessment of Explosion and Fire Risks
Equipment and Protective System Analysis
Safety Programme Development
Find Out Why Businesses Love Working With Sigma-HSE
“We used Sigma-HSE to complete a DSEAR Risk Assessment at one of our properties recently.
We found them to be professional, efficient and very helpful. They were also able to turn around the required DSEAR Report in a shorter timescale than originally indicated – which was very much appreciated.”
“Sigma-HSE completed our DSEAR assessment efficiently and identified risks we hadn’t considered. Their practical approach meant we could implement changes without disrupting production.”
“Efficient service as per usual. Great communication. Highly recommend.”
“We needed DSEAR compliance fast to meet a regulatory deadline. Sigma-HSE delivered a comprehensive assessment within 2 weeks and guided us through every action point.”
“The Sigma-HSE team brought deep technical knowledge of combustible dusts. They explained complex risks in plain language and gave us confidence in our safety measures.”
“We used Sigma-HSE for DSEAR risk assessment training. It was brilliant. Very knowledgable and supportive.”
“Sigma-HSE completed DSEAR assessments for multiple chemical inventory sites around the UK with flawless execution.”
We’ll be your guide throughout your DSEAR assessment journey.
Systematically optimise and protect your processes.
Food Industry Brand Made Significant Savings After Re-Evaluating an Internal HAC
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Frequently asked questions
What is the focus of the DSEAR assessment and Regulations?
DSEAR is, in effect, a risk assessment. As part of these assessments of risks, 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 the regulations revolve around the completion of a thorough risk assessment and the undertaking of a Hazardous Area Classification (HAC).
Ultimately, the assessment aims to provide a coherent focus for the identification and mitigation from:
- flammable substances with explosive and oxidising properties alongside substances corrosive to metal
- substances that can create explosive atmospheres
- 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.
- the occurrence of industrial incidents caused by fires and explosions
What dangerous substances are included under DSEAR?
Dangerous substances include a wide variety of materials present in the workplace that can be classified as flammable, explosive or corrosive to metals. This can include gases, mists, vapours and other combustible materials such as dust and powders.
Examples of potentially dangerous substances found at work include:
- bulk powders
- chemical manufacturing by-products
- paints and flammable solvents
- flammable gases
- flammable liquids
- dust from machining and sanding operations
- dust from foodstuffs
- pressurised gases
- flammable propellants
- flammable wastes including waste dusts
- liquid petroleum gas (LPG)
We offer testing services for a variety of potentially flammable substances and other chemicals including combustible dust & powder testing, flammable gases & vapour testing and electrostatic testing.
The testing of these dangerous substances will aid in characterising, preventing, protecting and mitigating workplace hazards to help you comply with DSEAR regulations.
What specific areas are considered under DSEAR?
DSEAR defines hazardous zones as a place where a potentially explosive atmospheres may occur.
By defining an explosive atmosphere as a hazardous zone, special safeguards can be created in order to protect businesses, equipment, people, workplace and the environment.
A Hazardous Area Classification is used to identify risks in the places and areas of operation whereby control measures must be put in place i.e. intrinsically safe electrical equipment that conforms with the ATEX equipment directive (if necessary).
These classifications make up an integral part of the DSEAR risk assessment and is required by law – see DSEAR Regulation 7.
Do I need a DSEAR assessment?
Dangerous substances, 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.
Compliance with DSEAR regulations, therefore, requires that the risks posed by such dangerous substances be removed or controlled to protect people from explosions and fire.
You will need a DSEAR if you deal with dangerous substances in the workplace.
Take our 2-minute DSEAR Quiz here.
How often should a DSEAR be undertaken?
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 a minor change to your process.
How much does a DSEAR assessment cost?
The cost of a DSEAR assessment with Sigma-HSE will range depending on factors such as:
- Size of plant or facility
- Type of DSEAR assessment (i.e., Review/Desktop/On-Site)
- Specific compliance needs
- Nature of your hazardous materials
You can get a free quote by filling in the form. Our team will follow up for a couple of details and you’ll have your quote in just a few days.
What’s the difference between a DSEAR, COSHH and FRA?
Each assessment targets different workplace hazards under specific regulatory frameworks. A DSEAR (Dangerous Substances and Explosive Atmospheres Regulations) assessment focuses exclusively on identifying and mitigating risks related to flammable substances, explosive atmospheres, and potential ignition sources.
In contrast, COSHH (Control of Substances Hazardous to Health) assessments are concerned with the health effects of hazardous substances—like dusts, fumes, or chemicals—on workers. Fire Risk Assessments under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order are broader, addressing general fire safety risks across premises, regardless of whether flammable substances are present.
At Sigma-HSE, we help clients navigate these overlapping but distinct regulatory obligations, ensuring each risk area is robustly covered and fully compliant.
What’s a competent person?
The DSEAR Regulations require assessments to be carried out by someone with sufficient knowledge, training, and experience in managing explosive atmospheres and dangerous substances.
A competent person should understand not only the chemical and physical behaviour of hazardous substances but also be familiar with relevant engineering controls, protective systems, and regulatory compliance.
Sigma-HSE’s consultants are chartered professionals and sector specialists with years of experience delivering DSEAR compliance across high-risk industries. Our team ensures that your risk assessment stands up to regulatory scrutiny and is grounded in best practice.
Can DSEAR integrate with other process safety methodologies?
Yes. While DSEAR is a regulatory requirement, it can and should be integrated with broader process safety methodologies.
At Sigma-HSE, we regularly align DSEAR assessments with HAZID (Hazard Identification), HAZOP (Hazard and Operability Study) and QRA (Quantitative Risk Assessment) techniques. This ensures a holistic view of potential risks across both routine operations and abnormal scenarios.
Our cross-disciplinary approach helps streamline compliance, prevent duplication of effort, and strengthen your organisation’s overall safety performance.
What’s included in a Sigma-HSE DSEAR Assessment?
Although each site and set of unit operations will never be the same, we follow a structured methodology to ensure DSEAR compliance:
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Identification of Dangerous Substances
Pinpoint all flammable gases, vapours, mists, and dusts used or generated onsite. -
Assessment of Explosion and Fire Risks
Evaluate the likelihood of explosive atmospheres forming and the presence of ignition sources. -
Implementation of Control Measures
Recommend suitable controls such as ventilation, inerting, zoning, and use of ATEX-rated equipment. -
Documentation and Reporting
Provide a detailed report including zoning classifications, equipment inventories, and risk mitigation strategies. -
Review and Ongoing Monitoring
Ensure regular updates to the assessment in line with process changes, incidents, or new substances introduced.
At Sigma-HSE, we deliver each stage with technical precision, so your assessment meets both legal requirements and best-practice expectations.