Specific research programmes (EEC) to be implemented by the Joint Research Centre - Industrial hazards -, 1988-1991

Part of the Framework Programme for Research and Technological Development (1987-1991) under sub- activity 1.3: "Environment", this second programme in the field concerns the evaluation and analysis of major risk from hazardous industries and large technological systems. It is integrated with the shared-cost action programme "Major Technological Hazards" (TECHHAZ C).

In the context of systems safety and reliability studies, twenty organizations from ten Member States completed the Benchmark Exercise on Major Hazards Analysis (BE-MHA) in 1988. In the same year the Joint Research Centre (JRC) started to develop DOMINO, a software package analysing scenarios of incidents involving the propagation of failures in different facilities because of fire or explosion.
To enhance the safety and reliability assessment of industrial hazards, to improve the management and prevention of risks in the light, inter alia, of human factors, to devise ways of coping with uncontrolled reactions and to reduce the risk of transporting dangerous products, such as chemicals, throughout Europe.
Three areas:

- Developing and evaluating risk analysis methodologies for plants, including benchmark exercises on real plants in collaboration with industry, government agencies, research institutes and universities;

- Developing Interactive Decision Support (IDS) systems for analysing and managing risk from regional industrial systems involving the production, transport and use of hazardous chemicals;

- Controlling and managing run-away states in selected chemical reactions, including multiphase/multicomponent flow phenomena.
The Commission, assisted by the board of governors of the Joint Research Centre (JRC), is responsible for implementing the programme, which is executed by the JRC's Institute for Safety Technology at Ispra.

In cooperation with the JRC board of governors, the Commission ensures that periodic consultation is maintained with the relevant Management and Coordination Advisory Committees (CGCs) or equivalent committees with a view to ensuring coordination and consistency between shared-cost actions and JRC activities in the same areas.

The JRC Materials Information Centre ensures the early dissemination of results and data to potential users and acts as a permanent interface with industry.

Before 31 March each year the Commission submits a report to the European Parliament and the Council on the implementation of the Decision. It will subsequently submit a report on the research carried out, as evaluated by a panel of external experts.