On 31 January 2023, the Minister of Employment and Labour published new Major Hazard Installation Regulations under the Occupational Health and Safety Act 85 of 1993 (OHSA).
The previous version of the MHI Regulations (published in GNR 692 of 30 July 2001) will be repealed once the new Regulations come into effect (see Regulation 25), but the date of commencement of the new Major Hazard Installation Regulations has yet to be proclaimed (i.e they are not yet in force).
The OHSA defines “major hazard installation” as an installation:
where more than the prescribed quantity of any substance is or may be kept, whether permanently or temporarily; or
where any substance is produced, processed, used, handled or stored in such a form and quantity that it has the potential to cause a major incident.”
A “major incident” means:
an occurrence of catastrophic proportions, resulting from the use of plant or machinery, or from activities at a workplace.
