Abstract
In France, two years after the catastrophic industrial accident of Toulouse, a new law was introduced on July 30, 2003 which created the Technological Risk Prevention Plan (PPRT in French, standing for Plan de Prevention des Risques Technologiques). The aim of the PPRT is to protect people by action on the existing urbanization and by controlling the future land-use planning in the vicinity of the existing upper-tier SEVESO establishments.
Each PPRT imposes rules of land-use, use and exploitation of buildings and activities, in a differentiated zoning according to the potential hazards: red zones (dark then clear) in the immediate proximity of the dangerous installations, and blue zones (dark then clean) further away from the danger.
This article presents a methodology to help the activities concerned by a PPRT (more particularly those located in the blue zoning) to implement and optimize their protection. The approach follows 5 main stages:Identification of the hazards affecting the activityAnalysis of the vulnerability of buildings (overpressure, thermal and toxic effects) ant the vulnerability of staff working indoors or outdoorsAnalysis of the dynamics of dangerous phenomena (time available for people to be safe)Study and choice of measuresThese measures may include informing and training staff and visitors, setting up an organization to react during an accident (receive and broadcast the alert, joint a confinement room or a refuge area, evacuate !) or carrying out protection works (reinforcement of buildings).
Implementation of selected measures and monit
