Why it is required
Because the effect of a major accident can cross the fence, people liable to be affected need to know beforehand what to do. Learning at the moment the siren sounds whether to close the windows, to move away, or in which direction, is learning too late.
The information given
- the operator's name and the address of the establishment,
- a plain-language description of the activity carried out,
- the common names of the substances that could cause a major accident and their main hazardous properties,
- general information on the kinds of major accident possible and their effects,
- how the public will be warned and what they should do,
- where to go for more information.
How it is provided
It must be permanently available — not on request but ready. Publication in electronic form is the common and accepted route. The language is not technical but the language of the person who would actually be affected; the answer to “what should I do” matters more than a chemical formula.
Updating
The information is updated when the establishment changes. Published information that is out of date can be worse than none: people act on an instruction that no longer holds.
Tier difference
At the upper tier the scope widens: the public parts of the safety report and of emergency planning are made accessible too. In the Turkish regime this duty is itself arranged in two levels; which level applies decides what is provided.