The people and the hazard: the spatial context of major accident hazard management in Britain

This paper examines the significance of spatial context for the effective m anagement of an important source of technological risk-major industrial acc ident hazards. It is argued that regulatory practice has so far failed to f ully recognise the importance of the spatiality of risk burdens and that, a s a consequence, there has been an inadequate focusing of risk management e ffort and resources where they are most clearly needed. This argument is de veloped by drawing on an analysis of the levels of residential population w ithin designated risk zones around a sample of major accident hazard sites in the UK, and on examples of the consequences of ignoring population proxi mity in the allocation of required safety measures. Having analysed the con sequences of regulation to date, the prospects for change and improvement u nder a forthcoming revision of European legislation are examined. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.