Merseyside Prepared

Areas of Potential Higher Risk

Flooding - Floods are mostly natural events that result either from excessive rainfall that leads to rivers overflowing their banks, or from tidal storm surges on the coast or in estuaries. In urban areas, manmade drainage systems may have inadequate capacity or become blocked leading to flooding.  Because of climate change, both the chance and consequence of flooding has increased. Sea levels rise more frequent and higher storm surges and increased winter rainfall and more intense summer rainfall will add to existing risk and it may not prove possible to improve fixed defenses sufficiently to maintain or raise protection standards.  The Environment Agency (EA) is the lead organisation on flood defence, and reports at policy level to the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (DEFRA). This work, together with the Agency’s overall direction and supervision of all aspects of flood defence, is vital for sustaining the existing land use found on river and coastal flood plains.

Industrial Sites (Control of Major Accident Hazards - COMAH) - There are seven COMAH sites in Knowsley, upper tier and lower tier.  An upper tier COMAH establishment is required to produce a full safety report which demonstrates that all necessary measures have been taken to minimise risks posed by the site with regard to the environment and local populations. Knowsley, in partnership with Merseyside Fire & Rescue Service and the site operator, share detailed plans of assessment, anticipation, protection, preparedness, response and recovery. Three-yearly exercises are conducted with the site and partner agencies to ensure all processes and procedures are in place and well, rehearsed. (The Control of Major Accident Hazards Regulations 1999 (COMAH) and their amendments 2015, are the enforcing regulations within the United Kingdom of the Seveso II Directive devised in Brussels following the Seveso disaster. They are applicable to any establishment storing or otherwise handling large quantities of industrial chemicals of a hazardous nature).  Further information is available from the Health and Safety Executive.

Upper Tier COMAH Sites :

• Baker Hughes, Knowsley Industrial Park North, Kirkby
• Contract Chemicals Limited, Knowsley Industrial Estate, Prescot
• Eli Lilly & Company, Fleming Road, Speke (borders with Knowsley and Liverpool)
• Bowker Group, Knowsley Industrial Park, Kirkby
• Vertellus Specialities UK Limited, Lower Road, Widnes

Lower Tier COMAH Sites :

• Flogas UK Limited, Knowsley Business Park, Prescot
• Syntor Fine Chemicals Limited, Knowsley Industrial Park, Kirkby

useful contacts