Introduction

has been operating within the framework of the Institute for Environmental Development in Central and Eastern Europe of the Foundation for a Healthy Environment from April 1996 on as a non-aligned, technical coordinating organisation that performs non-profit activity.

OBJECTIVES OF THE CENTRE

The activity of the CENTRE is determined by the relevant Convention E/ECE/1268 and by the tasks laid down in documents (ENVWA/W.G.4/CRP3/). Accordingly, the CENTRE focuses its work on issues related to industrial accident prevention in order to:

Facilitate the implementation of the Convention E/ECE/1268;
Establish a network of interested agencies, organizations, and institutions in member countries; facilitate the exchange of information and experience, and promote international cooperation;
Facilitate the development of professional and institutional capacities in recipient countries;
Serve as a source of information/expertise which can be called upon for advice by member countries.

INTENDED PURPOSES OF THE CENTRE are to

Become documentation and information hub for countries in transition;
Provide means and methods for efficient provision and exchange of information,
Create a list of interested agencies, organizations, and institutions in member countries and establish cooperation and information network that is necessary for its operation,
Seek sources and take advantage of documentation and information from those in the network (e.g., Community Documentation Centre on Industrial Risk of the Commission of the European Communities, Ispra, Italy; Bureau for Risk and Industrial Pollution Analysis [ BARPI] , Lyon, France).
Collect and disseminate information on experience gained and lessons learned from bilateral cooperations within the framework of the Convention;
Serve as a source of information/expertise for countries in transition through establishing proper means of communication (“NEWSLETTER”, seek available documentations and circulate the list created on the basis of them, mailing and other list of addresses, etc.), also taking into consideration the activity of other organisations (UNEP, UNIDO, etc.);
Provide guidance for the development and implementation of legislation and regulations (related to, e.g., government policies, accident related experience, management planning and procedures, safety and emergency action plans, mutual assistance for planning and performing activities, available safety technology, international guidance materials, etc.);
Promote the understanding of common or harmonised methodologies, standards, terminology and definitions;
Circulate guidance materials related to international safety audits and promote the introduction of the activities determined on the basis of the
audit results (elaborating risk analyses, risk mitigation studies, general guidance, pilot projects, etc.);
Coordinate the elaboration of projects related to screening and risk assessment of hazardous activities:

Development and implementation of legislation (including enforcement)
Process safety management training; safety management principles and their identification
Project planning and identification of principles
Identification methods of hazardous industrial activities
Utilization and use of safety reports
Lessons learned from industrial accidents
Publication and dissemination of materials of consultation of experts;

Create a network of experts who can be called upon to provide technical and scientific advice, upon the request of member countries (concerning, e.g., the elimination of hazardous activities);
Promote the introduction of the APELL procedures and other international provisions (e.g., OECD, ILO, etc.) in member countries.

KEY FUNCTIONS

Elaborating, seeking resources for, and managing international projects;
Preparing and organizing international professional programmes;
Organizing international training courses;
Disseminating UN/ECE and related EU directives and regulations;
Operating an international Clearing House information system in the field of industrial safety;
Providing professional support to establish bilateral cooperations.

SERVICES

Organizing international conferences, workshops, preparatory and training courses in the field of industrial safety (Participation is acknowledged by diploma)
Preparing professional publications in Hungarian, English, and Russian
Providing databank information
Providing access to professional systems
Providing consultation
Preparing complex safety system analysis
Coordinating projects
Seeking for international tender invitations, relations, and financial resources
Publishing “NEWSLETTERs” in every six months

RELEVANT STUDIES, MATERIALS PREPARED

Case study for the preparation for safety audit on hazardous activities at certain chemical plants (1993)
Proceedings of and Report on the UN/ECE Regional Workshop (Százhalombatta, Hungary) aimed to identify and estimate the potentially harmful transboundary effects of industrial accidents (1995)
Study on the introduction of the 82/51/ECE SEVESO DIRECTIVE in Hungary (1995)
Study on a concept on the information system of industrial disaster prevention (1995)
Expert opinion on the drafts of the National Fire and Civil Protection Acts (1996)
Background material to the preparation of a decision for “Basic principles of environmental safety” of the Hungarian National Assembly (1996)
Application for the TRANSFORM project announced by the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (“Integration of chemical safety in the industrial safety system of Hungary”) (1997)
Collection of “Keywords in the field of industrial safety” (in English, Hungarian and Russian) (1997)
Background materials to support the preparation of the National Disaster Prevention Act (1997)

PROFESSIONAL EVENTS

Meeting of the UN/ECE Signatories Countries (1994, Budapest)
UN/ECE Workshops on “Industrial Accident Risk Control” (1994, Budapest-Százhalombatta)
International Conference on “Chemical Industry for Safety – Transportation, Production, Processing” (1995, Budapest)
International Conference on the “Role of Defence Organisations in Industrial Disaster Prevention” (1996, Budapest)
UN/ECE Steering Group Meetings (1994, 1996, 1998, Budapest)
Parliamentarian Conference on “Environmental and Industrial Safety Legislation” (1997, Budapest)
Training course on the “Basic Principles of Industrial Safety in the context of the EC Directive 96/82/EC on the control of major-accident hazards involving dangerous substances (Seveso II Directive) and the UN/ECE Convention on the Transboundary Effects of Industrial Accidents (Industrial Accidents Convention)” (1998)

PRESENT ACTIVITIES

Participation in projects entitled “Environmental safety informatics”, “Integrated safety-information system supporting the transportation of hazardous materials”, and “ Detection of the transportation of hazardous materials using satellite system” (1997-1999)
International conferences and symposiums on industrial safety and emergency planning (1999, Balatonfüred-Balatonfűzfő and Tiszaújváros - Hungary, 2000, Kalush - Ukraine)