*ATM-PRO s.p.r.l., Rue Saint-Andre, 5, B-1400 Nivelles, Belgium

**Major Accidents Prevention, Ministry of the Walloon Region, Jambes, Belgium

The "Seveso" Expert System "SEVEX": An Integrated Approach for off-site Effects Analysis & Effective Emergency Planning

Abstract

According to the European SEVESO Directives (cfr. 82/501/EEC & 96/82/EC), the Ministry of the Walloon Region (Belgium) is responsible for the external safety around areas of high risk activities in its region of competence. This includes the delimitation of risk areas where emergency planning must be prepared.
The general purpose of any emergency plan is to reduce the consequences of an accident, not only by rescuing the victims as fast as possible, but also and preferably by reducing their number. This goal can be reached by giving information about the behaviour to adopt versus the danger in order to avoid health damage to the population and the rescuers (police forces,...).
The basic concepts of this emergency planning were defined by the Walloon Region jointly with the Belgian Civil Protection.
The software, requested to compute and to plot risk areas, is developed in a multidisciplinary project called SEVEX ( SEVeso EXpert ) funded by the Walloon Region. This project involves three Belgian Universities (Faculte Polytechnique de Mons, Universite Catholique de Louvain, Universite de Liege) and SOLVAY. The PC windows version of the SEVEX software is developed and marketed by ATM-PRO, owner of the exclusive rights on SEVEX.
The most inventive characteristic of the SEVEX software is a three dimensional dispersion model which takes into account the topography and the land use around the hazardous activity.

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