Industrial siting and chemical safety: three key perspectives
Industrial siting is a multi-stage process involving several important safety considerations. Careful siting of industrial facilities ensures that potential accident impacts from processes or chemicals do not pose a risk to the environment, critical infrastructure, or the surrounding community.
To support this assessment, Finnish Safety and Chemicals Agency (Tukes) has published an updated guide Siting of production plants, published on 24 June 2025. The updated guide includes more detailed guidance on accident modelling and policies related to land use planning.
The key is to identify accident hazards arising from the technologies and chemicals used at an early stage of projects, and to ensure they are compatible with the land use of surrounding areas.
Industrial siting begins in land use planning and zoning
The first steps in industrial siting are taken in land use planning and zoning. The requirements of the Tukes guide must be taken into account at this stage to ensure that the implementation of legally binding plans in the surrounding area and construction in accordance with them is not compromised. When planning the siting of a industrial facility, particular attention must be paid to the proximity of sensitive locations and critical infrastructure, as well as other industrial operators for which Tukes has defined consultation zones.
Streamlining the chemical safety permit process
When applying for a chemical safety permit for a industrial plant, the requirements of the Tukes guide and accident impacts are reviewed again in greater detail. At the permit application stage, the planning of investment projects is already well advanced and the site is typically already confirmed. Addressing the requirements of legislation and the Tukes guide well in advance of preparing the permit application also ensures a smooth permitting process.
Resilience and risk management in industrial siting
Societal resilience is inseparably linked to industrial siting. Society must be prepared to respond to various disruptions, and the safe siting of industrial facilities is an important part of this preparedness. The siting of facilities must take into account, among other things, the accident hazard posed by natural phenomena — so-called Natech accidents — the possibility of security threats, and the local conditions for emergency response in the area. Ensuring adequate internal safety distances between functions within the facility area also supports the resilience of the plant by limiting the spread of accidents.
Industrial siting requires careful planning and consideration of various factors. By assessing the impacts of facilities, we can build a society that is prepared to face a variety of disruptions and ensure that plant siting supports safe and efficient integration into the surrounding built environment.
At Sweco, we are committed to supporting our clients throughout these processes and offer expertise and services that ensure industrial siting is carried out in accordance with legislative requirements and best practices.
Author: Elisa Loukonen, Chemical Safety Specialist
