MSIHC Rules 1989: MAH units, thresholds, emergency plans and penalties
Updated By Flamekite Editorial DeskFacts checked against official sources on
Quick answer
The Manufacture, Storage and Import of Hazardous Chemical Rules, 1989 (S.O. 966(E) of 27 November 1989, made under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986) govern every site that makes, stores or imports the hazardous chemicals in their schedules. A site holding a chemical at or above its Column 3 quantity in Schedule 2 or 3 is a Major Accident Hazard (MAH) installation: it needs site approval, an on-site emergency plan drilled every 6 months, and a report of any major accident within 48 hours.
Above the higher Column 4 quantity, the occupier also files a safety report 90 days before starting and an independent safety audit every year. The district collector writes the off-site plan, and the Chemical Accidents Rules, 1996 add crisis groups at the Centre, state, district and industrial pocket. The rules were last amended on 19 January 2000; since 1 April 2024 a breach draws a penalty of ₹1 lakh to ₹15 lakh under the amended Act.
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MSIHC Rules 1989 at a glance
| What | The rule | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Full name | Manufacture, Storage and Import of Hazardous Chemical Rules, 1989 | MSIHC Rules 1989 |
| Notification | S.O. 966(E), 27 November 1989, Ministry of Environment and Forests; in force on publication | MSIHC Rules 1989 |
| Parent Act and powers | Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 (29 of 1986), sections 6, 8 and 25 | MSIHC Rules 1989 |
| Amended by | S.O. 115(E) of 5 February 1990, G.S.R. 584(E) of 1990, S.O. 2882 of 3 October 1994 and S.O. 57(E) of 19 January 2000 | MSIHC Rules 1989 |
| Still the current text | MoEFCC filed the same consolidated rules, ending at the 2000 amendment, before the NGT on 13 October 2025 | MoEFCC to NGT, 2025 |
| Chemicals listed | 684 in Schedule 1 Part II, plus 30 entries in Schedule 2 and 179 named chemicals in Schedule 3 Part I | MSIHC Rules 1989 |
| MAH installation | A site holding a hazardous chemical at or above the Column 3 quantity of Schedule 2 or 3 (rule 2(ja)) | MSIHC Rules 1989 |
| Site approval | Report in Schedule 7 at least 3 months before starting; the authority approves within 60 days (rule 7) | MSIHC Rules 1989 |
| Safety audit | Independent audit, renewed once a year, sent with comments within 30 days (rule 10) | MSIHC Rules 1989 |
| Emergency plans | On-site plan by the occupier (rule 13); off-site plan by the district collector, rehearsed at least once a calendar year (rule 14) | MSIHC Rules 1989 |
| Companion rules | Chemical Accidents (Emergency Planning, Preparedness and Response) Rules, 1996, G.S.R. 347(E) of 1 August 1996 | CA(EPPR) Rules 1996 |
| Penalty since 1 April 2024 | ₹1 lakh to ₹15 lakh, plus ₹50,000 a day, for a breach of section 8 or rules under it (EP Act s.14A) | Gazette of India |
MSIHC Rules 1989 vs Chemical Accidents Rules 1996
| Option | MSIHC Rules, 1989 | Chemical Accidents Rules, 1996 | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Notification | S.O. 966(E), 27 November 1989 | G.S.R. 347(E), 1 August 1996 | CA(EPPR) Rules 1996 |
| Powers used | EP Act sections 6, 8 and 25 | EP Act sections 6, 8 and 25 | CA(EPPR) Rules 1996 |
| Who it binds | Occupiers, importers and the 10 authorities in Schedule 5 | The Centre and states, which must form crisis groups within 30 days; MAH installations must aid them (rule 12) | CA(EPPR) Rules 1996 |
| What it defines | "Major accident": a death, 10 or more injuries inside, 1 or more outside, or a fire, explosion or toxic release causing an emergency (rule 2(j)) | "Major chemical accident": an emission, fire or explosion in industrial activity or transport, or from natural events (rule 2(f)) | CA(EPPR) Rules 1996 |
| Core duty | Approval, safety report, yearly audit, on-site plan, accident notice | Central, State, District and Local Crisis Groups and a Crisis Alert System | MoEFCC to NGT, 2021 |
| Drills | On-site plan every 6 months; off-site plan at least once a calendar year | District group: 1 full-scale drill a year; Local group: 1 every 6 months | CA(EPPR) Rules 1996 |
| Public information | The occupier tells people likely to be affected, before starting (rule 15) | Crisis groups answer the public on request (rule 13) | CA(EPPR) Rules 1996 |
| Last amendment found | S.O. 57(E), 19 January 2000 | None found by 25 October 2026 | MoEFCC to NGT, 2025 |
How an MAH unit complies with the MSIHC Rules, step by step
Add up every tonne within 500 m
Total each chemical across your installations less than 500 m apart, connected pipelines and storage vehicles, but not vehicles in transit. Use Schedule 2 for isolated storage and Schedule 3 for a Schedule 4 process plant.
Show the hazards are identified
Under rule 4 the occupier must prove it has identified the major accident hazards, taken steps to prevent and limit them, and given workers information, training, equipment and antidotes; keep a safety data sheet (Schedule 9) and label every container (rule 17).
Get the site approved
At or above Column 3, file the Schedule 7 report at least 3 months before starting. The authority must approve it within 60 days; an extra chemical at threshold counts as a new activity (rule 7).
At Column 4, file the safety report and audit
Send the Schedule 8 safety report 90 days before starting, commission an independent audit by an expert not tied to the activity, renew the audit every year and the report every 3 years, each sent within 30 days (rules 10 and 11).
Write and drill the on-site plan
Prepare the Schedule 11 plan before the activity starts, name who is responsible and who may act, and drill it every 6 months (rule 13).
Feed the district off-site plan
Give the collector the nature, extent and off-site effects of a possible major accident (rule 14(2)), and tell your neighbours the hazard and the do's and don'ts before you start (rule 15).
If a major accident happens
Notify the Schedule 5 authority within 48 hours, follow with the Schedule 6 report, and report the steps taken to stop a repeat; the authority sends its analysis to MoEFCC within 90 days (rule 5).
MSIHC Rules amendments from 1989 to 2026
Four amending notifications in 11 years, then none. The text in force today is the one of 19 January 2000.
27 November 1989
S.O. 966(E) notifies the MSIHC Rules under sections 6, 8 and 25 of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986, in force on publication. MSIHC Rules 1989
5 February 1990
Corrigendum S.O. 115(E) corrects the principal rules (Gazette No. 59). MSIHC Rules 1989
1990
G.S.R. 584(E) adds the Centre for Environment and Explosive Safety of DRDO to Schedule 5 for Ministry of Defence sites; the official copy dates it both 9 June and 9 September 1990. MSIHC Rules 1989
3 October 1994
S.O. 2882 adds site approval, independent yearly safety audits, the 48-hour accident notice, 6-monthly on-site drills, yearly off-site rehearsals and Schedules 11 and 12. MSIHC Rules 1989
1 August 1996
The Chemical Accidents Rules, G.S.R. 347(E), create the four-tier crisis groups around MSIHC sites. CA(EPPR) Rules 1996
19 January 2000
S.O. 57(E) rewrites "major accident", adds the MAH installation definition, and resets the Schedule 2 and Schedule 3 Part II flammable thresholds. MSIHC Rules 1989
8 August 2016
MoEFCC's HSM Division asks for inputs on amending both rule sets, calling the need urgent; no amendment followed. MoEFCC notice 2016
11 June 2021
The NGT, after the UPL Bharuch accident of February 2021, directs MoEFCC and CPCB to issue safety audit guidelines; their Integrated Guidance Framework follows. MoEFCC and CPCB framework
1 April 2024
The Jan Vishwas Act, 2023 amendments to the Environment (Protection) Act take effect (G.S.R. 749(E)), replacing prison with penalties. G.S.R. 749(E), 2023
13 October 2025
MoEFCC files the rules "as amended" before the NGT, still ending at the 2000 amendment. MoEFCC to NGT, 2025
27 August 2026
Uttar Pradesh's OSH Rules adopt the MSIHC definitions of hazardous substance and MAH installation for factories. UP Gazette
How the MSIHC Rules define a major accident
The definition decides when the 48-hour notice runs. Since 2000 it no longer needs a death.
Word for word
"major accident" means an incident involving loss of life inside or outside the installation, or ten or more injuries inside and/or one or more injuries outside or release of toxic chemicals or explosion or fire or spillage of hazardous chemicals resulting in on-site or off-site emergencies or damage to equipment leading to stoppage of process or adverse affects to the environment
A fire that forces an on-site emergency or stops the process is a major accident under rule 2(j) even if nobody is hurt. The occupier then has 48 hours to notify (rule 5), and Schedule 6 asks whether it was an explosion, a fire or an emission.
MSIHC definitions: MAH installation, isolated storage, tiers
Six terms in rule 2 and the schedules decide whether your site is in and how far.
- Hazardous chemical
- Any chemical meeting the toxic, flammable or explosive criteria of Schedule 1 Part I, or listed in Schedule 1 Part II (684 entries), Schedule 2 or Schedule 3 (rule 2(e)). MSIHC Rules 1989
- Industrial activity
- A process in a Schedule 4 installation with its on-site storage and transport, an isolated storage, or a pipeline (rule 2(h)). Schedule 4 lists 6 installation types, from chemical plants to LPG, LNG and SNG. MSIHC Rules 1989
- Isolated storage
- Storage not attached to a Schedule 4 installation on the same site, of at least the Schedule 2 quantity: a tank farm, a gas depot, a chemical warehouse (rule 2(i)). MSIHC Rules 1989
- MAH installation
- Isolated storage or industrial activity handling a hazardous chemical at or above Column 3 of Schedule 2 or 3, including transport by carrier or pipeline (rule 2(ja), 2000). MSIHC Rules 1989
- Middle tier and higher tier
- DGOSH's names for sites at Column 3 (approval and on-site plan) and at Column 4 (also the safety report and yearly audit). DGOSH FAQ
- Pipeline
- A pipe system carrying a hazardous chemical, other than a flammable gas, below 8 bar absolute, including inter-state pipelines (rule 2(k)). MSIHC Rules 1989
- Flammable liquid classes
- Extremely flammable: flash point 23 °C or below and boiling point under 35 °C; very highly flammable: flash point 23 °C or below, boiling above 35 °C; highly flammable: over 23 °C up to 60 °C; flammable: over 60 °C and under 90 °C (Schedule 1 Part I(b)). MSIHC Rules 1989
MSIHC threshold quantities: Schedule 2 and Schedule 3 Part II
Column 3 makes a site an MAH installation; Column 4 adds the safety report and yearly audit. Quantities in tonnes, from the amended text.
| Schedule | Column 3: rules 4, 5, 7 to 9, 13 to 15 | Column 4: rules 10 to 12 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ammonia MSIHC Rules 1989 | Schedule 2 (isolated storage) | 60 | 600 |
| Chlorine MSIHC Rules 1989 | Schedule 2 | 10 | 25 |
| Flammable gases, as Schedule 1 defines them MSIHC Rules 1989 | Schedule 2 | 50 | 300 |
| Extremely flammable liquids MSIHC Rules 1989 | Schedule 2 | 5,000 | 50,000 |
| Very highly flammable liquids MSIHC Rules 1989 | Schedule 2 | 7,000 | 7,000 |
| Highly flammable liquids MSIHC Rules 1989 | Schedule 2 | 10,000 | 10,000 |
| Flammable liquids MSIHC Rules 1989 | Schedule 2 | 15,000 | 1,00,000 |
| Ammonium nitrate (over 28% nitrogen from it) MSIHC Rules 1989 | Schedule 2 | 350 | 2,500 |
| Liquid oxygen MSIHC Rules 1989 | Schedule 2 | 200 | 2,000 |
| Methyl isocyanate MSIHC Rules 1989 | Schedule 2 | 0.150 | 0.150 |
| Flammable gases, not named in Part I MSIHC Rules 1989 | Schedule 3 Part II (process sites) | 15 | 200 |
| Extremely flammable liquids MSIHC Rules 1989 | Schedule 3 Part II | 1,000 | 5,000 |
| Very highly flammable liquids MSIHC Rules 1989 | Schedule 3 Part II | 1,500 | 10,000 |
| Highly flammable liquids kept liquid under pressure MSIHC Rules 1989 | Schedule 3 Part II | 25 | 200 |
| Highly flammable liquids MSIHC Rules 1989 | Schedule 3 Part II | 2,500 | 20,000 |
| Flammable liquids MSIHC Rules 1989 | Schedule 3 Part II | 5,000 | 50,000 |
| Ammonia, named MSIHC Rules 1989 | Schedule 3 Part I, item 105 | 50 | 500 |
| Hydrogen, named MSIHC Rules 1989 | Schedule 3 Part I, item 143 | 2 | 50 |
Schedule 2 has 30 entries, Schedule 3 Part I names 179 chemicals in 4 groups (toxic, highly reactive, explosive), and Part II covers the flammable classes not named in Part I. Both schedules count all installations of one occupier less than 500 m apart. Many Group 1 toxic rows in Schedule 3 print one figure only, in kilograms.
MSIHC, OSH Code or fire NOC: what applies at a chemical site
The MSIHC Rules sit beside the workplace code and the state fire law; none replaces the others.
If You handle any chemical meeting Schedule 1, in any quantity
Rule 4 duties (identify and control hazards, train and equip workers) and rule 17 safety data sheets and labels apply, MAH or not. MSIHC Rules 1989
If Your total reaches Column 3 of Schedule 2 or 3
You are an MAH installation: approval, on-site plan, 6-monthly drills, public information and a 48-hour accident notice (rules 5, 7 to 9, 13 to 15). MSIHC Rules 1989
If Your total reaches Column 4
Add the Schedule 8 safety report, the independent yearly safety audit and a fresh report every 3 years (rules 10 to 12). MSIHC Rules 1989
If Your factory runs a hazardous process under the OSH Code
Section 84(4) separately requires an on-site plan approved by the Chief Inspector-cum-Facilitator; the OSH Code page sets out those duties. OSH Code 2020 OSH Code
If Your MAH factory is in Uttar Pradesh
UP's OSH Rules 2026 require a safety officer at any headcount (rule 45(1)(d)) and a safety committee (rule 43(1)(d)). UP Gazette
If Your building needs fire approval
The fire NOC still comes from the state fire law; MoEFCC's framework tells MSIHC sites to obtain the Fire Department's clearance separately. The factory fire NOC route is on the factories page. Fire NOC for Factory MoEFCC and CPCB framework
MSIHC on-site emergency plan: rule 13 and Schedule 11
The occupier writes it before the activity starts and keeps it current; Schedule 11 lists 13 items. These are the ones inspectors read first.
- Key personnel and the responsibilities each holds in an emergency, with the person responsible for safety and those authorised to act named in the plan (rule 13(1); Schedule 11 item 2). MSIHC Rules 1989
- Outside organisations that help in an on-site emergency, the accidents they cover, and the liaison arrangements between them (items 3 and 4). MSIHC Rules 1989
- A preliminary hazard analysis: types of accident, the events that can lead to one, and the safety-relevant components (item 5). MSIHC Rules 1989
- Where the dangerous substances, the key personnel and the emergency control room are on the site (item 6). MSIHC Rules 1989
- Each chemical's quantity, toxicology, possible transformation and purity (item 7). MSIHC Rules 1989
- The effects of fire and explosion inside the plant, and of any fire or explosion outside it (item 9). MSIHC Rules 1989
- Warning, alarm, safety and security systems, reliable instruments and continuous surveillance (item 10). MSIHC Rules 1989
- Fire fighting and other facilities on site, and those needed for an off-site emergency (item 12), with communications (item 11) and first aid and hospital cover (item 13). MSIHC Rules 1989
- A mock drill every 6 months, with a detailed report made immediately available to the authority (rule 13(4) and (5)). MSIHC Rules 1989
- Every person on site affected by the plan told its relevant parts, and the plan revised after any change in the activity (rule 13(2)). MSIHC Rules 1989
MSIHC off-site emergency plan: the district collector's route
Rule 14 puts the off-site plan on the authority, which Schedule 5 names as the District Collector or District Emergency Authority.
The occupier supplies the data
The nature, extent and likely off-site effects of a possible major accident, as the authority asks (rule 14(2)). MSIHC Rules 1989
The collector drafts the plan
In consultation with the occupier, covering the 13 items of Schedule 12: accident types, organisations, site data, transport routes, fire fighting materials, public warning, evacuation, media and clean-up. MSIHC Rules 1989
Timing
Before a new activity starts; for existing activities, within 6 months of the rules (rule 14(3)). MSIHC Rules 1989
The District Crisis Group reviews
It assists the plan and reviews every MAH on-site plan in the district (Chemical Accidents Rules, rule 9). CA(EPPR) Rules 1996
Rehearsal every year
At least once a calendar year (rule 14(4)); the District Crisis Group also runs 1 full-scale mock drill a year and reports to the State Crisis Group. CA(EPPR) Rules 1996
The state checks it
The State Crisis Group reviews all district off-site plans and reports to the Central Crisis Group every 3 months (rule 7). CA(EPPR) Rules 1996
Neighbours are told
The occupier informs people likely to be affected, directly or through the District Emergency Authority, before the activity starts (rule 15). MSIHC Rules 1989
Who enforces the MSIHC Rules: the 10 Schedule 5 authorities
Schedule 5 splits the rules by who already regulates the site. Most factories answer to the factory inspectorate, isolated storage to the pollution control board.
Item 1
MoEFCC
Notifies the hazardous chemicals under rule 2(e) and receives every authority's accident analysis within 90 days. MSIHC Rules 1989
Item 3
CPCB, SPCB or Pollution Control Committee
Isolated storage: accident notices, site approval, safety reports, on-site plans; and imports under rule 18. MSIHC Rules 1989
Item 4
Chief Inspector of Factories
Factory installations, their isolated storage and pipelines including inter-state ones: rules 5, 7 to 13, and the off-site plan with the collector. MSIHC Rules 1989
Item 8
Chief Controller of Explosives (PESO)
Sites under the Explosives and Petroleum Acts: approval of sites, safety reports and audits, acceptance of on-site plans. MoEFCC calls PESO the nodal agency for pipeline sites. MoEFCC to NGT, 2021
Item 9
District Collector or District Emergency Authority
Prepares the off-site emergency plan under rule 14. In Delhi, the Deputy Commissioner. Delhi Labour Dept
Items 5 and 6
Chief Inspectors of Dock Safety and of Mines
The same duties for installations inside ports and mines. MSIHC Rules 1989
Items 7 and 10
AERB and DRDO's CEES
Atomic energy sites, and Ministry of Defence laboratories and storages. MSIHC Rules 1989
Item 2
Chief Controller of Imports and Exports
Imports of hazardous chemicals under rule 18: the importer gives notice 30 days ahead where it can, and no later than the date of import. MSIHC Rules 1989
Chemical Accidents Rules 1996: the four crisis groups
The 1996 rules build a crisis organisation around MSIHC sites, from a Central Crisis Group down to a Local Crisis Group for each industrial pocket.
The Central Government had to form a Central Crisis Group and a Crisis Alert System within 30 days of 1 August 1996 (rules 3 and 4). MoEFCC told the NGT in 2021 that the group is chaired by the Secretary of the Ministry, and that its Red Book of national and state contacts was last updated in November 2019. The Alert System must also publish a list of MAH installations and of major chemical accidents.
States had 30 days to form a State Crisis Group and District and Local Crisis Groups (rules 6 and 8). Tripura's notification of 11 September 2020 for Gomati District shows the usual shape: the District Magistrate and Collector chairs, the Inspector of Factories is Member Secretary, and the 18 members include the Divisional Fire Officer and the Deputy Chief Controller of Explosives.
Members of the Central, State and District groups are deemed persons empowered under section 10(1) of the Environment (Protection) Act (rule 11), which lets them enter and inspect. MAH installations in an industrial pocket must aid and assist the District and Local groups (rule 12).
| What | The rule | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Central Crisis Group | Meets at least once in 6 months; apex body, post-accident analysis, reviews district off-site plans (rules 3 and 5) | CA(EPPR) Rules 1996 |
| State Crisis Group | Meets at least once in 3 months; reviews every district off-site plan and reports to the Centre each quarter (rules 6 and 7) | CA(EPPR) Rules 1996 |
| District Crisis Group | Meets every 45 days; reports an accident to the state within 15 days; 1 full-scale mock drill a year (rules 8 and 9) | CA(EPPR) Rules 1996 |
| Local Crisis Group | Meets every month in each industrial pocket; local plan dovetailed with the district plan; mock drill every 6 months (rules 8 and 10) | CA(EPPR) Rules 1996 |
| Gomati District Crisis Group, Tripura | Collector in the chair, Inspector of Factories as Member Secretary, 18 members (notification of 11 September 2020) | Tripura Labour Dept |
MSIHC Rules penalties under the EP Act after Jan Vishwas
The MSIHC Rules set no penalties of their own. Breaches are punished under the Environment (Protection) Act, which the Jan Vishwas Act moved from prison to money penalties on 1 April 2024.
| Offence | Penalty | Law |
|---|---|---|
| Handling a hazardous substance without the prescribed procedure and safeguards (section 8, or the rules under it) | ₹1 lakh to ₹15 lakh, plus ₹50,000 a day while it continues | EP Act s.14A Gazette of India |
| Not reporting an accidental discharge, obstructing an inspection or refusing samples (sections 9 to 11) | ₹10,000 to ₹5 lakh, plus ₹10,000 a day | EP Act s.14B Gazette of India |
| Any other breach of the Act, rules, orders or directions with no penalty of its own | ₹10,000 to ₹15 lakh, plus ₹10,000 a day | EP Act s.15 Gazette of India |
| A breach by a company | ₹1 lakh to ₹15 lakh, plus ₹1 lakh a day | EP Act s.15A Gazette of India |
| A breach by a government department | One month's basic salary of the head of department, or of the officer at fault | EP Act s.15B Gazette of India |
| Not paying a penalty within 90 days | Up to 3 years in prison, or a fine up to twice the penalty, or both | EP Act s.15F Gazette of India |
| A site posing continuing danger | Closure, prohibition or regulation, or stoppage of electricity or water, by direction | EP Act s.5 EP Act 1986 |
| Breaches before 1 April 2024 | Up to 5 years or ₹1 lakh, or both, plus ₹5,000 a day; up to 7 years if it went on a year past conviction | EP Act s.15 (old text) EP Act 1986 |
An adjudicating officer (not below Joint Secretary, or a State Secretary) imposes the penalty (s.15C). Under S.O. 4790(E) of 4 November 2024, pollution control boards, MoEFCC offices or any person may complain in Form I about breaches of sections 7 to 11; the officer issues a show-cause notice within 30 days and should finish within 6 months. Appeals go to the NGT within 60 days with 10% of the penalty deposited (s.15D); penalties go to the Environmental Protection Fund. Section 3 of the Jan Vishwas Act raises minimums by 10% every 3 years. Flamekite reads an MSIHC breach as a section 8 matter under s.14A; no adjudication found tests that.
MAH units in India: official counts, 2007 and 2023
No ministry publishes a running count. These are the latest official figures Flamekite found, with their dates.
1,666
MAH units in India in NDMA's chemical disaster guidelines of April 2007 NDMA
263
Districts out of 602 with MAH units in 2007; 170 had clusters of more than 5 NDMA
1,628
MAH units with an on-site emergency plan in 2007; off-site plans existed for 166 districts NDMA
Over 2,200
MAH factories across India, as DGFASLI's INDOSHNEWS put it for 2023 DGFASLI INDOSHNEWS
684
Hazardous and toxic chemicals listed in Schedule 1 Part II of the rules MSIHC Rules 1989
179
Chemicals named in Schedule 3 Part I, each with its own threshold MSIHC Rules 1989
Chemical accidents that tested the MSIHC Rules, 2021 to 2025
From news reports, not yet an official source.
From government filings before the NGT and an official investigation report. None of these accidents led to an amendment of the rules by 25 October 2026.
13 October 2025
MoEFCC tells the NGT that a firecracker unit in a house at Malout, Muktsar, which killed 5 workers and injured 27, had no pollution consent and no explosives NOC, yet held a fire safety certificate. It wrote to Punjab's Director of Factories on 8 September 2025 for an MSIHC analysis. MoEFCC to NGT, 2025
30 June 2025
The Sigachi Industries explosion at Pashamylaram kills 54; the expert committee finds no on-site emergency plan under the 1989 rules. The factories page carries the findings. Sigachi report, NGT
11 June 2021
Hearing the UPL Limited, Bharuch accident of February 2021, the NGT directs MoEFCC and CPCB to issue nationwide safety audit guidelines for MSIHC sites. MoEFCC and CPCB framework
12 February 2021
A blast at a fireworks factory at Achankulam, Virudhunagar kills 19; MoEFCC's affidavit sets out both chemical accident rule sets and PESO's role. MoEFCC to NGT, 2021
MSIHC worked examples: 6 sites checked against the schedules
Flamekite's reading of the amended schedules for six sites. Your Schedule 5 authority's view prevails.
Case 1
An ammonia cold store
70 t of ammonia held at a cold store, which is not a Schedule 4 process plant
What applies Isolated storage over the Schedule 2 line of 60 t: an MAH installation with approval, an on-site plan and drills. Below 600 t, so no safety report or yearly audit is required. MSIHC Rules 1989
Case 2
Two ammonia depots 400 m apart
One occupier, 40 t at each depot
What applies Schedule 2 note (a) adds installations less than 500 m apart: 80 t is over 60 t, so both depots together form an MAH installation. MSIHC Rules 1989
Case 3
An LPG bottling plant
250 t of LPG at an installation processing energy gases such as LPG (Schedule 4 item 4)
What applies LPG is a flammable gas and is not named in Schedule 3 Part I; Part II puts such gases at 15 t and 200 t: 250 t crosses both, so every rule from 4 to 15 applies, including the yearly audit. MSIHC Rules 1989
Case 4
A water works chlorine store
12 t of chlorine in tonners
What applies Over the Schedule 2 line of 10 t, under 25 t: MAH, with an on-site plan drilled every 6 months, but no safety report. MSIHC Rules 1989
Case 5
One solvent, two kinds of site
8,000 t of a highly flammable liquid (flash point over 23 °C up to 60 °C)
What applies In a stand-alone tank farm, Schedule 2 sets 10,000 t, so not MAH. Inside a refinery or chemical plant, Schedule 3 Part II sets 2,500 t and 20,000 t, so it is MAH. MSIHC Rules 1989
Case 6
A pharmaceutical formulation unit
300 t of a solvent with flash point below 23 °C and boiling point above 35 °C
What applies Very highly flammable; Schedule 3 Part II sets 1,500 t, so not MAH. Rule 4 duties, safety data sheets and labels still apply, and the OSH Code's hazardous-process duties may. MSIHC Rules 1989
MSIHC site safety under the MoEFCC and CPCB framework
The Integrated Guidance Framework that MoEFCC and CPCB wrote after the 2021 NGT order turns the rules into working practice. It is guidance, shared with every state.
Do
- Update the safety audit, the on-site plan and the risk analysis every year, and send the authorities each report (item A.13). MoEFCC and CPCB framework
- Report to the Chief Inspector of Factories within 30 days of an audit on how its recommendations are being carried out (A.8). MoEFCC and CPCB framework
- Interlink gas and leak sensors with alarms, emergency ventilation, process tripping and sprinkling systems (A.39). MoEFCC and CPCB framework
- Test firefighting equipment periodically, and keep fire arrangements to the factory law or other law in force (A.34 and A.63). MoEFCC and CPCB framework
- Have the audit done by a competent agency to IS 14489:2018, covering fire and explosion hazards and on-site and off-site preparedness (E.4 and E.5). MoEFCC and CPCB framework
- Run a public awareness programme on do's and don'ts for the neighbourhood once a year (A.58). MoEFCC and CPCB framework
Don’t
- Don't restart a unit that has been shut without a fresh risk study and safety audit (A.45). MoEFCC and CPCB framework
- Don't let flammable material free-fall into vessels, and don't site solvent tanks close to the process plant (A.31). MoEFCC and CPCB framework
- Don't operate or store hazardous chemicals outside an industrial zone (C.17). MoEFCC and CPCB framework
- Don't skip the separate clearances from the factory inspectorate, the explosives department and the Fire Department (A.66). MoEFCC and CPCB framework
Where to read the MSIHC Rules 1989 and the 1996 rules
Official copies and the filings that show their status. MoEFCC's own consolidated text is the one filed before the NGT.
MSIHC Rules
Inspectorate of Factories and Boilers, Goa
The MSIHC Rules 1989 as amended to 2000, with all 12 schedules, as a searchable PDF. MSIHC Rules 1989
ifbgoa.goa.gov.in/sites/default/files/Manufacture_Storage&Import_of_Hazardous_Chemical_Rules%201989.pdf1996 rules
PARIVESH, MoEFCC
The Chemical Accidents Rules, 1996, rules 1 to 13. CA(EPPR) Rules 1996
cpc.parivesh.nic.in/writereaddata/ENV/HSM/rule3.pdfStatus and guidance
National Green Tribunal
MoEFCC's 2025 reply in OA 293 of 2025, with the current rules text and the MoEFCC and CPCB framework as annexures. MoEFCC to NGT, 2025
www.greentribunal.gov.inPenalties
eGazette of India
The Jan Vishwas Act, 2023 and G.S.R. 749(E), which set the current penalties, and any future amendment. Gazette of India
egazette.gov.inFactories
DGOSH frequently asked questions
Plain answers on tiers, the 48-hour notice and drills for factories under the rules. DGOSH FAQ
dgfasli.gov.in/en/faq
MSIHC Rules myths checked against the text
You may have read
The MSIHC Rules died with the Factories Act on 21 November 2025.
Myth
What the sources say
They are made under the Environment (Protection) Act. MoEFCC filed them as current before the NGT on 13 October 2025, and Uttar Pradesh's OSH Rules of 2026 borrow their definitions. MoEFCC to NGT, 2025
You may have read
The on-site mock drill is a yearly exercise.
Myth
What the sources say
Rule 13(4) requires it every 6 months. The yearly one is the off-site rehearsal by the collector under rule 14(4). MSIHC Rules 1989
You may have read
Only chemical factories are covered.
Myth
What the sources say
Isolated storage is covered too: MoEFCC's framework names warehouses and tank farms and asks them for an on-site plan. MoEFCC and CPCB framework
You may have read
Each tank is measured on its own.
Myth
What the sources say
Schedules 2 and 3 add up an occupier's installations less than 500 m apart, connected pipelines and storage vehicles. MSIHC Rules 1989
You may have read
A fire safety certificate covers the hazardous chemical rules.
Myth
What the sources say
The Muktsar unit held one and still had no explosives NOC or pollution consent. The framework asks for the fire, factory and explosives clearances separately. MoEFCC to NGT, 2025
You may have read
After the Jan Vishwas Act nobody can go to prison.
Myth
What the sources say
Not paying an imposed penalty within 90 days can bring up to 3 years in prison (EP Act s.15F). Gazette of India
What Flamekite could not confirm about the MSIHC Rules
Gaps a reader would expect us to fill, and what to do until they are filled.
If Any amendment after MoEFCC's filing of 13 October 2025
None found in official pages or news by 25 October 2026; the eGazette was not searched notice by notice. Check egazette.gov.in for an MSIHC or Chemical Accidents amendment before relying on the 2000 text. MoEFCC to NGT, 2025
If The exact date of G.S.R. 584(E) of 1990
The official consolidation gives 9 June 1990 in one footnote, 9 September 1990 in another, and "G.S.R. 681" in its closing note. We print the year only. MSIHC Rules 1989
If Schedule 5 still names the Chief Inspector of Factories under the repealed Factories Act, and PESO's old rule sets (Gas Cylinders Rules 1981, Explosives Rules 1983, Petroleum Rules 1976)
No MoEFCC update found. The successors are the Gas Cylinders Rules 2016, the Explosives Rules 2008 and the Petroleum Rules 2002; in practice the state's Chief Inspector-cum-Facilitator acts for factories. Gas Cylinders Rules
If Whether an MSIHC breach falls under s.14A (section 8 and its rules) or the residual s.15
Flamekite reads s.14A, ₹1 lakh to ₹15 lakh; no adjudication order found either way. S.O. 4790(E), 2024
If Schedule 3 Group 1 rows that print one figure only
Whether rules 10 to 12 apply at that figure is not stated in the text. Ask the Schedule 5 authority in writing. MSIHC Rules 1989
If A national MAH count after 2023, and the compositions in Schedules 5 to 8 of the 1996 rules
Not published in the sources found; only Tripura's Gomati District Crisis Group of 2020 was read. DGFASLI INDOSHNEWS
If The draft Chemicals (Management and Safety) Rules
Last reported as a draft of August 2020; no final notification found. Until one appears, the 1989 and 1996 rules govern. ChemSafetyPronews report
Questions about the MSIHC Rules 1989
What is an MAH unit under the MSIHC Rules?
- A Major Accident Hazard installation is a site, isolated storage or process plant, that holds a hazardous chemical at or above the Column 3 quantity in Schedule 2 or 3, such as 60 t of ammonia in storage or 10 t of chlorine. It needs site approval, an on-site emergency plan and 6-monthly drills.
Are the MSIHC Rules 1989 still in force?
- Yes. They are made under the Environment (Protection) Act, not the repealed Factories Act. The latest amendment found is S.O. 57(E) of 19 January 2000, and MoEFCC filed that text as current before the NGT on 13 October 2025.
Who prepares the off-site emergency plan?
- The District Collector or District Emergency Authority, under rule 14 and Schedule 5 item 9, in consultation with the occupier, who must supply the data. It must be rehearsed at least once a calendar year, and the District Crisis Group reviews it.
How often must the on-site emergency plan be drilled?
- Every 6 months under rule 13(4), added in 1994, with a detailed report made available to the authority at once. Local Crisis Groups also run a full-scale drill every 6 months under the 1996 rules.
What is the penalty for violating the MSIHC Rules?
- Since 1 April 2024, a breach of section 8 of the Environment (Protection) Act or rules under it draws ₹1 lakh to ₹15 lakh, plus ₹50,000 a day, imposed by an adjudicating officer. Not paying within 90 days can mean up to 3 years in prison.
What is the difference between Schedule 2 and Schedule 3?
- Schedule 2 sets thresholds for isolated storage, such as a tank farm. Schedule 3 sets them for chemicals at a Schedule 4 process plant: 179 named chemicals in Part I and the flammable classes in Part II, usually at lower figures.
Where can I get the MSIHC Rules 1989 PDF?
- The Goa Inspectorate of Factories and Boilers hosts the consolidated text as amended to 2000. MoEFCC's PARIVESH portal hosts the 1996 Chemical Accidents Rules, and the NGT hosts MoEFCC's 2025 filing of the current text.
Keep reading
- MSIHC Rules MCQ40 practice questions on thresholds, safety reports and emergency plans, each cited.
- Fire NOC for factoriesThe state fire approval a chemical factory needs, and the Sigachi findings.
- OSH Code 2020Hazardous-process duties, safety officers and on-site plans under the Code.
- Fire NOC for cold storageAmmonia stores, Group J and the 60 t MSIHC line in practice.
- Fire NOC for LPG godownsLPG storage under the Gas Cylinders Rules and the fire NOC.
- Fire NOC for warehousesStorage buildings, hazard classes and their fire approvals.
- Fire NOC penaltiesWhat each state fire law fines, beside these environmental penalties.
- New fire safety rules in 2026Every fire and safety rule change this year, dated.
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Sources
Each source was opened and read on the date shown. How Flamekite checks its sources
- Ministry of Environment and Forests (Rules copy hosted by the Inspectorate of Factories and Boilers, Goa): Manufacture, Storage and Import of Hazardous Chemical Rules, 1989 (S.O. 966(E), 27 November 1989, as amended to S.O. 57(E) of 19 January 2000): rules 2 to 20 and Schedules 1 to 12 (opens in a new tab)
- Ministry of Environment and Forests (Rules copy hosted on MoEFCC's PARIVESH portal): Chemical Accidents (Emergency Planning, Preparedness and Response) Rules, 1996 (G.S.R. 347(E), 1 August 1996): rules 1 to 13 (opens in a new tab)
- Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, reply affidavit in NGT OA No. 293 of 2025, filed 13 October 2025 (hosted by the National Green Tribunal): Reply affidavit on the Muktsar firecracker unit blast: paragraphs 5 to 13, Annexure R1 (MSIHC Rules as amended) and the Punjab Pollution Control Board report (opens in a new tab)
- Gazette of India Extraordinary, Part II Section 1, 11 August 2023: The Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Act, 2023 (No. 18 of 2023): section 3 and Schedule entry 24, Environment (Protection) Act sections 14A, 14B, 15 to 15F and 16 (opens in a new tab)
- Gazette of India Extraordinary No. 595, 17 October 2023: G.S.R. 749(E): Jan Vishwas Act amendments to the Environment (Protection) Act in force from 1 April 2024 (opens in a new tab)
- Gazette of India, S.O. 4790(E) of 4 November 2024 (copy in the CPCB response in NGT OA 221 of 2025): Environment Protection (Manner of Holding Inquiry and Imposition of Penalty) Rules, 2024: rules 3 to 7 (opens in a new tab)
Show all 22 sourcesShow fewer
- Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 (copy hosted by the Andhra Pradesh Capital Region Development Authority): The Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 (29 of 1986), original text: sections 5, 6, 8, 9 and 15 (opens in a new tab)
- Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change and Central Pollution Control Board (Annexure R4 to the MoEFCC reply in NGT OA 293 of 2025): Integrated Guidance Framework for Chemicals Safety in respect of the Isolated Storages and Industries covered under the MSIHC Rules, 1989 (prepared after the NGT order of 11 June 2021 in OA 60 of 2021) (opens in a new tab)
- Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Gazette of India Extraordinary (copy hosted by the Tamil Nadu government): Explosives Rules, 2008 (G.S.R. 907(E), 29 December 2008), as first notified: rule 2(19) display fireworks, rule 106 validity, Schedule IV article 6 and fees, Form LE-6 licence for public display and its 24 conditions (opens in a new tab)
- Petroleum and Explosives Safety Organisation (PESO), DPIIT: Guidelines for issuing licences under the Petroleum Rules, 2002: who issues Form XIV, the documents for each transaction, the CPCB undertaking, approved dispensers and online filing through the National Single Window (opens in a new tab)
- Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, HSM Division: Notice F.No. 14-6/2016-HSMD, 8 August 2016: seeking inputs on amendments of the chemical accident rules (MSIHC 1989 and CAEPPR 1996) (opens in a new tab)
- Uttar Pradesh Gazette Extraordinary, 27 August 2026, English translation (copy hosted by TeamLease RegTech): Uttar Pradesh Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Rules, 2026, Notification No. 962/XXXVI-03-2026-1903305: rules 12, 16, 43, 45, 46, 47 and 127 (opens in a new tab)
- Directorate General Occupational Safety and Health (formerly DGFASLI): Frequently asked questions: MSIHC Rules, middle-tier and higher-tier factories, notification of major accidents, on-site and off-site emergency plans (opens in a new tab)
- Gazette of India (copy hosted by PRS Legislative Research): Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code, 2020 (Act 37 of 2020): sections 2(1)(w) factory, 22(2), 79, 80, 83, 84(4), 94, 102, 103, 110 and 143 (opens in a new tab)
- Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, affidavit in NGT OA No. 44 of 2021 (hosted by the National Green Tribunal): Affidavit on the Virudhunagar firecracker factory blast of 12 February 2021: the two chemical accident rule sets, the Central Crisis Group, the Red Book and PESO's role (opens in a new tab)
- Labour Department, Government of NCT of Delhi: Manufacture, Storage and Import of Hazardous Chemicals Rules, 1989: on-site plans of major accident hazard factories and the district off-site plan (opens in a new tab)
- Government of Tripura, Labour Department (Factories and Boilers Organisation): Notification No. F.7(49)-FB/HCR/1990(P), 11 September 2020: District Crisis Group for Gomati District under rule 8(1) of the Chemical Accidents Rules, 1996 (opens in a new tab)
- National Disaster Management Authority, Government of India: National Disaster Management Guidelines: Chemical Disasters (Industrial), April 2007: MAH units, crisis groups and emergency plans (opens in a new tab)
- Directorate General Factory Advice Service and Labour Institutes (now DGOSH), INDOSHNEWS: INDOSHNEWS Vol. 4 No. 1 and 2, January to December 2023: Efforts made by DGFASLI to prevent major accidents after the Bhopal disaster (opens in a new tab)
- Director of Factories, Telangana, additional report in NGT Southern Zone OA No. 115 of 2025 (hosted by the National Green Tribunal): Investigation Report on the Explosion at M/s Sigachi Industries Limited, Pashamylaram, on 30th June 2025, Technical Expert Committee (CSIR and Forensic Fire and Cyber Investigators), September 2025, filed 11 December 2025 (opens in a new tab)
- Gazette of India Extraordinary, Part II Section 3(i), No. 804, 22 November 2016 (copy hosted by Aleph India): Gas Cylinders Rules, 2016 (G.S.R. 1081(E)): rules 43 and 44, licence for possession and the exemptions, including LPG cylinders connected to a manifold under IS 6044 Part 1 (opens in a new tab)
- ChemSafetyPro: Indian Draft Chemicals (Management and Safety) Rules: latest draft published in August 2020 (posted 16 December 2020) (opens in a new tab)