Law No. 04-20 of 13 Dhou El Kaada 1425 corresponding to 25 December 2004 on the prevention of major risks and disaster management within the framework of sustainable development

This law sets the rules for the prevention of major risks and disaster management within the framework of sustainable development. Among others, climatic risks, industrial and energy risks, atmospheric pollution, floods, forest fires, and land and sea pollution are considered major risks (Article 10). 

The rules for the prevention of major risks and the management of disasters are based on the following principles: 

• the precautionary principle: the lack of certainty (considering scientific and technical knowledges of the moment) must not delay the adoption of effective and proportionate measures aimed at preventing any risk to people and environment in general
• the principle of concomitance: when identifying and assessing the consequences of hazards, consider their interactions and the aggravation of risks due to their concomitant occurrence 
• the principle of preventive action and correction by priority at the source: as much as possible, take care of the causes first before controlling the consequences
• the principle of participation: every citizen must have access to knowledges 
• the principle of integration of new techniques: whenever necessary, integrate technical developments in the fields of major risk prevention.

For each major risk, a general plan of prevention of major risk is instituted, adopted by decree. 

Section 5 of the law establishes special requirements for the general industrial and energy risk prevention plan. This plan shall set out all the measures, rules and procedures for preventing and limiting the risks of explosion, gas emissions and fire, as well as those associated with the handling of materials classified as hazardous. The general industrial and energy risk prevention plan shall include all the rules and procedures applicable to specific installations or groups of installations, in mines, quarries, works or installations for processing and transporting energy and hydrocarbons. 

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