The short answer
If your site uses, stores, creates, or could reasonably generate flammable gas, vapour, mist, or combustible dust, you almost certainly need a DSEAR risk assessment (or an update). DSEAR requires employers to assess and control fire and explosion risks arising from dangerous substances connected with work activities.
What counts as a “dangerous substance” under DSEAR?
In real operations, DSEAR triggers are usually one of these:
- Combustible dusts: flour, sugar, starch, animal feed dust, grain, powdered ingredients, some plastics, metals (site-specific)
- Process-generated atmospheres: vapours from decanting, dust clouds from transfer points, or mists from spraying
- Pressurised gases and substances corrosive to metals are also within DSEAR scope (expanded since 2015).
- Flammable liquids: solvents, cleaning fluids, paints, fuels, high-strength alcohols, some adhesives
- Flammable gases: propane, methane, hydrogen, acetylene
If you are in animal feed and milling, or anywhere with sugar, starch, or food powders, DSEAR relevance is common because combustible dust risk can escalate fast, especially with poor housekeeping and hidden ignition sources.
Practical “yes/no” checklist for Operations Directors
You likely need a DSEAR assessment if any of these are true:
- You store flammable liquids in IBCs/drums, or decant regularly
- You have dust collectors, cyclones, bag filters, silos, bucket elevators, pneumatic conveying
- You see dust deposits on beams, traywork, cable runs, light fittings, or above suspended ceilings
- You have solvent cleaning, spraying, coating, printing, or adhesive use
- You have fuel dispensing, vehicle refuelling, or LPG storage
- You have ATEX-marked equipment already, but nobody can explain the zoning
- Your business has scaled, processes have changed, or you have had an incident or near miss
DSEAR is not about paperwork. It’s about whether your operation can create an explosive atmosphere and whether you have controlled ignition risks and consequences.
What “good” looks like
A good DSEAR assessment:
- Identifies where explosive atmospheres can occur and why
- Sets clear controls using the hierarchy: eliminate, substitute, contain, ventilate, segregate, control ignition, mitigate effects
- Produces zoning only where needed, and makes it usable for maintenance and procurement
- Links zoning to correct equipment selection and verification before use
Why organisations switch consultancy after something goes wrong
We often get called after:
- A fire, flash fire, explosion, or “bang” event
- A serious near miss
- Insurer questions or post-incident scrutiny
- Growth outpacing internal capability
- A new material, process line, or warehouse expansion
Cut corners here and you get the worst of both worlds: either inadequate hazard identification (false reassurance), or mountains of paperwork with no clear actions.
Why SML for DSEAR
We bring senior, hands-on assessors (30+ years experience) who can talk to ops teams in plain English and produce practical reports with actions that are short, specific, and trackable. DSEAR compliance is achieved by controlling risk, not by creating a 90-page document nobody uses. HSE’s own guidance emphasises assessing risks and implementing controls, not generating admin.
If you want a fast view on whether DSEAR applies, we can do a short scoping call and tell you what we would assess, what you should gather, and the quickest route to a usable outcome.
