# POŚ – prevention of major industrial accidents (Seveso)

Act of 27 April 2001 – Environmental Protection Law, Title IV, Section II ‘Major accidents’ (Arts 248–271) (Prawo ochrony środowiska)

- Status: Amendments pending
- Legal order: Poland
- Legal area: Industrial emissions and permits
- Dz.U. 2025 poz. 647 (consolidated text), as amended
- Business profile: Smelting, Semi-fabrication, Recycling

## In brief

Lower-tier or upper-tier establishment (ZZR/ZDR) depending on the quantity of dangerous substances – notification, major-accident prevention programme, safety report, emergency plans.

## Key obligations

- notification of a ZZR/ZDR establishment to the competent State Fire Service (PSP) authority (Art. 250(1))
- major-accident prevention programme implemented through a safety management system (Art. 251(1)–(2))
- ZDR – safety report (Art. 253(1))
- ZDR – internal emergency plan, exercise at least once every 3 years (Art. 261(1) and (3))
- ZDR – covering the costs of the external emergency plan (Art. 261(1)(3))

## Competent authority

voivodeship/district commander of the State Fire Service (PSP); Regional Inspectorate of Environmental Protection (WIOŚ) (inspections – ZZR every 3 years, ZDR every year, Art. 31(1) of the Act on the Inspection for Environmental Protection)

## Penalties

Petty offences for failure to fulfil ZZR/ZDR obligations and for commissioning an establishment without the required opinions (Arts 354–355); strict civil liability (Art. 324).

## Entry into force

01.10.2001

## Application

provisions aligned with Directive 2012/18/EU

## Key dates

- 01.10.2026: referral of draft UC146 for interministerial agreement (Seveso – POŚ and spatial planning)

## Pending changes

Draft UC146 – Act amending the POŚ and the Act on spatial planning and development in connection with raising the level of safety and protection against the effects of major accidents (implements Directive 2012/18/EU); stage of interministerial agreement and consultation (from 1.10.2026).

## Related acts

- [Seveso III Directive (major accidents)](https://igmnir.org/dane/prawo/en/eu-seveso/)
- [Environmental Protection Law – integrated permits, fees, penalties](https://igmnir.org/dane/prawo/en/pl-pos/)
- [Act on the Inspection for Environmental Protection (inspections)](https://igmnir.org/dane/prawo/en/pl-ios/)

## Official sources

- [Text of the act](https://isap.sejm.gov.pl/isap.nsf/DocDetails.xsp?id=WDU20010620627)
- [Consolidated text](https://isap.sejm.gov.pl/isap.nsf/DocDetails.xsp?id=WDU20250000647)
- [RCL – draft UC146](https://legislacja.gov.pl/projekt/12415250)

---

Register as of: 22.10.2026. The official text of the act prevails. IGMNiR. On the website: https://igmnir.org/en/law/#akt-pl-pos-awarie