09th May - 11th May 2023
Hall 6 / Booth 410
Dear all,
Like all companies in Germany subject to the Major Accidents Ordinance, on this page we comply with our obligation to provide you with comprehensive information on correct conduct in the case of a major incident.
Protecting people and the environment and ensuring plant & occupational health and safety are really important to us. We use an extensive safety concept with high safety standards to achieve this. Together with external experts and the authorities, we work continuously to prevent hazards that might arise at our premises. Our safety concept is based on the latest technical monitoring and safety systems and relies upon extremely well trained, responsible employees.
Just like in normal life, however, it's impossible to completely exclude the possibility of accidents and disturbances. That's why law requires us to be prepared for a scenario where an incident might have effects beyond the boundaries of company premises, potentially disturbing our neighbours or – in extreme cases – placing them in danger. So that we're ready for this albeit unlikely scenario, we've compiled some information for you on correct conduct in the case of an incident.
Schweizer Electronic AG is an internationally leading manufacturer of innovative high-tech PCBs for automotive, industrial, solar, and aviation electronics.
The conductors on the PCBs are produced in galvanic and chemical baths. The baths used in the production of the PCBs must be supplied with chemicals. This requires storage in a warehouse for bulk goods and in a tank depot. The PCBs being produced must be rinsed. The waste water from the rinsing process is treated in our own treatment plant. The baths, chemicals in the warehouse, and water for the treatment process in the waste water treatment plant can contain hazardous substances in quantities that mean that our production location is classified as an operating area in the highest class as per the Major Accidents Ordinance. It is therefore subject to the basic and enhanced obligations of this ordinance. We have notified the relevant authorities and the Regional Council of Freiburg of this and have presented a concept for the prevention of incidents along with an alarm and emergency response plan and the safety report.
If you require more information about production at SCHWEIZER, click here.
The brochure (German language only) on correct conduct in the event of an incident can be found at this Link.
Our company uses the following substances with a high hazard level in large quantities:
Substance/solution | Hazard pictogram and description | Used in, present in: |
Copper solutions Copper compounds Solutions with oxidising agents | Hazardous to the aquatic environment | Production Warehouse |
Acetylene gas | Highly flammable | Analyses Warehouse |
In low quantities Solutions containing cyanide | Acutely toxic, risk of death | Production |
An extensive analysis that we carried out with an external expert found that the following hazards can be caused by or intensified by the specified substances:
Please rest assured that such incidents can normally occur only following a chain of unfortunate events.
We are subject to the enhanced obligations of the Major Accidents Ordinance due to the quantities and hazard classes of the substances and mixtures we use. We have made the authorities aware of this and have submitted a safety report.
In addition, a safety concept in the form of an alarm and emergency response plan has been created and submitted to the authorities. A major incident officer has been appointed.
Our premises are inspected each year by the responsible authorities in accordance with the provisions of the Major Accidents Ordinance.
The last inspection took place on 14/10/2021.
The Major Accidents Ordinance obliges Schweizer Electronic to keep harmful effects to people and the environment in the case of an incident to a minimum or, in the best case scenario, to prevent such effects altogether.
SCHWEIZER implements the following hazard prevention measures in order to avoid incidents:
Naturally, we comply with all legal requirements and regularly train our employees in how to handle hazardous substances safely.
If, despite all of the measures implemented, substances that are hazardous to health should escape, the alarm and emergency response plan agreed with the Regional Council of Freiburg and the Regional Emergency Response Authority of Rottweil will be activated.
As soon as an incident that poses a potential hazard for people or the environment has occurred and it has been determined that there is a possibility of effects outside the business premises, you will be informed by the police or fire brigade using loud-speakers.
You'll be able to obtain further information via:
If this occurs:
In addition, please observe the following:
The brochure (German language only) on correct conduct in the event of an incident can be found at this Link.
For more information, please contact Schweizer Electronic AG:
Tel.: +49 (0) 7422/512-0;
e-mail: info@schweizer.ag.
You may also wish to contact the Regional Council of Freiburg:
RP Freiburg,
Dept. 5,
Bissierstraße 7,
79114 Freiburg,
e-mail: abteilung5@rpf.bwl.de.
For more information about our company and/or products, see our company brochure (German language only) and product brochure (German language only).
For more information about the supervision plan as per Para. 17 (1) of the Major Accidents Ordinance, see https://www.lubw.baden-wuerttemberg.de/betrieblicher-umweltschutz/uberwachungssystem.