Switzerland had a rude awakening on the morning of 1 November 1986. A fire in Schweizerhalle caused an ecological disaster in Basel which resulted in serious damage to life along the upstream stretch of the Rhine for many years. One consequence of the disaster was the enactment of Switzerland’s Ordinance on the Prevention of Major Accidents, which provides for greater safety. The ordinance establishes the basis for the cooperation between all of the parties involved – from companies that use dangerous substances to the inspection
