Prevention Policies and Safety Management Systems
GOAL
Owners/operators of hazardous installations develop and implement appropriate policies, and safety management systems, which provide a basis for chemical accident prevention and preparedness.
Critical to a Chemical Accidents Programme is having owners/operators of hazardous installations implement prevention policies and safety management systems that are specific and appropriate in light of the nature and extent of risks posed by the installations and the available resources.
The policies and safety managements should be documented so that government authorities can review them, as appropriate.
Suggested activities include:
- Require owners/operators of hazardous installations to develop, implement and document prevention policies and safety management systems, appropriate to the specific installation, and communicate the policies and systems to all employees
- Require that prevention policy and safety management systems be maintained up to date (reviewed regularly and updated in light of experience and any significant changes in technologies, equipment, level of risk, requirements, etc.)
- Identify requirements for providing authorities with copies of the prevention policies and safety management systems (perhaps as part of a safety reporting scheme)
- Provide guidance to industry on developing prevention policies and safety management systems
Relevant tools
Below is a list of tools relevant for implementing this topic :
- UNEP: A Flexible Framework for addressing Chemical Accident Prevention and Preparedness – A Guidance Document (2010)
- ILO: Prevention of Major Industrial Accidents (1991)
- OECD: Guiding Principles for Chemical Accident Prevention Preparedness and Response (2nd ed, 2003)
- OECD: Corporate Governance for Process Safety: Guidance for Senior Leaders in High Hazard Industries (2012)