Identification of Authorities/Resources
GOALS
- Clearly identify which authorities are (or will be) responsible for different elements of the Chemical Accidents Programme; and
- Ensure that the authorities have the resources (including competent staff) needed to fulfill their responsibilities.
The designation of the authorities, and associated resources, is essential to oversee and enforce the Chemical Accidents Programme. This element will need to be re-examined as your country further defines its Programme..
Suggested activities include:
- Allocate roles and responsibilities for implementation and enforcement of the Chemical Accidents Programme, in a manner that is consistent with your country’s existing political and cultural context
o It may be that more than one authority will be involved in the implementation of different elements of the Programme
o Recognise that some tasks may be best carried out from external sources, such as consultants, if expertise is not available internally
- Ensure that there are qualified staff to carry out each role (for example, the task of an inspector cannot be carried out by an administrator)
- Put training programmes into place to ensure continuing competency of staff
- Maintain a process for cooperation and coordination among the authorities, as well as with non-governmental stakeholders. This is important to identify opportunities for collaboration (saving resources), and to avoid gaps, overlapping activities and/or conflicts
Relevant tools
Below is a list of tools relevant for implementing this topic :