Safety management developments

Li Xinjuan. 2011. Research and analysis of safety management development of American coal mines. China Safety Science Journal 2 (10) 162-169. 

The UK government enquiry into the Piper Alpha disaster in the North Sea in 1988 has had a significant impact on working practices and equipment and has helped to improve offshore safety around the world. One result has been the development of a Safety Management System (SMS) which is a method of integrating work practices, and is a form of quality management system. Major oil companies have each developed their own specific SMS, to suit local environments and modes of operation, but the SMS typically addresses the following areas (recommended by the Cullen Enquiry into the Piper Alpha disaster) ... 

One of the six elements of Responsible Care is the Codes of Management Practice, and one of the codes is the Process Safety Code of Management Practices (34). This code emphasi2es management commitment and accountabiUty, information sharing, and community relations, but also includes 11 of the 14 specific elements of the legislated process safety management standards developed later. 

Protection of Employees. In 1986, shortly after the Bhopal disaster, OSHA contracted to develop a federal standard on process ha2ards management. A proposed standard was issued in 1990, and the Process Safety Management of Highly Ha2ardous Chemicals standard was issued and implemented in 1992 (36). 

Accidental Release Provisions. The 1990 CAAA includes provisions similar to OSHA s process safety management standard for minimi2ing the accidental release of air toxics. Based on types and quantities of ha2ardous chemicals on-site, a faciUty is required to develop and implement... 

It is incumbent upon the toller to develop and follow internal management systems as appropriate to support business needs, production needs, process safety, environmental responsibility, and worker health. The selection process should have considered whether or not satisfactory systems are in place. Nevertheless, the contract or auxiliary documents may be the vehicle used to help ensure that the system reviewed is the system actually used for completing the toll in question. Within the process safety management system, the management of change and training elements are essential subsystems. 

Implementing an inherent safety review process is one mechanism companies can use to institutionalize inherent safety. The review process should integrate well with company systems for process safety management, new product development, and project execution. Safety, health, and environmental considerations in the new product or process development effort can be strengthened via the introduction of the inherent safety review. Companies may also build inherently safer design concepts into their existing process safety management system and process hazard reviews. 

To eontrol these types of hazards, employers need to develop the neeessary expertise, experienee, judgement, and initiative within their workforee to properly implement and maintain an effeetive proeess safety management program as envisioned in the Oeeupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) standard. 

Section 304 of the Clean Air Act Amendments states that employers are to consult with their employees and their representatives regarding their efforts in developing and implementing the process safety management... 

Employers shall develop a written action plan that implements employee participation in developing and conducting process hazards analyses and other elements of process safety. management. 

To develop a safe design, it is necessary to first design and specify all equipment and systems in accordance with applicable codes and standards. Once the system is designed, a process safety shutdown system is specified to assure that potential hazards that can be detected by measuring process upsets are detected, and that appropriate safety actions (normally an automatic shutdown) are initiated. A hazards analysis is then normally undertaken to identify and mitigate potential hazards that could lead to fire, explosion, pollution, or injury to personnel and that cannot be detected as process upsets. Finally, a system of safety management is implemented to assure the system is operated and maintained in a safe manner by personnel who have received adequate training. 

This book addresses the design, development, and installation of process safety management systems, but does not address subsequent operation and maintenance of those systems. The book s goal is to help you put together a workable, effective program and put it in place within your com pany or plant. 

Develop a plan. Based on established goals and current status, the teams will develop detailed plans for implementing a process safety management system, including projections of time and staffpwer requirements and other resource needs. When completed, these plans will be our blueprint for PSM implementation, subject to refinement based on experience. 

Develop specific process safety management systems. Working within the pian, the task groups will develop specific systems and procedures for implementing PSM. The Division A team will focus on its own operations, while (name s) group will direct its efforts toward the other divisions. 

The specific PSM systems that are finalized for installation will act as the core of your company s overall system for process safety management. For this reason, it s wise to approach their development in a manner that s consistent with your company s practices, to minimize the need for reconstructing detailed text to conform to company standards. 

The CCPS book Guidelines for Auditing Process Safety Management Systems provides guidance on developing PSM audit programs and conducting... 

This report summarizes the PSM team s progress in developing Process Safety Management (PSM) systems. 

As previously noted, cility-specific approaches tend not to succeed where the overall current status of PSM is poor. Local staff will not have the necessary knowledge or experience of safety management to develop and implement a program without considerable outside assistance. Even if you have identified significant variations, if your team decides that overail PSM performance is low you should consider a companywide strategy rather than a facility-specific approach. 

DEVELOP SPECIFIC PROCESS SAFETY MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS... 

This book complements previous work by CCPS in describing how to undertake the design, development, and installation of process safety management systems. 

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