The SHE information system as a whole

At this level, we apply criteria mainly derived from theory on organisational learning. To minimise extraneous influences, the methods for data collection, analysis and distribution of information must be easily understood and acceptable to the involved parties. It is important, for example, in the reporting of human errors, that the employees have trust in the system and that the reports are not used to punish the individual. The methods should also promote involvement of management and employees, and the development of a shared understanding on SHE goals, accident causes and conditions for efficient prevention. 

Exercise Evaluate both the old and the new systems for feedback control of accidental emissions from a fertiliser plant presented in Chapter 4. Use the criteria presented in Tables 11.1 and 11.2 in the evaluation. Identify the most significant characteristics of the new system that explain the positive results. 

In our model of a SHE information system in Chapter 1, we identified four different subsystems, i.e. data collection, data analysis or processing, a memory and distribution of information. We will here first focus on the data-collection subsystem. Chapter 12 presents an overview and Chapters 13 and 14 give details about different methods of data collection in accident and near-accident reporting and investigation, workplace inspections and SHE audits. We will then proceed in Chapter 15 to go through some basic principles for the establishment of a memory (database) on accident risks. After that, we will review different methods for data analysis based on data from accidents and near-accidents in particular. In practice, it is not always easy to separate data collection from data analysis or processing, because these activities often interact. 

The principles and methods presented in Part III are reactive in the sense that they are used in an approach where we learn from incidents and deviations after the occurrence. In Part V we will look into a proactive approach, where we identify and analyse accident risks before they have been manifested in actual occurrences. 

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We will start by focusing on one important aspect of SHE information systems. Which criteria will make us able to distinguish good from poor SHE performance indicators or measures for use in feedback control We will then shift the focus to the SHE information system in general. Here we define criteria for the evaluation of data collection, analysis and presentation of information and for an evaluation of the SHE information system as a whole. 

The problem facing the enterprise as whole is that the proliferation of distributed systems may result in different database management systems. The use of so-called relational models and the structure query language (SQL) for data access and retrieval will simplify the interface problems. If the proper software is used, these distributed databases will appear as if they were a single information source. A user will be able to get the information he or she needs without having to know where the data are stored. Furthermore, such software will run under different types of network protocol, media, and operating systems. 

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