Business Essentials/HSE Safety, Health & Environmental Management Systems: Introduction

Safety, Health & Environmental Management

Systems: Introduction

Review

In this topic the student is introduced to the concept of safety, health and
environmental management systems with an outline of an appropriate
model.

Content
1. Purpose

This guide provides a framework to enable managers to develop detailed systems for
their own organisation. The aim is to enable the organisation to assure itself and others
such as regulators, partners, licensing authorities and insurers, that it is able to comply
with the stated company safety, health and environment policy through the application of
a management system based on self regulation and internal control.

Managing safety, health and the environment (SHE) should not be seen as in any way
different or separate from managing the business as a whole. The competencies and
technical requirements needed to manage SHE should be integrated into the day-to-day
business activities.

2. Background

This topic draws heavily on the Exploration and Production Forum (E & P Forum)
document ‘Guidelines for the Development and Application of Health, Safety and
Environmental Management Systems. The E & P Forum guidelines have gained wide
acceptance in the E & P industry and have been adopted by the International Standards
Organisation (ISO) as the basis for a SHE standard. The development of a Safety,
Health and Environment Management System (SHEMS) is an evolution from current
separate safety, occupational health and environment management systems, and builds
on existing workable, robust and effective systems, procedures and practices.

Although across the wide spectrum of industries differences exist in the detailed
treatment of safety, health and environmental issues, the management of these areas is
tending to focus towards the Plan-Do-Check Feedback systems model approach of the
Quality Systems Standard ISO 9000. This is particularly true for the management of risk
where SHE considerations frequently overlap.

The adoption of a management system that combines SHE is based on:

• The prominence being given by both the industry and the regulators world-wide
to the need for self regulation based on internal controls;
• Managers setting their own objectives, monitoring their achievement and
demonstrating that the organisation is self regulating - thus minimising the
external regulatory burden;
• The synergy to be obtained from managing SHE together;
• The need for sustained effort to improve SHE performance.

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Business Essentials/HSE Safety, Health & Environmental Management Systems: Introduction

The SHEMS emphasises a self-regulatory approach which is both objective setting-

establishing what to do and then doing it, and proactive - taking action before and not
after the event. This self regulatory approach is risk based, not at any cost, but on the
premise that measures should be taken, which are necessary and cost effective to
reduce risk to a level that is as low as reasonably practicable (ALARP).

3. A SHEMS Model

The schematic diagram below shows the management system model that forms the
basis of a SHEMS. The model indicates a sequence of process elements founded on
strong leadership and commitment. In practice, although the elements are shown in a
logical sequence, many of the activities that the elements represent will be addressed at
the same time and will be returned to from time to time. For the purposes of this guide
the elements are taken in the order given below.

4. Elements of a SHEMS Model

SHEMS ELEMENT FOCUS

Leadership and Leadership from directors and managers and commitment

Commitment from everybody at all levels, which is essential for the
success of SHEMS.
Policy and Strategic Corporate intentions, principles of action and aspirations
Objectives with respect to SHE.
Organisation, Resources Organisation of people, resources and documentation for
and Documentation effective SHE performance.
Risk Assessment and Identification and assessment of SHE risks for activities,
Management products and services and the development of risk control
measures.
Planning Planning the conduct of work activities, including planning
for changes and response to emergencies.
Implementation and Carrying out monitoring of activities and taking corrective
Monitoring action if necessary.
Audit Regular independent assessment to determine if the
implementation of SHEMS elements and activities conform
to planned arrangements and are effective.
Management Review Periodic review by senior managers of SHEMS and its
performance to ensure its continued suitability and
effectiveness and to implement improvements.

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Business Essentials/HSE Safety, Health & Environmental Management Systems: Introduction

5. Glossary of Terms
Any undesired event or series of events which has caused
Accident
injury and or ill health. (See also Incident).
API American Petroleum Institute.
To reduce risk to a level which is ‘as low as reasonably
practicable’ involves balancing the reduction in risk against
As Low as the time, trouble, difficulty and cost of achieving the
Reasonably reduction. This level represents the point, objectively
Practicable (ALARP) assessed, at which the time, trouble, difficulty and cost of
further reduction measures become increasingly
disproportionate to the additional reduction obtained.
BS British Standard.
EN European Norm.
The surroundings and conditions in which an organisation
operates, including living systems (human or other)
Environment
therein. Environment in this context extends from within
the workplace to the global system.
The potential to cause harm, including ill health or injury,
Hazard damage to property, plant, products or the environment,
production losses or increased liabilities.
Includes acute and chronic ill health caused by physical,
Ill health chemical or biological agents as well as adverse effects on
mental health.
IMO International Maritime Organisation.
An event or series of events which has caused or could
Incident have caused injury, illness and or damage to assets, the
environment or third parties.
ISO International Standards Organisation.
Describes the measurable standards set by management
Performance
to which an activity or system is to perform. They may be
Standards
qualitative or quantitative.
Accepted methods or means of accomplishing stated
Practice
tasks.
A documented series of steps to be carried out in a logical
Procedure
sequence for a defined operation or in a given situation.
The product of the chance that a specified undesired event
Risk will occur and the severity of the consequence of the
event.
The Company’s public statement of intentions and
Company SHE Policy principles of action for Safety, Health and Environment
which lead to Strategic Objectives.
Management philosophy and company practices that
System aim to harness the human and material resources
Quality Management
of an organisation in the most effective way to achieve the
objectives of the organisation.

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Business Essentials/HSE Safety, Health & Environmental Management Systems: Introduction

Documentary evidence, through the life of a facility to

demonstrate that the safety, health and the environment
management arrangements are adequate and that the
Safety Case
processes of risk assessment and management ensure
that the risks to personnel from major incident hazards are
ALARP.
The values or benchmarks against which the significance
of an identified hazard or effect can be judged. These
Screening Criteria
should be soundly based and may be developed by the
organisation, be industry norms, or provided by regulators.
SHE Management A statement of the means by which the strategic objectives
Plan will be met.
The SMART and preferably quantified values which
objectives typically accompany an annual plan and
SHE Performance
collectively reflect the need for continuous performance
improvement.
The broad goals that the Company sets for itself to
Strategic SHE
achieve. They arise from the Company SHE Policy and
Objectives
focus on critical areas of SHE performance.

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