Feedback from industrial accidents has led to the implementation of risk management systems in companies. These analyses have shown that the occurrence of accidents was linked to organizational malfunctions. The regulations thus imposed the creation of a SMS (safety management system) and its control by the Administration. The safety management system is an essential part of industrial risk management. It is closely linked to the hazard study, which identifies and quantifies the risks. It is also associated with the industrial company's emergency plans (POI, PPI) in the event of an accident occurring at its facilities.
The periodicaudit of the safety management system have become more important than ever. Their objective is to improve the safety level of industrial installations.
A Safety Management System, for whom?
The operators concerned by the implementation of a SMS (safety management system) are Seveso high threshold establishments. These are establishments subject to ICPE type AS (Authorization with Public Utility Servitudes) regulations. The regulations in force, namely the order of May 26, 2014, requires the SMS to undergo a periodic evaluation to assess its effectiveness and adequacy in terms of major accident prevention.
Also read: Safety of chemical industrial sites: risks and regulations
How to implement the SMS in the company?
The first step is to define the company's organization and its objectives. Its management procedures and resources dedicated to the prevention of major risks are also listed. The next step consists in the realization of the internal audit of the SMS to obtain an evaluation of the defined organization and its axes of improvement. It allows to identify the gaps between the requirements of the regulation (order of May 26, 2014) and the organization of the ICPE. The following actions must be carried out.
- A hazard study;
- An evaluation of practices concerning the management of major accidents.
According to the positioning diagnosis, the project structure for implementing the SMS must be defined. The action plan must then be implemented.
Thanks to its expertise in industrial risks, Gesip assists industrialists in this process. It will provide you with assistance on the following points.
- Follow-up support for the project ;
- Definition of the company's major accident prevention policy and areas for improvement;
- Assistance in writing the SGS management standard;
- Definition of management system indicators;
- Training of the teams concerned.
Also read: Small and medium-sized businesses: mandatory safety standards in companies
How to perform the Safety Management System audit?
The audit of management systems must be carried out in accordance with the NF EN ISO 19011, which prescribes the guidelines for auditing management systems. The audit of the Safety Management System should therefore be carried out according to the following steps.
- Documentary audit and field review. The objective is to study the documentation of the SMS and the one related to the control of major risks;
- The on-site audit. It concerns the organizations: production, maintenance, HR and security. Any non-conformity must be identified;
- The audit report. It must be written highlighting the strengths of the SMS and its areas of improvement.