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SAFETY CASE FOR MAJOR HAZARD FACILITY (MHF) (IDENTIFIES THE RISKS AND…
SAFETY CASE FOR MAJOR HAZARD FACILITY (MHF)
IDENTIFIES THE RISKS AND HAZARDS OF AN MHF
Safe Work Australia defines MHF as "locations such as oil refineries, chemical plants and large fuel or chemical storage sites where large quantities of hazardous materials are stored, handled or processed."
Identification of risks and hazards and how these will be controlled is central to an MHF's Safety Case.
Risks of an MHF the possibility that harm (death, injury or illness) might occur when exposed to a hazard.
Hazards are situations or things that have the potential to harm a person.
This could include harmful chemicals or materials that could harm a person through unsafe exposure.
This could also include an incident such as a chemical leak creating unsafe exposure.
Ongoing monitoring and continuous improvement to ensure hazards are continually reviewed and controlled.
DESCRIBES HOW HAZARDS ARE CONTROLLED FOR AN MHF
This can include the systems and technical / managerial controls in place for hazards.
The human factor must be considered and taken into account in identifying effective controls.
Hierarchy of controls can be considered and applied
ELIMINATION
SUBSTITUTION
ISOLATION
ENGINEERING CONTROLS
ADMINISTRATIVE CONTROLS
PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT
DESCRIBES THE SAFETY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM (SMS) TO ENSURE CONTROLS ARE IN PLACE AND CONSISTENTLY APPLIED FOR MHF
An SMS must:
Outline procedures for how controls are implemented, reviewed and improved upon
Outline the safety policy, including the operator’s broad aims in relation to the safe operation of the MHR.
Be expressed in a way that is readily accessible and comprehensible to those who use it
Identify control measures adopted for the identified hazards
Provide a comprehensive and integrated management system for all aspects of risk
Have clear governance in place outlining accountabilities and responsibilities for all involved in implementing the SMS
Be part of the of the Safety Case presented for independent review and acceptance of the relevant regulator
To be effective, an SMS includes
Safety policy and safety objectives
Organisation and personnel
Management of change
Principles and standards
Performance monitoring
Audit
PRODUCED BY MHF OPERATOR FOR "ACCEPTANCE" BY REGULATOR
Operator is responsible for producing the Safety Case specific to the MHF it is managing
The Safety Case must be specific to the location, siting, operations, maintenance and personnel involved in managing the MHF.
The operator must ensure the Safety Case and Safety Management System are comprehensive and developed with and available the employees of the MHF.
Employee understanding and ownership of the Safety Case and SMS are critical to reducing "human" and managerial factors in safety incidents and failures.
If employees understand their role in implementing safety controls and there is strong safety leadership in place, the SMS will be more effectively integrated and implemented.
"It is the operators' job to assess their processes, procedures and systems to identify and evaluate risks and implement the appropriate controls, because the operator has the greatest in-depth knowledge of their installation." (National Offshore Petroleum Safety and Environmental Management Authority)
The Safety Case is subject to review and scrutiny by independent regulator
WorkSafe Victoria is an example of a an independent regulator which has a role of approving and accepting Safety Cases for MHFs.
WorkSafe's role and accountabilties are enshrined in Victorian legislation - it is imperative MHF operators understand and consider relevant legislation and their obligations in preparing a Safety Case for WorkSafe acceptance.
Failure to achieve WorksSafe acceptance of the Safety Case means an operator's facility will be assessed as non-compliant and will not be licensed to operate.
Regulator acceptance of the operator's Safety Case is critical to the MHF achieving the necessary approvals and license to proeed