The development of an audit technique to assess the quality of safety barrier management

• Published in: Journal of hazardous materials 2006-03, Vol.130 (3), p.234-241
• Main Authors: Guldenmund, Frank, Hale, Andrew, Goossens, Louis, Betten, Jeroen, Duijm, Nijs Jan
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Accidents, Occupational - prevention & control; Audit technique; Causality; Chemical Industry - organization & administration; Chemical Industry - standards; Computers; Containment of Biohazards - methods; Containment of Biohazards - standards; Disaster Planning; Environmental Exposure - prevention & control; Europe; European Union; Guidelines as Topic; Hazardous Substances; Humans; Management Audit - methods; Risk analysis; Risk Assessment - methods; Risk Assessment - standards; Safety barriers; Safety management; Safety Management - methods; Safety Management - standards; Software
• ISSN: 0304-3894; 1873-3336
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2005.07.011

This paper describes the development of a management model to control barriers devised to prevent major hazard scenarios. Additionally, an audit technique is explained that assesses the quality of such a management system. The final purpose of the audit technique is to quantify those aspects of the management system that have a direct impact on the reliability and effectiveness of the barriers and, hence, the probability of the scenarios involved. First, an outline of the management model is given and its elements are explained. Then, the development of the audit technique is described. Because the audit technique uses actual major hazard scenarios and barriers within these as its focus, the technique achieves a concreteness and clarity that many other techniques often lack. However, this strength is also its limitation, since the full safety management system is not covered with the technique. Finally, some preliminary experiences obtained from several test sites are compiled and discussed.