Health and Safety Executive

Safety Case Handling and Assessment Manual - Performance standards

Introduction

  1. This manual sets out OSD's policy, roles and responsibilities, procedures and guidance for the handling and assessment of safety cases, using quality principles based on the ISO 9000 series of standards. Application of these standards requires that assessment is undertaken using controlled methods and managed against performance standards.
  2. The performance standards are that the process shall:
    1. be carried out in a competent and professional manner;
    2. be completed and properly recorded on time;
    3. be transparent to staff and to dutyholders, and carried out to a consistent standard, with any necessary corrective actions taken promptly;
    4. contribute to OSD's overall mission regarding the reduction of risks to personnel offshore;
    5. be kept up-to-date and relevant to both HSE's and dutyholders' needs.
  3. These standards are supplemented by a set of performance objectives (performance standards and objectives), which detail the actions required to achieve each standard. Management at each level should monitor the performance of their staff against each objective, and take corrective action as appropriate.

Performance standards and objectives

Performance standard 1

Assessment shall be carried out in a competent and professional manner.

Performance objectives

  1. Staff will receive appropriate training in the use of SCHAM and COIN.
  2. Staff will comply with SCHAM and COIN procedures, and report any difficulties to the HID HQ Unit and OSD1.4 respectively.
  3. Assessors will carry out assessment which is proportionate to the major accident risks involved and consistent between equivalent risks. Staff will use professional judgement in deciding on the width and depth of assessment required, guided by any relevant benchmarks.
  4. Assessors will take account of legislation and of guidance, including booklet L30, the APOSC [158KB] and GASCET [PDF 2.15MB] guides and other relevant internal and external technical guidance.
  5. Managers will monitor the performance of their staff in operating the safety case handling and assessment system, and take appropriate corrective action where necessary. The SCPB will keep collective performance under review.

Performance Standard 2

Assessment process shall be completed on time.

Performance objectives

  1. Staff will meet the time limits set out in SCHAM for activities under their control. Managers will ensure adequate resources are available, taking account of planned and unplanned unavailability.

Performance standard 3

The assessment process shall be transparent to HSE staff and to dutyholders, and shall be carried out to a consistent standard, with any necessary corrective actions taken promptly.

Performance objectives

  1. The SCHAM document owner will ensure the current version of SCHAM is available to all users and to the public, by placing it on the Internet.
  2. Case managers will ensure that the dutyholder for any safety case which is not acceptable to HSE receives early warning of this view and has adequate opportunities for discussion aimed at resolving outstanding issues. Where resolution is not achieved and the case is not accepted, the case Manger will provide the dutyholder with appropriate and timely information on appeal procedures.
  3. Managers will monitor the output of their staff to ensure assessment processes are carried out in a consistent manner which is appropriate to the risk.
  4. Managers will ensure their staff are aware of the difference of professional opinion and formal second opinion procedures, and will facilitate use of the procedures as necessary.
  5. The SCPB will ensure adequate arrangements are made for independent internal audit of SCHAM procedures, and ensure audit recommendations are addressed promptly. Action plans for implementing audit findings will be in place within 30 days of receipt of the findings.

Performance standard 4

The assessment process shall contribute to OSD's overall mission regarding the reduction of risks to personnel offshore.

Performance objectives

  1. Assessors will take account of good practice in the industry and will encourage continuous improvement in standards relating to major accident hazards.
  2. Staff will seek the resolution of developing generic matters raised in assessment, by appropriate internal and external discussion, and publicise the outcome within OSD and externally.
  3. Management and staff will carry out assessment as an integral part of OSD's intervention process, particularly regarding the handling of new installations and the verification of safety case matters.

Performance standard 5

The assessment process shall be up-to-date, and relevant to both HSE's and dutyholders' needs.

Performance objectives

  1. The safety case handling and assessment system process owners will keep the system under review, and make proposals for revision as necessary. This will include progressing amendment proposals received from system users and from other sources. Any major deficiencies will be reviewed and recommendations on action made within 60 days of identification.
  2. The SCPB and HID HQ Unit will jointly keep the offshore permissioning regime under review, and ensure that the safety case handling and assessment system is updated to reflect changes to the regime.

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Updated 19.06.09