ANNEXURE C
Major Incident Prevention Policy
The following principles should be taken into account when preparing a major incident prevention policy:
| (1) | For the purpose of implementing the duty holder's major incident prevention policy and process safety management system, the following elements must be considered: |
| (a) | the requirements laid down in the major incident prevention policy document must be proportionate to the hazards associated with major incidents present in the establishment; |
| (b) | the major incident prevention policy must include the duty holder's aims and principles of action with respect to the control of hazards associated with major incidents. |
| (c) | the process safety management system must include resources for determining and implementing the major incident prevention policy. |
| (2) | The following issues must be addressed by the process safety management system: |
| (a) | organisation and personnel – the roles and responsibilities of personnel involved in the management of major hazards at all levels in the organisation. The identification of training needs of such personnel and the provision of the training so identified. The involvement of employees and, where appropriate, subcontractors; |
| (b) | identification and evaluation of major hazards – adoption and implementation of procedures for systematically identifying major hazards arising from normal and abnormal operation and the assessment of their likelihood and severity; |
| (c) | operational control – adoption and implementation of procedures and instructions for safe operation, including maintenance of plant, processes, equipment and temporary stoppages; |
| (d) | management of change – adoption and implementation of procedures for planning modifications to, or the design of, new installations, processes or storage facilities; |
| (e) | planning for emergencies – adoption and implementation of procedures to identify foreseeable emergencies by systematic analysis and to prepare, test and review emergency plans to respond to such emergencies; |
| (f) | monitoring performance – adoption and implementation of procedures for the ongoing assessment of compliance with the objectives set by the duty holder major incident prevention policy and process safety management system, and the mechanisms for investigation and taking corrective action in the case of non-compliance. The procedures must cover the employer, self-employed person or user's system for reporting major incidents or near misses, particularly those involving failure of protective measures, and their investigation and follow-up on the basis of lessons learnt; |
| (g) | audit and review – adoption and implementation of procedures for periodic systematic assessment of the major incident prevention policy and the effectiveness and suitability of the process safety management system; the documented review of performance of the policy and process safety management system and its updating by senior management. |
