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Safety and environmental standards for fuel storage sites
Final report
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Key principles and procedures for fuel transfer and storage:
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Principles for safe management of fuel transfer.
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Operational planning for fuel transfer by pipeline.
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Principles for consignment transfer agreements.
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Procedures for control and monitoring of fuel transfer.
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Information and system interfaces for frontline staff.
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Learning from experience:
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Availability of records for periodic review.
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Measuring process safety performance.
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Investigation of incidents and near misses.
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Audit and review.
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Leadership and development of a positive safety culture
7 Poor safety culture has been found to be a significant causal factor in major accidents such
as those concerning Texas City, Chernobyl, Bhopal, the Herald of Free Enterprise disaster, several
major rail crashes etc.
8 The leadership of senior managers, and the commitment of the chief executive, is vital to the
development of a positive safety culture. The Baker Panel Report has recently drawn specific
attention to the importance of:
process safety leadership at all levels of an organisation;
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implementing process safety management systems; and
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developing a positive, trusting, and open process safety culture.
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9 CSB’s Investigation Report
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into the Texas City Refinery Explosion also identifies safety
culture as a key issue requiring leadership of senior executives. It was particularly critical of the
lack of a reporting and learning culture, and of a lack of focus on controlling major hazard risk.
Guidance
10 The safety culture of an organisation has been described (HSG48) as the shared values,
attitudes and patterns of behaviour that give the organisation its particular character.
11 The term ‘safety climate’ has a very similar meaning to safety culture. Put simply, the term
safety culture is used to describe behavioural aspects (what people do), and the situational aspects
of the company (what the company has). The term safety climate is used to refer to how people
feel about safety in the organisation (HSG48, Safety culture Human Factors Briefing Note No 7
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).
12 When implementing guidance on leadership and safety culture for fuel transfer and storage
activities, dutyholders should ensure that:
clear goals and objectives are set, and made visible by leadership throughout the
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organisation;
expectations are translated into procedures and practices at all levels;
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these procedures and practices are commensurate with the risk, consequence of failure, and
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complexity of the operation;
all hazards are considered when implementing these expectations – personal and process
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safety, security and environmental;
the workforce actively participates in the delivery of these expectations;
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all members of the workforce are – and believe they are – treated fairly in terms of their
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responsibilities, accountabilities, access to leaders, rewards and benefits;
there is open communication and consultation across all levels of the organisation;
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relevant metrics are set and performance assessed at appropriate intervals to determine the
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effectiveness of leadership across the organisation;
lessons from incidents/near misses are shared across the organisation.
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