Continuity of risk management from work place accident to major accident

SHAPE-RISK: Sharing experience on risk management (health, safety and environment) to design future industrial systems

This document deals with the continuity of risk management from workplace accident to major accident. The coordination action shows a large variety in methods and criteria used as well as institutions involved in the various countries that have been studied, all with their own specific pros and cons regarding the possibilities for integrating occupational and external risk management. In some countries the safety management system is seen as providing a link between occupational accidents and major accidents.

The three main obstructions regarding integration of occupational and external risk management concern the definition of the term major accident, the different competent authorities and the different methods to assess both types of risks. Firstly in the SEVESO Directive there appears to be lack of clarity about the definition of major accident where it speaks about a serious danger inside or outside the establishment. In most countries inside dangers are not taken into account in the reports in the framework of the SEVESO legislation. Secondly in nearly all countries involved in this survey, occupational safety and external safety are dealt with by different organisations. Thirdly the methods to determine the occupational and external risks are not harmonised. The recommendations do focus on the remediation of the three main obstructions. For the industry an integrated approach of occupational and external risks may have the advantage of a smaller administrative overhead, lower costs and shorter permission time.