SHE Management Systems for Small to Medium-sized Enterprises

The production and use of chemicals frequently involves the handling of hazardous materials.

Experience built up by chemical manufacturers and users over many years has established methods of working which, when correctly applied, reduce the risks involved to acceptable levels.

Major companies in the process industries have found that the safety, health and environmental aspects of their operations can be further improved if the individual procedures are integrated into a management system.

The aim of this guide is to provide an outline for achieving an integrated Safety, Health and Environment (SHE) management system.

It is intended that this guide will allow organizations, particularly those small to medium-sized, to build their own efficient SHE management system.

An example company is used throughout this guide to illustrate the various aspects of a SHE management system and is designed to provide a basis from which organizations can build their own effective system.

It can be easily adjusted and developed to suit the needs of organization keen to benefit from the improvements in performance, which effect SHE management systems can bring. The 40 procedures in the guide are classified into approximately 10 groups, from more general to very specific procedures.

They follow a standardized structure: objectives, scope; principles and methods; responsibilities; and references.