Competence assurance in the major hazards sector: A regulators viewpoint

It is widely recognised that the competence of both staff and management on major hazard sites in the on-shore chemical industry is a key factor in risk control. Even on highly automated modern plant, human interactions can initiate events which lead to major hazard scenarios. The introduction of the Seveso Directive in Europe and the Control of Major Accident Hazards (COMAH) regulations in the UK place an appropriate emphasis on the assurance of competence for persons carrying out safety critical activities on major hazard sites. This paper summarise the experiences of HSE human factors inspectors in assessing the impact of training and competence on major hazard safety performance along with the initiatives taken by industry stakeholders in response to the demands of the legislative regime and the competent authorities who enforce the legislation.