Law on Prevention of Major Accidents Versus Real Prevention of Major Accidents

Abstract

The main concept standing in the background of the law on prevention of major accidents states that the fundamental tool capable to prevent major accidents is risk assessment which is widely exploited in the safety management system. Risk assessment influences elements of safety management system and is influenced by them. The authors summarize results of root cause analysis of eight major accidents from companies to which the law was applied. It is shown that failures represent either the absence of risk assessment or missing connections between the risk assessment and elements of safety management system. All the examples show that the real prevention of major accidents was substantially different from the cited main concept. The concept was not accepted/implemented within the companies although the law was seemingly implemented. Possible reasons of such a situation are identified. Set of recommendations results from the experience.