Implementing a Safety File to Meet HSE Requirements for SSE at Smurfit-Kappa
Safety Files are important to ensure that both an organisation’s corporate image and compliance with the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 is maintained.
Wilde’s technical safety company, 4-sight Consulting, worked with SSE, a British energy company, to implement a Safety File for their 45MW combined heat and power site at Smurfit-Kappa in Kent, which provides steam and electricity to a paper mill.
Business Benefits
SSE has peace of mind that, in the event of anything going wrong, all the information that backs up their safety systems will be to hand in one location, in the form of the Safety File. The implementation of a Safety File allows SSE to demonstrate that:
- All risks are identified and the necessary measures for the control of risks are implemented, where the environment is just as important as personnel safety and wellbeing.
- All necessary measures for the management of HASAW (Health and Safety at Works) are implemented.
- That current documents have been independently reviewed to establish if new documents are required, in order to bridge any gaps from a legislative or legal standpoint.
Paul Gornall visited SSE’s 45MW CHP site at Smurfit-Kappa, which provides steam and electricity to a paper mill, to get an appreciation of SSE’s business. In order to be prepared in case anything goes wrong, Paul was requested to identify all the documents and processes that have gone in the past. Paul was professional in getting the information at the site and has spent time on the computer system to follow up on this. He is giving us peace of mind in the fact that if anything goes wrong, we will have the information to hand to back up all our safety systems in one location – the Safety File. SSE (Scottish and Southern Energy)
Company
SSE (Scottish and Southern Energy) is involved in producing, distributing and supplying electricity and gas, and also provides other energy-related services. The company’s core purpose is to supply the energy people need in a reliable and sustainable way. SSEcurrently invests £1.5 bn a year and employs 20,000 people in order to develop and maintain the UK’s energy infrastructure.
Challenge
SSE recognise the importance of meeting safety requirements, and has already engaged 4-sight Consulting’s services for numerous other safety-related tasks, including Burghfield, Medway, Peterhead, and Scottish Hydro, as well as providing in-house training, mentoring and advice on demand.
On this occasion, SSE wanted 4-sight Consulting to produce a Safety File for their 45MW CHP site at Smurfit-Kappa in Leystone, Kent, which provides steam and electricity to a paper mill. The key purpose of a Safety File is to identify hazards and hazardous events that could happen, then implement safeguards to eliminate or control the risk.
The main elements of a Safety File include identifying the meaning and measurement of safety and risk, for example: risk metrics, safety targets, demonstrating ALARP and safety assessments. The Safety File information is compiled as an electronic document with an index to cite evidence that a process or system in question meets the applicable legislation.
Solution
4-sight Consulting’s Associate, Paul Gornall, visited SSE’s 45MW combined heat and power (CHP) site at Smurfit to get an appreciation of the activities carried out there. To prepare for any event where something goes wrong, the requirement was to identify all the documents and processes created in the past.
Paul’s first task was to track down all the information and transfer it to the Smurfit site, then to follow up on this data. Once this process was complete, the required format for the Safety File was agreed with SSE. Together with a final report, the Safety File was then issued to and approved by SSE.