1. ¹Senior Lecturer, Fire Safety Engineering, Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh
2. ²Research Associate, Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh

Abstract

A systemic approach has been adopted to construct a model for a safety management system (SMS). It has been applied to the case of fire safety for an oil and gas organization as an illustration, although the approach is general. The essential purpose has been not merely to identify functions but to create a "structure" for a SMS, within which necessary "process" or action takes place. Fire loss may be seen as a "systemic" failure, not a result of a single "cause". The approach aims to help to maintain fire risk within an acceptable range in an oil and gas organization's operations in a coherent way. The concept of "viability" of a safety management system is introduced and given a probabilistic interpretation. It is hoped that this approach will lead not only to more effective management of fire safety in an oil and gas organization, but also to more effective management of safety, health and the environment for any organization.