11th International Symposium

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OECD Workshop on Sharing Experience in the
Training of Engineers in Risk ManagementMontreal
, Canada, 21-24 October 2003

• Jean-Paul Lacoursière, P.E.
• University of Sherbrooke
• Sherbrooke, Quebec, Canada

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Presentation Content

• OECD Chemical Accident Program
• Montreal Workshop Objectives
• Workshop Participants
• Workshop Recommendations

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OECD Chemical Accident Program

• 30 Member countries and the OECD Secretariat
  work together to develop and co-ordinate programs
  on chemical safety

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OECD Chemical Accident Program

• The main objectives of the Chemicals Programme
  are to
• assist OECD Member countries' efforts to protect
  human health and the environment through
  improving chemical safety
• make chemical control policies more transparent
  and efficient and save resources for government
  and industry
• prevent unnecessary distortions in the trade of
  chemicals and chemical products

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OECD Chemical Accident Program

• The Chemical Accident Programme provides
  opportunities for experts from governments,
  industry, labour, international organisations and
  other interested parties to exchange information
  and experience, in order to help prevent chemical
  accidents and to respond appropriately if one
  does occur

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OECD Publications

http//www1.oecd.org/scripts/ehs/guidingprinciples
/index.asp
http//www.oecd.org/dataoecd/60/39/21568440.pdf
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OECD Workshops on Chemical Safety

• OECD Workshop on Strategies for Transporting
  Dangerous Goods by Road Safety and Environmental
  Protection, 1993
• OECD Special Workshop on Chemical Safety in Port
  Areas, 1994
• Session on Chemical Accident Prevention,
  Preparedness and Response at Transport Interfaces
  (1995)
• OECD Workshop on Small and Medium-sized
  Enterprises in Relation to Chemical Accident
  Prevention, Preparedness and Response (1995)

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OECD Workshops on Chemical Safety

• OECD Workshop on Risk Assessment and Risk
  Communication in the Context of Accident
  Prevention, Preparedness and Response, 1996
• OECD Workshop on Pipelines, 1997
• OECD Workshop on Human Performance in Chemical
  Process Safety Operating Safety in the Context
  of Chemical Accident Prevention, Preparedness and
  Response
• OECD Workshop on New Developments in Chemical
  Emergency Preparedness and Response

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OECD Workshops on Chemical Safety

• OECD Expert Meeting on Acute Exposure Guideline
  Levels (AEGLs)
• Special Session on Environmental Consequences of
  Chemical Accidents, 2000
• CCPS/OECD Conference and Workshop on Chemical
  Accident Investigations, 2000
• OECD Workshop on Audits and Inspections related
  to Chemical Accident Prevention, Preparedness and
  Response, 2002

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OECD Workshops on Chemical Safety

• OECD Workshop on Integrated Management of Safety,
  Health, Environment and Quality, 2002
• OECD Workshop on Risk Communication, 2003

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OECD Workshops on Sharing Experience in the
Training of Engineers in Risk Management

• Previous OECD workshops have defined the
  framework for Risk Management
• Risk management knowledge was recognised as an
  important issue

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Workshop Objectives

• The primary objective of the workshop was to
  share experience concerning the training of
  engineers in risk assessment and risk management.

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Specific objectives

• Share experiences on training undergraduate
  engineering students and practicing engineers in
  risk management
• Share documentation, programs, methods, manuals,
  lessons learnt from relevant real cases
• Identify engineering disciplines that should
  contain risk management training, and topics that
  should be covered

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Specific objectives

• Discuss needs for cross-disciplinary training in
  risk management and make proposals for developing
  such training
• Identify efficient means for providing training
  in colleges, universities, professional
  organisations
• Investigate new training tools

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Sponsors

• This Workshop was organized under the auspices of
  the OECD Working Group on Chemical Accidents.
• Sponsors
• Quebec Order of Engineers
• Environment Canada
• Quebec Government Ministries
• Private Sector Organisations

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Venue

• International Civil Aviation Organisation
  Building, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
• 21-24 October, 2003

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Participants

• 80 experts from 13 countries

• Brazil
• France
• Czech Republic
• Korea
• Slovenia
• Switzerland
• The Netherlands
• United States

• Canada
• Germany
• Poland
• Sweden
• United Kingdom

• 70 observers

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Sessions

• Setting the scene (Discussion document)
• Ethical and legal aspects related to risk
  management
• Training of engineers in economics (including
  insurance) and risk management
• Risk communication
• Multi-disciplinary approach to risk management
• Training examples harmonisation / accreditation
  of training courses

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Sessions

• Continuing training in risk management for
  engineers working in industry and as public
  authorities inspectors
• Research and development in risk management

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Themes discussed

• Engineers responsibility in risk assessment and
  management
• Risk assessment activities should be undertaken
  proactively
• Training should take into account the
  multi-disciplinary nature of risk assessment and
  management
• Risk management decisions are made in an
  increasingly complex technical and social
  environment

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Themes discussed

• Experience and training necessary to integrate
  all issues
• Risk related decisions need to be consistent with
  the organisations and societys objectives

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Conclusions of workshop

• Engineers have an important responsibility in the
  management of risks
• The moral obligation to take account of the
  consequences of their work should be instilled in
  all engineers throughout their training
• A code of ethics must be produced in the
  countries where there is none
• Risk management considerations should be
  integrated in the job of all engineers

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Conclusions of workshop

• Concepts of hazards, safety and risk should be
  introduced in schools and universities
• It is recommended to introduce some risk
  management topics at the undergraduate level
• technical, organisational, social and
  communication skills
• Risk management disciplines should be recognised
  as part of the engineer training

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Conclusions of workshop

• Risk management is a multidiscipline activity
  that involves management, social and
  communication sciences
• Industry and regulatory body representatives need
  to be involved in the training of engineers

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Conclusions of workshop

• Safety / activities risk considerations should be
  integrated into the core programs of engineers
  training and should not be considered an add-on
  activity
• Training should promote multi-disciplinary
  approaches
• Participants stressed the importance of sharing
  experience in the development and implementation
  of programmes related to risk assessment and
  management

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Conclusions of workshop

• Universities must intensify their exchanges of
  expertise in risk management
• Participants were invited to share the results of
  the workshop with their colleagues in their
  countries
• Means for sharing good and bad experience such
  as, an electronic discussion group should be
  set up.

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Your Suggestions Recommendations

• With this last statement, I would like to have
  your suggestions and recommendations