Health Risk Assessment (HRA), A Case Study: Implementing HRA Into The Shell Petroleum Development Company Ltd, Nigeria

Abstract

Abstract Health Risk Assessment (HRA) is The Shell Group of Companies' tool ‘for a healthier workplace’ through identification, assessment and control of health risks within each and every work environment. Implementing Health Risk Assessment throughout Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC), an oil exploration and production company, has not been a straightforward task. This is a society where distant-risk perception is at a basic level, and immediate risks outside the workplace, malaria, violence, HIV etc, are far more of an everyday reality than any existing or perceived occupational risk... A society where today is what counts, and tomorrow is dealt with when it arrives. This case study will describe the stages of HRA implementation within SPDC, from initial identification of the need for HRA, through competency based development, the training of teams, development of corporate documentation, undertaking the assessments, dealing with the resulting actions and information management (through people, paper and electronic technology). The challenges encountered at each stage of the implementation will be presented, along with the solutions that the OH Team used to overcome them. Some of the real-life health benefits of undertaking HRA will be explored, using examples of situations (in some cases life-threatening) that have been identified within during the HRA process, and the actions taken to control these risks will be detailed. This paper will share SPDC's experiences of implementing HRA with others... The challenges of implementing a standard initiated within a developed society into a developing society, the solutions to these challenges, and the route to making HRA a live and useful tool in the control of health risks within SPDC. Introduction In mid 2001 The Committee of Managing Directors of the Shell Group endorsed seven Minimum Health Management Standards (MHMS). These standards formally lay down the requirements for the management of health in all companies where Shell has operational control. They have been made mandatory and are additive to any statutory requirements of the country. The first of these standards, Health Risk Assessment (HRA), is the Shell Group's tool for controlling health hazards in the workplace. This control is achieved through a clearly defined series of steps to identify and assess risks to health taking into account existing or proposed control measures. The HRA standard states:Management programmes are to be in place to assess, control and document those health risks associated with the work environment and which have been identified as potentially High or Medium riskHealth Risk Assessments are to be carried out by a competent person in line with the good practice described in the Yellow GuideExposure monitoring and health surveillance programmes are to be implemented where the need is identified by Company or Governmental requirementsResults of mandatory Company/Governmental exposure monitoring and health surveillance are to be recorded