Development of an EHS Management System Standard for International Upstream Organizations

Abstract

Abstract Texaco International Production (TIP) has contracted with Woodward-Clyde International to prepare an environmental, health and safety management system (EHS MS) Standard, based on the following sources: E&P Forum, Guidelines for the Development and Application of Health, Safety and Environmental Management Systems. ISO 14001 and 14004 modified to replace "environment" with EHS everywhere. The Texaco EHS Management Systems Assessment (MSA) Workbook. This paper describes the EHS MS Standard, Guidelines for the Standard and supporting tools. These illustrate what an international upstream organization does to manage the specific EHS issues relevant to its scope and activities. The EHS MS Standard incorporates by reference Texaco's Guiding Principles and Objectives, TIP EHS Policy and EHS Standards and relevant laws and regulations. The organization using the EHS MS may also elect to develop internal standards that it applies to itself. It is anticipated that the EHS MS Guidelines and supporting tools may be used by TIP organizations in many ways. An organization with an existing EHS MS in place may not need to make many modifications to its EHS MS to conform to the Standard. A process to identify and evaluate significant EHS issues is required by the Standard. Programs to deal with these issues are integrated into the normal five-year business planning process. EHS Targets (short-term goals) and Objectives (long-term goals) developed by the EHS issues management process are input into, and are resourced by, the business planning process. The Standard does not require a complicated or bureaucratic system of document control and record keeping, however, it emphasizes the importance of documenting what is done to manage the significant EHS issues. The EHS MS Standard, Guidelines and supporting tools are resources that TIP's organizations will use as part of EHS Advantage. This is a new initiative within TIP that aims to align EHS goals with business goals and to integrate EHS management with business management processes.