Audit, assurance, management review and intervention

Regular review and audit of compliance with the EI PSM framework is vital to ensure that HS&E and process safety performance continues to meet the defined targets.

• 20.1EI PSM framework performance measures are established to monitor the degree to which the framework expectations are being complied with.
• 20.2The organisation's operations are routinely monitored, incorporating the PSM performance measures, and reviewed, by specified levels of management, at predetermined frequencies.
• 20.3The EI PSM framework expectations are reviewed annually and updated as necessary to ensure that they continue to meet the needs of the organisation.
• 20.4Audit criteria are defined to provide a consistent basis for audit and a consistent basis for development of the audit opinion.
• 20.5A routine internal audit programme is in place, with audits carried out by personnel from the organisation. The audit assesses compliance with the EI PSM framework expectations and the effectiveness of the management review arrangements.
• 20.6A routine external audit programme is in place, with audits carried out by personnel independent of the organisation. The external audit assesses and provides an independent opinion on compliance with the framework expectations and the effectiveness of the management review arrangements.
• 20.7Assessments are conducted by trained, competent multidisciplinary teams, including HS&E and process safety professionals and personnel with operational and technical expertise.
• 20.8The frequency and scope of the assessments will reflect the complexity of the operation, the level of risk and previous framework compliance history.
• 20.9Audit opinion and findings from the framework audits are reviewed with specified levels of management.
• 20.10The effectiveness of the framework audit arrangements is periodically reviewed and the findings are used to make improvements, e.g. in person v remote audits.
• 20.11Necessary interventions to correct identified issues, non-compliances and deviations in performance, beyond defined tolerance levels, are identified, appropriately prioritised, scheduled and tracked to completion.
• 20.12Arrangements for audit, assurance, management review and intervention are understood and followed; understanding of arrangements, and compliance with them, are regularly tested.
• 20.13Compliance and performance trends are reviewed by specified levels of management.