Research themes

‘Rule-based’ safety is based on anticipating situations that are likely to arise, and putting in place rules and resources to deal with them. ‘Managed safety’ refers to the reaction of competent people who are present in real time and who react appropriately. 

This analysis examines the balance between these two modes, based on compliance and proactivity.

A relationship is built up over time between supervisory authorities and companies managing high-risk activities.  

This relationship makes a major contribution to safety, and ensures the effective management of industrial risks. It also plays a critical role in the social acceptability of these activities, and the development of trust in the governance of sites and activities at high risk of major accident. 

In the industrial sector, a significant proportion of work is outsourced or subcontracted; examples include equipment maintenance, new works, construction or deconstruction projects, etc.

What are the best practices in agile partnering for reliable performance? 

Anticipating the ‘factory of the future’, its technologies and professional uses is a priority for the industry. 

But we need to think in terms of new production methods, new organizations and the new professional profiles required, taking into account the foreseeable changes in the next generation of employees. 

In the domain of safety, human and organizational factors (HOF) manifest in multiple approaches and departments within the company: HR, HSE and product.

To a large extent, safety is only one of a company’s many other activities. It is also a challenge, and can be a power struggle, both within and beyond the company.

The actions that are taken in the safety domain are part of a corporate strategy, and not simply the application of a recipe.