Benefits of S2s Network for Sme’s S2s, a Gateway for Plant and Process Safety

The main objective of the European network S2S, “A gateway for plant and process safety” is to promote safety and research on safety in chemical and related industries. From its very beginning, the idea of S2S was to seize the experience of the involved institutions in benefit of the SME’s and – as a consequence – in benefit of the worldwide community. All experts are aware that safety knowledge is split in many sources – such as books, papers, reports, internet, etc. – , and that results of R&D are not always easy to be located and accessed. The main challenge of S2S has been compiling the available safety-related information, reviewing and organising it in an easy way for better comprehension of users. The compiled information is offered in the web portal of S2S (http://www.s-2-s.org) as a wide database. The operators of small process plants are expected to be the main users of the information compiled, but other stakeholders are also expected to find the resulting system of interest. Industrial entities with that handle, process or store hazardous chemicals will especially find the material to be useful as they endeavour to improve the level of safety in their organisation. Some tools for safety training and auto-assessment on subjects such as risk analysis, safety management, hazardous substances, chemical reaction hazards, industrial fires, toxic releases and explosions are available in the above mentioned database. The auto-assessment is intended to give advice whether the user should perform a deeper safety study or ask for external help. This safety-related information and knowledge is being offered together with online vulnerability screening assessment tools, as a means to reduce accidents and incidents, and their environmental and societal impact. The intention is to create an important process safety information management system and repository, supporting not only safety practitioners in SMEs (small and medium-sized enterprises) that are carrying out chemical reactions or handling/storing chemical substances. More information being compiled in support of SME’s are the results of RTD Projects of National or European level, as well as the compilation on “Legislation and Standardisation” applicable to them. The network is developing roadmaps of principal legislation in Process Safety in European countries, illustrating the transposition from European into national legislation. S2S organises “National forums” and carries out “Prospective activities” with the participation of SME’s working in the field of chemical industry. National forums are a tool to disseminate information about results of S2S, and giving support for the set of prospective activities, which are collecting, listing and prioritising safety research topics of interest for the industry. It is desired that the final list is proposed for being included in the Strategic Research Agenda, which is being developed by the European