Leadership and Management for Safety

Leadership and Management for Safety (LMfS) 

There have been many approaches to establishing the optimum model for effective leadership and management for safety¹ (LMfS) within nuclear licensee businesses. Many organisations have developed their own models with most being based on the widely recognised frameworks developed by IAEA, WANO, INPO and the view of ONR. This note briefly outlines the key areas that, in the view of the UK Safety Directors Forum, should be addressed in an organisation’s approach to effective leadership and management for safety. It is not prescriptive in approach but rather an outline of the key attributes that would be expected in an organisation that has developed an effective approach to the leadership and management of safety.

LMfS Principles

1. The organisation has a clear vision which is supported by clear business objectives and develops goals and strategies for their delivery. It should be clear that as part of the vision and the objectives, safety is an overriding priority.
2. Policies and standards are established and implemented that support safety.
3. The organisation has clear values and associated behaviours that support safety and these are openly promoted and upheld throughout the organisation.
4. Leadership attributes at all levels throughout the organisation are clear and there is clear accountability for the delivery of the business requirements and the required safety performance.
5. A management system is developed that ensures all processes and procedures deliver the required standards of quality and safety performance, with safety being a primary consideration in decision making.
6. The organisational capability and resources support the required business strategy and associated safety requirements.
7. The management of the supply chain supports the delivery of quality and safety.
8. Key performance indicators are effectively utilised to manage the business and safety performance.
9. Oversight and challenge of organisational performance is in place and welcomed.
10. There is a clear culture of continuous improvement and learning and action for improvement is timely and effective.

¹ “Safety” is interpreted as all forms of safety, quality, environmental protection and security, however it should be recognised that given the special nature of the potential nuclear hazard, nuclear safety should always be the overriding priority.

Please click the link below to download these principles as a document (PDF, 102kb)

 SDF Leadership and Management for Safety Principles - Jan 2018