This part of the Guidance on SPI has been specifically designed to be used by those Public Authorities that are Emergency Response Organisations,   defined to include any organisation involved in emergency response to chemical accidents including police, firefighters, hazmat teams, and emergency medical personnel.  

(corresponding Guidance can be found for Industry and Communities as well as for Public Authorities more generally (such as administrative, planning, regulatory and implementing agencies).

Safety Performance Indicators (SPIs) can help any organisation  with responsibilities related to chemical accident prevention, preparedness or response.

SPIs allow organisations to take a pro-active approach by providing a mechanism to check whether actions they have taken to address risks (e.g., implementation of policies, programmes, procedures and practices) continue to achieve their desired outcomes.  

Specifically, SPI Programmes help by:

• Providing an early warning of possible problems;
• Identifying where improvements should be made;
• Providing the insights needed to take appropriate steps to improve chemical safety;
• Establishing priorities recognising that limited resources require organisations to focus on the activities that are most effective (i.e., resulting in fewer accidents, minimising harm to human health, reduced environmental impacts);
• Facilitating relationships with industry and other key stakeholders, and building public trust that the authorities are taking appropriate actions to protect communities.

While industry has the primary responsibility for the safety of their installations, public authorities (including emergency response organisations) and communities have important responsibilities with respect to preventing accidents and to taking appropriate actions in the event of an accident in order to minimise adverse consequences to health, the environment and property.