1. The CERN Safety Policy
  2. The CERN Safety Policy

The CERN Safety Policy

 

Safety PolicyCERN, an intergovernmental organization for fundamental research in particle physics, defines and implements a Safety Policy. Safety covers occupational health and safety, including radiation protection, the protection of the environment and the safe operation of CERN’s Installations, including radiation safety.

Safety is a priority of CERN’s general policy. 

 

OBJECTIVES

The objectives of the Organization’s Safety Policy are:

  • to ensure the best possible protection in health and safety matters of all persons, independently of their status, participating in the Organization’s activities or present on its site, as well as of the population living in the vicinity of its installations;
  • to limit the impact of the Organization’s activities on the environment, and
  • to guarantee the use of best practice in matters of Safety.

MEANS

The Organization makes the necessary means available to achieve its objectives in matters of Safety. In particular, the Organization:

 

  • takes steps to implement continuous improvement of Safety;
  • establishes and updates Safety Rules and ensures compliance therewith;
  • implements measures for dealing with emergency situations;
  • communicates proactively in Safety matters with persons participating in the Organization’s activities or present on its site, with the Host States and the general public, and
  • collaborates with its Host States.

Steps to implement continuous improvement of Safety

The Organization is committed to ensure a continuous improvement of Safety based on:

  • the definition, follow-up and updating of prevention objectives based on risk assessment and experience gained;
  • a Safety management system ;
  • continuous training in Safety matters of the persons concerned;
  • a watching brief on emerging trends and the evolution of laws, regulations and best practices relevant to the activities of the Organization.

Safety Rules

CERN establishes and updates Safety Rules applicable to the Organization’s activities on the whole of its site. To this end, it takes into account the laws and regulations of the Host States, EU regulations and directives as well as international regulations, standards and directives.

The Safety Rules established by the Organization are deemed to fully cover the matter concerned. Where the Organization does not establish Safety Rules, the relevant laws and the regulations of the Host States apply on a territorial basis.

The Organization takes the necessary measures to ensure compliance with its Safety rules.

Dealing with emergency situations

In order to limit the impact of incidents with Safety implications, the Organization implements and deploys on a permanent basis a set of technical and organizational measures and means aimed at handling emergency situations.

Proactive communication

CERN communicates proactively in matters of Safety with all persons participating in the Organization’s activities or present on its site, with its Host States and with the general public. For persons participating in the Organization’s activities, it also conducts information and awareness campaigns.

Collaboration with the Host States

CERN collaborates with its Host States in a transparent and constructive manner in matters of Safety, in particular in matters of radiation protection, radiation safety and environmental protection.

IMPLEMENTATION PRINCIPLES

Measures decided by the Director-General

As the executive of the Organization, ultimately responsible for Safety at CERN, the Director-General:

  • assigns to the organic units concerned the responsibility for the implementation of the CERN Safety Policy at all levels of the Organization;
  • assigns to the Health and Safety and Environmental Protection Unit, which reports directly to him, the role of providing assistance for the implementation of Safety Policy and a monitoring role related to the implementation of continuous improvement of Safety, Safety Policycompliance with the Safety Rules and the handling of emergency situations;
  • assigns specific tasks to specialized units, as necessary;
  • decides on the setting-up of a safety management system to ensure follow-up and updating of the prevention objectives, the program for the handling of emergency situations and any other action in Safety matters as well as on the establishment of the related documentation.

Individual responsibility

Each person participating in the activities of the Organization or present on its site shall actively contribute to the implementation of the CERN Safety Policy through exemplary conduct and, in particular, compliance with the CERN Safety Rules, the CERN Safety Objectives and best practices, actively seeking information to minimise risks, avoiding dangerous situations for herself/himself and others and exercising the responsibilities assigned to her/him safely.

We encourage you to familiarise yourself with the CERN Safety Policy and the CERN Safety Rules, which can be found at https://cern.ch/Safety-rules

Should you have any questions regarding Safety at CERN or in your particular work environment do not hesitate to discuss them with your hierarchy. You can also contact CERN’s HSE unit at hse.secretariat@cern.ch