Self-protection plans, a key element for industrial facilities
Self-protection plans (SPPs) for industrial facilities must take into account all aspects that may contribute to the occurrence of an emergency, according to Marcos Ruiz, a Previnsa technician. Thus, they must identify and assess the internal and external risks, the human and material resources available to deal with them, the evacuation routes and elements, and the action plans. It is also essential to define a training programme.
Marcos Ruiz Suárez, Previnsa's Self-Protection Plan technician, explains that the Self-Protection Plan is "a document aimed at gathering all the information relating to an activity, building or group of buildings that is of relevance from the point of view of the response to emergency situations". The minimum content, as well as the legal obligations of the owners of the activity, is defined in RD 393/2007, which approves the Basic Self-Protection Regulations. These plans are divided into 9 chapters in accordance with the aforementioned RD.
Among the main advantages of drawing up, implementing and maintaining an SPP, he highlights "the identification of the site under study; the assessment of the risks involved, whether they are internal or intrinsic to the activity itself or external to it; and the identification of the existing means of protection - both material and human - on the site or in the building".
These advantages also include "the assessment of the evacuation capacity of the building or site, by conducting a review of the suitability of evacuation routes, the evacuation capacity of architectural elements (doors, corridors, stairs, etc.); and the development of specific protocols and procedures for action to deal with the risks identified, specific to the different situations that may arise in the facility itself".
Structure of the SPP
The Previnsa technician explains that the SPP must be developed following the structure defined in RD 393/2007. "On the other hand, there are guides available for the preparation and implementation of these plans, drawn up by the INSST, which serve as an aid and reference for the technicians concerned to draw up this type of document".
Aspects that may contribute to the occurrence of an emergency must be taken into account. "Existing risks, both internal and external, human and material resources to deal with emergency situations, and evacuation routes and elements must be identified and assessed, and the respective specific action plans developed".
It is also essential to establish an appropriate training programme for the emergency action teams, whose structure and operation are also defined in the Plan. On the other hand, "the content of the SPP must be disseminated and made known not only to the members of the emergency teams but also to the other users of the facilities, including visitors or non-regular workers".