The
chemical industry introduced the first formal HSE management approach in 1985 as a reaction to several catastrophic accidents (like the
Seveso disaster of July 1976 and the
Bhopal disaster of December 1984). This worldwide voluntary initiative, called "
Responsible Care", started by the Chemistry Industry Association of Canada (formerly the Canadian Chemical Producers' Association - CCPA), operates in about 50 countries, with central coordination provided by the
International Council of Chemical Associations (ICCA). It involves eight fundamental features which ensure plant and product safety, occupational health and environmental protection, but which also try to demonstrate by
image-building campaigns that the chemical industry acts in a responsible manner. Being an initiative of the ICCA, it is restricted to the chemical industry. Since the 1990s, general approaches to HSE management that may fit any type of organisation have appeared in international standards such as: The Valdez Principles, that have been formulated to guide and evaluate corporate conduct towards the environment. • The
Eco-Management and Audit Scheme (EMAS), developed by the
European Commission in 1993 •
ISO 14001 for environmental management in 1996 •
ISO 45001 for occupational health and safety management in 2018, preceded by
OHSAS 18001 1999 In 1998 the
International Finance Corporation established EHS guidelines. == Topics ==