An evaluation of the management system verification pilot at Hanford

The Chemical Management System (CMS), currently under development at Hanford, was used as the ''test program'' for pilot testing the value added aspects of the Chemical Manufacturers Association's (CMA) Management Systems Verification (MSV) process. The MSV process, which was developed by CMA's member chemical companies specifically as a tool to assist in the continuous improvement of environment, safety and health (ESH) performance, represents a commercial sector ''best practice'' for evaluating ESH management systems. The primary purpose of Hanford's MSV Pilot was to evaluate the applicability and utility of the MSV process in the Department of Energy (DOE) environment. However, because the Integrated Safety Management System (ISMS) is the framework for ESH management at Hanford and at all DOE sites, the pilot specifically considered the MSV process in the context of a possible future adjunct to Integrated Safety Management System Verification (ISMSV) efforts at Hanford and elsewhere within the DOE complex. The pilot involved the conduct of two-hour interviews with four separate panels of individuals with functional responsibilities related to the CMS including the Department of Energy Richland Operations (DOE-RL), Fluor Daniel Hanford (FDH) and FDH's major subcontractors (MSCS). A semi-structured interview process was employed by the team of three ''verifiers'' who directed open-ended questions to the panels regarding the development, integration and effectiveness of management systems necessary to ensure the sustainability of the CMS effort. An ''MSV Pilot Effectiveness Survey'' also was completed by each panel participant immediately following the interview