About This Course
In today's complex operating environments, reactive safety programmes are no longer sufficient. Organisations across industries — from oil and gas and manufacturing to construction and utilities — are increasingly expected to demonstrate that their safety management systems are driven by rigorous, evidence-based risk thinking. Risk-Based Safety Management Systems (RBPS) shift the paradigm from compliance-focused checklists to dynamic, priority-driven frameworks that allocate resources where risk is greatest and outcomes are most consequential.
This five-day course offered by TrainingComplex provides a comprehensive grounding in the principles and practice of RBPS as defined by the Center for Chemical Process Safety (CCPS) and aligned with ISO 45001 and international process safety standards. Participants will explore all nine RBPS elements — from process safety culture and hazard identification through to emergency management, incident investigation, and measurement and metrics — and learn how to tailor these elements to the specific risk profile of their organisation.
Beyond theory, the programme is designed to build practical competency. Delegates will work through real-world case studies, conduct hazard identification exercises, develop risk registers, and practise bow-tie analysis and Layer of Protection Analysis (LOPA). By the end of the course, participants will leave with a personalised RBPS implementation roadmap and the confidence to lead safety transformation within their organisations.
Whether you are establishing an RBPS framework from scratch, auditing an existing system, or seeking to embed risk-based thinking more deeply into your organisation's safety culture, this course delivers the skills, tools, and strategic insight required to succeed.
Who Should Attend
- Health, Safety & Environment (HSE) Managers and Officers
- Process Safety Engineers and Risk Engineers
- Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) Practitioners
- Operations Managers and Supervisors responsible for safety
- Quality Assurance and Compliance Managers
- Plant Managers and Facility Directors in high-hazard industries
- Safety Auditors and Management System Consultants
- Environmental Health and Safety (EHS) Coordinators
- Regulatory and Compliance Officers in industrial sectors
- Engineering professionals seeking to integrate safety into design and operations
Learning Objectives
- Understand the philosophy and structure of Risk-Based Safety Management Systems and how they differ from traditional compliance-based approaches
- Apply the CCPS RBPS nine-element framework to assess and improve an organisation's safety management system
- Conduct systematic hazard identification and risk assessment using tools such as HAZID, HAZOP, bow-tie analysis, and LOPA
- Develop and maintain a risk register that prioritises safety actions based on likelihood, consequence, and tolerability criteria
- Design and evaluate safety barriers, safeguards, and layers of protection in line with risk reduction targets
- Integrate RBPS principles with ISO 45001, OSHA PSM, and relevant national regulatory requirements
- Establish effective incident investigation, near-miss reporting, and root cause analysis processes within an RBPS framework
- Develop key performance indicators (KPIs) and leading/lagging metrics to monitor and measure safety management system performance
- Build and sustain a positive process safety culture that supports risk-based decision-making at all levels
- Prepare a practical RBPS implementation or improvement roadmap applicable to the participant's own organisation
Course Modules
Module 1: Foundations of Risk-Based Safety Management
- The shift from compliance-based to risk-based safety thinking
- Core principles and philosophy of the RBPS approach
- Overview of the CCPS RBPS framework and its nine elements
- Relationship between process safety, occupational safety, and RBPS
- Key international standards: ISO 45001, OSHA PSM, and CCPS guidelines
- Introduction to risk tolerability criteria and risk-based decision-making
Module 2: Process Safety Culture and Organisational Commitment
- Defining and assessing process safety culture
- Leadership behaviours that enable or undermine risk-based safety
- Mechanisms for communicating and embedding safety values across all levels
- Roles and accountabilities in an RBPS management system
- Employee engagement, safety ownership, and behaviour-based safety linkages
- Tools for measuring and improving safety culture maturity
Module 3: Hazard Identification and Risk Assessment Methods
- Overview of qualitative and semi-quantitative hazard identification techniques
- Conducting a HAZID study: methodology, facilitation, and documentation
- HAZOP principles: nodes, guidewords, deviations, and safeguards
- What-If analysis and checklist-based hazard reviews
- Risk ranking using likelihood-consequence matrices and risk tolerability frameworks
- Documentation and management of hazard study outputs
Module 4: Risk Register Development and Risk Prioritisation
- Structure and content of an effective safety risk register
- Identifying and categorising risk scenarios across facility and process levels
- Assigning likelihood, consequence severity, and risk level ratings
- Applying risk tolerability criteria: ALARP and risk acceptance thresholds
- Integrating risk register findings with operational planning and resource allocation
- Maintaining and updating the risk register as conditions change
Module 5: Safeguard Assessment and Layer of Protection Analysis (LOPA)
- Concepts of independent protection layers (IPLs) and safeguard effectiveness
- Introduction to Layer of Protection Analysis methodology and application
- Defining initiating events and consequence scenarios for LOPA
- Credit rules for IPLs: what qualifies and what does not
- Using LOPA results to make risk reduction investment decisions
- Bow-tie analysis: linking LOPA outputs to barrier management
Module 6: Process Safety Information and Knowledge Management
- Categories of process safety information: chemistry, technology, and equipment
- Documentation standards for process safety information and data quality
- Management of change (MOC): principles, triggers, and approval workflows
- Pre-startup safety reviews (PSSRs) and their role in hazard control
- Electronic document management systems and data integrity requirements
- Linking process safety information to hazard identification and risk assessment activities
Module 7: Operational Controls and Safe Work Practices
- Developing and implementing effective operational procedures within RBPS
- Permit-to-work systems: design, authorisation, and monitoring
- Critical task identification and procedural compliance verification
- Contractor safety management under an RBPS framework
- Safe work practice auditing and continuous improvement
- Integrating operational controls with the overall risk register and barrier management
Module 8: Incident Investigation and Root Cause Analysis
- Classification of incidents: near misses, safety events, and process safety incidents
- Establishing a no-blame reporting culture that encourages disclosure
- Fault Tree Analysis and Why-Because Graph techniques for root cause analysis
- Lesson-learning systems: from investigation findings to corrective action
- Tracking corrective actions to closure and verifying effectiveness
- Sharing lessons across teams, sites, and industry networks
Module 9: Emergency Preparedness, Response, and Recovery
- Risk-based emergency scenario identification and planning assumptions
- Emergency response plan structure aligned with RBPS principles
- Roles and responsibilities during emergency response: command, operations, logistics
- Conducting tabletop exercises and full-scale emergency drills
- Communication protocols with regulators, media, and the public during emergencies
- Post-emergency review, recovery planning, and system improvement
Module 10: Performance Measurement, Metrics, and Continuous Improvement
- Distinguishing leading and lagging safety performance indicators
- Designing KPIs aligned to RBPS elements and organisational risk profile
- Safety management system auditing: scope, sampling, and reporting
- Management review processes: inputs, outputs, and follow-through
- Benchmarking RBPS maturity using recognised assessment frameworks
- Building an RBPS continuous improvement roadmap and sustaining momentum
Requirements & Prerequisites
Participants should have at least two years of experience working in a safety, health, environment, engineering, or operations role. A basic familiarity with workplace safety concepts and terminology — such as hazard identification, risk assessment, or safety audits — is expected. No prior formal training in RBPS or process safety is required, as the course builds foundational knowledge progressively before advancing to applied skills.
Training Methodology
- Structured instructor-led sessions presenting RBPS principles, frameworks, and international standards with real-industry context and worked examples
- Facilitated HAZID and HAZOP workshops where participants practise systematic hazard identification on realistic process scenarios
- Bow-tie analysis exercises in which delegates map threat pathways, consequences, and barriers for actual hazard scenarios from their industries
- Layer of Protection Analysis (LOPA) practicals allowing participants to evaluate and size risk reduction measures against tolerable risk criteria
- Risk register development workshops where delegates build a draft risk register for a case study organisation and justify prioritisation decisions
- Incident investigation role-play and root cause analysis exercises using the Why-Because Graph and Fault Tree Analysis techniques
- Small-group case study reviews of high-profile industrial incidents — including Texas City and Buncefield — to extract RBPS lessons and failure patterns
- Peer critique sessions where participants present elements of their RBPS implementation roadmap and receive structured feedback from the group
- KPI design exercises in which delegates select, define, and balance leading and lagging safety metrics aligned to their organisation's risk profile
- Participant-developed RBPS action plans submitted on Day 5, linking course learning directly to real improvement opportunities in their own workplaces
Organisational Benefits
- Reduced frequency and severity of workplace incidents through systematic, risk-prioritised safety controls
- Improved regulatory compliance and audit readiness across ISO 45001, OSHA PSM, and other applicable standards
- More effective allocation of safety resources by focusing effort and investment where risk is highest
- Strengthened safety culture with greater employee engagement and shared accountability for risk management
- Reduced liability exposure and potential insurance costs through demonstrable safety system maturity
- Enhanced reputation with clients, regulators, insurers, and the public as a safety-conscious organisation
- Faster identification and correction of systemic safety weaknesses before they result in incidents
- Improved incident investigation quality leading to more effective corrective actions and prevention of recurrence
- A pipeline of safety-competent leaders capable of driving continuous improvement in the organisation's safety performance
- Alignment of safety management practices with international best practice, supporting expansion into regulated or high-hazard markets
Where Is Risk-Based Safety Management Systems (RBPS) Training Offered?
This course runs in-person across: Nairobi, Abuja, Kigali, Mombasa, Naivasha, Accra, Lagos, Dar es Salaam, Kampala, Johannesburg, Riyadh, Dubai, Addis Ababa, Nakuru, Kisumu, Zanzibar, Arusha, Cape Town, Pretoria, plus Live Virtual (online) cohorts. Browse live dates for your city below.
Upcoming Schedules
| Location | Format | Dates | Price |
|---|
| Nairobi, Kenya |
In-Person |
5 Oct 2026 – 9 Oct 2026 |
KES 105,000 |
| Abuja, Nigeria |
In-Person |
5 Oct 2026 – 9 Oct 2026 |
USD 2,800 |
| Kigali, Rwanda |
In-Person |
12 Oct 2026 – 16 Oct 2026 |
USD 1,900 |
| Mombasa, Kenya |
In-Person |
19 Oct 2026 – 23 Oct 2026 |
KES 120,000 |
| Naivasha, Kenya |
In-Person |
19 Oct 2026 – 23 Oct 2026 |
KES 115,000 |
| Accra, Ghana |
In-Person |
19 Oct 2026 – 23 Oct 2026 |
USD 3,800 |
| Lagos, Nigeria |
In-Person |
19 Oct 2026 – 23 Oct 2026 |
USD 2,500 |
| Dar es Salaam, Tanzania |
In-Person |
19 Oct 2026 – 23 Oct 2026 |
USD 2,300 |
| Kampala, Uganda |
In-Person |
19 Oct 2026 – 23 Oct 2026 |
USD 1,900 |
| Johannesburg, South Africa |
In-Person |
19 Oct 2026 – 23 Oct 2026 |
USD 3,500 |
| Riyadh, Saudi Arabia |
In-Person |
19 Oct 2026 – 23 Oct 2026 |
USD 4,500 |
| Dubai, United Arab Emirates |
In-Person |
19 Oct 2026 – 23 Oct 2026 |
USD 4,100 |
| Live Virtual |
Online |
24 Oct 2026 – 15 Nov 2026 |
KES 80,000 |
| Addis Ababa, Ethiopia |
In-Person |
26 Oct 2026 – 30 Oct 2026 |
USD 2,400 |
| Nakuru, Kenya |
In-Person |
26 Oct 2026 – 30 Oct 2026 |
KES 120,000 |
+237 more dates — view live schedule →
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need prior experience in process safety to attend this course?
No prior process safety training is required. The course is designed for safety professionals with general HSE experience who wish to deepen their knowledge of risk-based frameworks. The early modules build foundational concepts before progressing to more advanced tools and applications.
Which standards and frameworks does this course cover?
The course is primarily structured around the CCPS Risk-Based Process Safety (RBPS) framework and its nine management elements. It also aligns learning with ISO 45001, OSHA Process Safety Management (PSM) regulations, and ALARP-based risk tolerability principles used in international practice.
Will I receive a certificate upon completing the course?
Yes. Delegates who attend all five days and complete the RBPS implementation roadmap assignment will receive a TrainingComplex Certificate of Completion in Risk-Based Safety Management Systems, which can be used to support professional development portfolios and CPD records.
Is this course suitable for industries other than oil and gas?
Absolutely. While the RBPS framework has strong roots in the process industries, the principles apply broadly across manufacturing, construction, utilities, mining, chemicals, and any sector managing significant operational hazards. Case studies and exercises are drawn from multiple industry contexts.
What materials will participants take away from the course?
Participants receive a comprehensive course workbook covering all ten modules, templates for risk registers, bow-tie diagrams, and LOPA worksheets, a curated reference list of international standards and guidance documents, and their personalised RBPS implementation roadmap developed during Day 5.
