In many industries, process safety is playing a key role to ensure businesses maintain their stability and gain strength in their respective markets, benefiting from a more positive reputation and company image.
We continue to see major incidents in our industry and, in particular, in units that operate at very high pressures and temperatures in the presence of hydrogen.
Companies must learn from the mistakes of others to avoid accidents that can lead to fatalities, and can also have a huge cost impact on the business due to long shutdowns following an accident. By having a strong safety culture, companies benefit from stable operations, avoid damage to their facilities, prevent environmental catastrophes, and provide a safe workplace for staff.
Having analysed different serious incidents in the industry – both recent and those that occurred some years ago – we came to the conclusion that, in most cases, what ultimately led to the various catastrophes was essentially the same each and every time. Putting aside technical issues specific to each facility, the major factors leading to the incidents included:
– Mistakes in design or poor control during manufacturing and construction;
– Unnecessary cost-cutting on maintenance or asset management measures and materials;
– Ineffective oversight of safety;
– Deficiencies in integrity programmes and fatigue prevention policies;
– Procedural errors like lack of reporting, irregular updates of procedures, and non-compliance with regulations, including the requirements for paperwork;
– Weak safety barrier management;
– Inadequate hazard and risk assessment as a result of a poor understanding of change principles among stakeholders;
– Insufficient oversight by regulatory agencies and independent inspectors, such as a lack of hazard and operability studies (HAZOPs), and a lack of feedback and follow-up on previous reviews;
– Low-level training for normal operations and abnormal situations; and
– Lack of understanding about the importance of key elements of process safety among both operators and managers, thus increasing the risk of human error.
Process safety management is a complex system that was designed to support the management of companies in solving various important safety issues, by delivering a better understanding of processes, identifying hazards and threats, determining credible consequences, evaluating risks, and eliminating or reducing them. It highlights weak points, allowing asset integrity to be maintained throughout the lifecycle, supporting the preparation of emergency responses, encouraging cultural changes, and increasing the visibility of safety.
Adopting a rigorous process safety management system will help to ensure smooth and reliable operations. However, systemic causes of incidents are specific for each stage of a project or process and include:
– Failure to design plants to the highest standards, and inadequate inspection and control during manufacture and construction;
– Lack of corporate support and management focus on safety, maintenance, and reliability, and inadequate maintenance and inspection;
– Failure to recognise and control hazards in any change; and
– Lack of operational discipline, complacency, and a lack of regular, ongoing training.
As a result, safety leaders need to address important issues and develop the company’s own customised vision, based on the company’s policy on major accident risk. This should involve the identification and assessment methods for major accidents and risks, and criteria defining risk tolerability and the appropriate approach to residual risk. A balance needs to be stuck between safety, environmental factors, and financial performance, and governance systems must be in place to define the various roles and responsibilities for process safety.
Corporate standards and practices should be at the heart of this process safety vision as it lays out the required capability of resources and the competences needed to effectively manage risks. It will allow for the organisation of crisis management and emergency response, and the measurement and monitoring of performance on major accident risk.
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Management of change
Management of change (MoC) is crucial. Managers need to be sure that written procedures exist to cover changes to process chemicals, technology, equipment, procedures, and facilities that affect the process, for example organisational changes.
MoC procedures must also make sure several issues are addressed before change is made, including the technical basis for the change, the impact of the change on employee health and safety, the required modifications to operating procedures, the time required for the change to be implemented, the authorisation requirements, and the communication and training requirements that are involved.
Key performance indicators
Key performance indicators (KPIs) also are needed, in order to understand how well organisations are performing in relation to their goals and objectives. Many industry leaders believe that KPIs are essential because improvement is only possible when you can measure the current condition and compare it to a benchmark that is to be achieved.
A KPI is a basic element of the systematic management of operational risks and, as major accidents derive through multiple failures that should be contained by several protective barriers, KPIs can consist of effective leading and lagging indicators. The following procedure can be helpful for organisations wishing to develop and maintain a comprehensive KPI system:
– Review current process safety KPIs – engage all parties
Establish current performance mechanisms and conduct a review of present indicators.
– Develop a set of KPIs
Compare these with a best practice benchmark; analyse the relevance and measurability of the KPIs, and their compliance with company strategy; clarify the scope and boundaries of each KPI; and select the right audience to ensure a full understanding from all parties.
– Prioritise, choose and decide
Set priorities, discuss them, and adjust them as required. Develop a KPI proposal, confirm it, and report on it, providing clear and accurate communication with all stakeholders.
Even though there is no universal solution for 100% safety and zero incidents, companies that lead the way in terms of reliability and credibility often use this five-step guide in order to prevent major incidents:
1. Audit existing practices
2. Train staff in process safety management and communicate any issues regularly
3. Develop systems and processes to fill gaps
4. Develop process safety management KPIs
5. Review and audit on a regular basis.
In conclusion, process safety excellence should be a target for all organisations. To achieve this, leadership commitment is essential, and a comprehensive process safety management system should be established. Training and communication are also vital, as are ongoing audits and reviews, in order to ensure all aspects of process safety.
