Process safety management is about prevention and mitigation of incidents (such as fire or explosion) that result from unintentional release of energy or hazardous substances contained in the process assets we operate.
Successful process safety management is based on four principles: Committing to process safety; understanding process hazards and risk; managing process risk as low as reasonable practical (ALARP); and learning from experience.
Process safety commitment involves developing and sustaining a culture that embraces process safety; identifying, understanding and complying with codes, standards, regulations, and laws; establishing and continually enhancing organizational competence; and engaging all stakeholders, including employees, contractors, and neighbors.
To understand hazards and risk, the focus is on collecting, documenting, and maintaining process safety knowledge in documents such as EORDs, asset registers and ‘as built drawings’; and conducting hazard identification and risk analysis studies such as HAZID, HAZOP, IPF and Fire & Explosion Analysis (FERM). These areas are relevant in design and engineering as well as later in operation.
The management of process safety risk is made up of many elements. Operating integrity is demonstrated by operating in accordance with plant start up and shut down procedures; following the Permit to Work system and associated safe systems of work; operating within design envelopes; conducting operations activities in accordance with recognized good practice; signing Statements of Fitness before starting up operations; and maintaining emergency preparedness. Technical integrity is demonstrated by executing work activities to ensure that equipment is fabricated and installed in accordance with specifications, and that it is maintained and inspected so that it remains fit for service over its entire life cycle. Broader elements of managing risk include managing contractors to ensure that contractors are not exposed to unrecognized hazards or undertake activities that present unknown or intolerable risk; providing training and conducting related activities to ensure reliable human performance at all levels of the organization; and recognizing and managing changes.
Design integrity is also an aspect of reducing process safety risk ALARP. In most situations, compliance to PDO adopted specifications and practices will be sufficient. However, this may not always be the case and the application of good engineering principles, risk assessment and addressing societal concerns (the potential for multiple fatalities) may also be necessary to achieve ALARP risk in design.
Learning from incidents involves investigating process safety incidents to identify and address the root causes; applying lessons from incidents that occur at other facilities within PDO and within the industry; measuring performance and striving to continuously improve in areas that have been determined to be risk significant; auditing process safety management systems; and holding periodic management reviews to determine if the management systems are working as intended and if the work activities are helping the facility effectively manage risk.
