SAFETY IN THE PLANT


hazard are required to comply with a number of regulations, codes and standards, designed to prevent or mitigate the outcomes of major accidents. However, we also need to look at situations where current codes and standards have less relevance. This is especially the case where, due to circumstance and necessity, plant is being pushed well beyond its intended life and yet the design standards have been superseded and the design intent has been lost with the passage of time. Adopting a reactive approach to compliance in these instances will undoubtedly lead to gaps in the PSM programme and a greater exposure to potential loss.


When senior management take a more


active role in process safety policy, they find that far from it being a time and resource- sapping exercise, it can in actual fact save the company money. Identification of plant and processes which


are both critical to site safety and the business as a whole is an essential first step in managing process safety. A detailed review of potential loss of containment events will then help identify risk control (management) systems that are essential for ongoing safe operation and maintenance. Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) designed to detect failures within these systems can then be put in place to provide


directors and senior managers with the assurances they need to remain confident that the business’s statutory and moral obligations will continue to be met.


Positive process safety culture But if the board and senior management are to truly realise their PSM aims and objectives, there needs to be a positive process safety culture throughout the organisation. This means process safety leadership from the top, with senior management having a thorough understanding and committed role in the development of PSM policy and its deployment. Essentially policy deployment is a


structured approach which is used to plan, monitor and control team and individual involvement in the achievement of company targets and objectives. It concerns all company goals, not just primary objectives on profitability and return on investment, although these will improve as a result. The key elements of policy deployment


are:


❒ Individuals and teams have clearly defined objectives and targets


❒ The link between each team or individual objective and the top-level business


Dr Andrew Fowler is Operations Director and Principal Consultant at HFL Risk Services, Denton, Manchester, UK. www.hflrisk.com


objectives can be clearly understood.


❒ Visually displayed KPIs or measures are openly available to monitor the progress of teams and individuals towards objectives


❒ Each team or individual has clear, visually displayed action plans (these can be electronic or paper-based) which illustrate the activities they will be completing to meet their objectives


❒ Each team or individual updates their KPIs/measures and action plans on a regular basis


❒ The management team hold regular reviews of the policy deployment system to monitor progress. If plans are not ‘on track’ corrective actions are taken.


Like many other aspects of business life, PSM should be seen as an exercise in continuous improvement. Leading from the top and achieving company-wide buy-in and understanding of PSM will by definition help to decrease potential financial liabilities now and in the future. ❒


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