Hydrocarbon Processing - February 2021 - 76

Environment and Safety
2. Safety systems-Comprehensive
management systems provide a
framework to help ensure hazards
and associated risks are identified,
evaluated and controlled.2,7 In many
cases, regulatory requirements
provide a good starting point
for defining the needed systems
and requirements; however, in
all cases, proper evaluation of
potential risks is required to help
ensure they are controlled and
managed appropriately. This
may necessitate going beyond
the minimum essential practice
defined by regulations, or may
lead to complying with regulatory
requirements when not required.
Regulations [e.g., OSHA, U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency
(EPA)], consensus industry
standards [e.g., National Fire
Protection Association (NFPA),
American Petroleum Institute
(API)], industry guidance [e.g.,
Center for Chemical Process Safety
(CCPS), American Society for
Safety Professionals (ASSP)] and
extensive literature provide detailed
guidance for implementing
appropriate safety management
systems.
3. Operational discipline-
OD, as defined previously, relates to
how well safety and other systems
are followed.2,8,9,10 OD is influenced
by many factors, including safety
culture and leadership, quality
of safety systems, and other
human behavior and human
factors programs.
Some precursors related to safety culture, leadership and safety systems that

Knowledge

Commitment

Awareness

FIG. 2. Characteristics of personal OD.2,11

FEBRUARY 2021 | HydrocarbonProcessing.com

impact the effectiveness of an OD effort
are listed below. Consideration should be
given to implementing or strengthening
safety and related programs in these areas
if they are deficient.
Some precursors to effective OD programs include:
* Establishing safety as a core value
vs. potential conflicting priorities,
such as cost or productivity
* Committing to consistent and
visible leadership of safety
* Promoting a sense of vulnerability
to support safety awareness and
engagement and avoid complacency
* Maintaining open communications
* Documenting operating procedures
and safe work practices
* Developing effective and timely
training practices
* Implementing fitness-for-duty
programs to mitigate possible worker
impairment due to stress, fatigue,
alcohol, prescribed or over-thecounter medications, or illegal drugs
* Evaluating and managing
process risks
* Monitoring and reviewing
key performance indicators
* Providing management of change
(MOC) programs to identify
and manage new hazards that
may be introduced
* Implementing equipment
inspection, testing and preventive
maintenance programs to help
ensure tools and equipment are
reliable and safe to use.
OD program characteristics. The
characteristics and importance of effective OD programs have been discussed
elsewhere2,11,12,13 and have recently been
reviewed in the context of achieving excellent process safety performance,3,4
reducing loss of containment incidents14
and as a leading indicator of plant performance.15 OD programs comprise both
organizational and personal OD efforts.
The characteristics describing organizational OD2,11 are intended to help company and/or facility leadership develop
effective OD programs, based on:
* Leadership focus: Leaders
emphasize and provide a positive
work environment, managing
processes and resources for
effective programs and employee
engagement. Leaders are personally

involved and passionate about
safety and reflect the behaviors
they expect from their organization.
A leader's consistent behavior
helps build trust and engagement
in the organization.
* Employee engagement:
Employees understand and value the
importance of safe work activities
and contribute to organizational
programs and activities.
* Procedural principles: Correct
ways of performing work are
defined and completed as planned,
following documented and
authorized systems and procedures.
* Housekeeping and workplace
standards: Standards are
established for maintaining safe
equipment, tools and facilities.
Employees are proud of their
work environment and
consistently maintain high levels
of housekeeping.
Organizational OD efforts are closely
related to good safety culture and leadership practices. As shown in FIG. 1, effective safety management systems also help
enable workers at all levels of an organization to do their work correctly and safely,
every time.
The characteristics describing personal OD 2,11, as shown in FIG. 2, are intended
to support the day-to-day focus on OD to
help ensure all employees:
* Know how to perform their work
correctly and safely (knowledge)
* Commit and plan to perform the
work the correct way without
deviations or shortcuts, based on
training (commitment)
* Anticipate and are prepared
for what could go wrong or look
for and recognize what may be
different in their current work
environment and respond
accordingly, based on training
and experience (awareness).
The goal is to have knowledgeable, prepared, experienced workers at all levels of
the organization who account for the existing work environment rather than have an
unquestioning focus on strict adherence
to procedure when circumstances vary or
change. This requires developing appropriate operating procedures and effective
on-the-job training for required work activities, including recognition and troubleshooting of possible deviations and the

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Hydrocarbon Processing - February 2021

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