Assessment on process safety management implementation maturity among major hazard installations in Malaysia

Abstract

Despite the widespread process safety management (PSM) implementation among major hazard installations (MHI) in Malaysia, an assessment on current PSM implementation maturity had never been conducted. This study aims to provide such assessment, through the utilisation of PSM elements under the OSHA PSM standard. The study first involved the measurement of PSM implementation achievement grades as well as, the development of PSM implementation related process safety maturity model and process safety assessment rubrics. Both the achievement grades and maturity model were then utilised for the assessment on PSM implementation maturity among MHI in Malaysia. Suitable recommendations for improvements in effectiveness of PSM implementation were finally proposed with reference to the assessment rubrics. From the individual PSM elements implementation assessment results, the Pre-Startup Safety Review element registered the highest representative percentage of 24 %, of MHI in Malaysia having PSM implementation maturity below the predefined acceptable maturity levels. From the overall PSM implementation assessment results, it was found that a representative percentage of 40 % of MHI in Malaysia displayed PSM implementation maturity below the similar predefined acceptable maturity levels. However, the study emphasised that future improvements to the PSM implementation maturity could be achieved through the implementation of the proposed recommendations.