Implenting Process Safety Programme

Abstract

Abstract In 2006/2009, PETRONAS Carigali embarked on its Process Safety Programme; driven primarily by concerns over an increasing trend in process-related incident occurring throughout the Company. The programme, aimed at institutionalizing process safety and creating a process safety culture throughout the Company, focused on defining explicit process safety expectations, thereafter putting in place the required processes to intensify the implementation and mandatory compliance. To ensure comprehensive programme, eight (8) key process safety areas, spanning the entire value chain of technical and operational integrity, were identified; these are: ■Design Integrity;■Mechanical Integrity;■Management of Change;■Process Safety Information;■Process Hazard Analysis;■Pre-Activity Safety Review;■Operating Procedures; and■Proprietary and Licensed Technology Assessment. For each of the identified 8 process safety areas, explicit expectations were defined; and in ensuring sustained implementation, these expectations were integrated in an existing HSE Management System. Additionally, detail implementation processes were also defined in procedures and guidelines associated with the HSE Management System. Detail aspect of the programme and its implementation will be covered in the full paper. Some 3-4 years into the programme, tangible improvement can be felt across the organization, particularly in areas of compliance culture to process safety, and the ensuing improved process safety performance. The critical success factors for the effective implementation of the Process Safety Programme can be summarized as follows: ■Unequivocal demonstration of process safety leadership at all levels, including dedicated teams charged with process safety responsibilities;■Explicit process safety expectations integrated as part of the overall technical and operational integrity;■Clearly defined processes; i.e. apart from stipulation on WHO need to do WHAT, WHEN and WHY, guidelines on HOW these are to be done were also formalised;■Regular process safety audits, and effective tracking to closure, including oversight by senior management; and■Effectiveness of implementation and compliance regularly reviewed by facility management, business unit management and senior management; and effective in-house tracking mechanism developed for standardization of reporting.