Integrated Risk Management: Using Intranet-Based Tools To Effectively Communicate Critical Risk Information From Bow Ties And Hazard & Risk Registers.

Abstract

Abstract In the process industry, operational safety is still a concern particularly when it comes to preventing major accidents like BP Texas City (2005) and Buncefield (2005). Critical safety systems or barriers are developed at the design stages of facilities or processes by using traditional risk assessments methods such as Hazard and Operability (HAZOP) Studies and Quantitative Risk Assessments (QRA). The drawings and paper reports generated are useful for initial risk communication and awareness, but work poorly for ongoing communication and information sharing necessary for successful operational safety. A HSE (Health, Safety, Health and Environment) and barrier management web-based tool (created in the SharePoint 2007 environment) was developed for a large gas production company to share hazard and risk registers, bow tie barriers and action plans in a convenient, user-friendly manner. Two versions have been developed: a pull version, where every user has the same interface and can use an intuitive web interface to extract barrier and risk information specific to them; and a push version, where the software recognizes the user and presents relevant information in a manner customized for the user's specific role in the organization. Globally, an increasing number of upstream and downstream companies use bow ties for risk management purposes to generate large-scale diagrams, showing the threats and outcomes from their operations, the barriers in place, their owner and their effectiveness. A bow tie analysis is a barrier-based risk management approach which focuses on the critical activities necessary to prevent or mitigate threats from becoming major accidents. Enhanced, safe operation in the UK sector has shown that barrier management improves safety performance. Communicating the information from hazard and risk registers (HRR) and bow ties is essential to make sure that the full set of barriers in use and that these barriers are operational and meet effectiveness requirements. The bow tie format helps to ensure that the workforce, contractors and site management are all aware of their roles and responsibilities. HRRs and bow tie analysis are widely accepted in support of better operations safety management, but are often managed separately. Now they can be efficiently integrated into a web-based solution in the SharePoint 2007 environment.