57 / 76
July
2020
55
HYDROCARBON
ENGINEERING
T
he approach to industrial safety is shifting. In 1974, the Health and Safety at Work Act was introduced
in the UK and this successfully reduced workplace accidents through the introduction of safety rules.
Within the process industry, process safety has been an increasing priority following the introduction
of COMAH in the UK and the Seveso directive in Europe. The role of a process safety culture within
companies is under more scrutiny and it is increasingly important that senior management set the correct tone.
Process safety: the process of safety?
Since the introduction of the Health and Safety at Work Act, companies generally have procedures in place
(e.g. isolation certificates, golden safety rules, risk assessments, and/or method statements) to demonstrate that
safe ways of working are being managed. But there is a cultural element to the implementation and success of
these procedures. ‘That is the way we do things around here’ is a strong cultural statement as to why a risk
assessment matrix formmay not be fully completed, and why that formmay be subsequently approved by the
issuing authority.
Typically, what is seen in the process industry is that companies have good documents to guide both the
originator (as to what needs to be thought about in executing a work activity safely) and the issuing authority
(as to what needs to be in place before the job can be approved and implemented). However, all too often there
are omissions, either based upon the perception of time saving, an assumed familiarity, or a knowledge-based
gap. Acceptance of these below-standard documents feeds this culture, as what is seen as acceptable today will
be assumed to be acceptable tomorrow. This is the cultural leadership shadow that is cast.
These documents are a critical layer of protection in which the safety of the job should be fully assessed
and challenged. If these layers of protection are not reviewed correctly during the document approval stage,
then they will not be correctly reviewed at all.
The same goes for members of the leadership teamwalking past or ignoring safety issues. An example of
this is employees not wearing safety goggles, which is in turn not challenged. This is an occupational safety
hazard that sets the tone as to what safety rules, even golden rules, can be openly violated and hence eroded.
Dr Jason Shirley, ECP Energy &
Chemical Professionals, UAE,
explains
the challenges to and the importance
of a suitable process safety culture.