As human beings, we may think that we know what is good or bad in terms of human characteristics. However, common sense does not allow us to answer questions such as:   ➡ For how long can an operator remain vigilant in front of a screen where not much is happening?➡ How can we design screen layouts that make it easier to detect when a reading is deviating from the norm?➡ Why do operators on a...

“What further is there to say, except that the responsibility lies first of all with the employer. If he has an earnest desire to reduce the frequency and cost of accidents, if he recognizes his responsibility for the safety of his workers, and if he is aware of the fact that methods of achieving safety are analogous with methods of controlling production, he will exercise his prerogative and...

As you probably know by now, I LOVE metrics in safety.  I was raised in industrial safety/process safety by some great leaders and mentors who taught me that everything in safety must be defined and quantified.  They also taught me that anything and everything can and most likely will be manipulated at some point in time.  This is why a functioning SMS is so critical, as all SMSs should...

Building on my post from this weekend, discussing the three (3) pillars of Safety: Technical Safety SMS HOF/HOP I wanted to share something I created for a client that needed to frame up the role of a safety professional within their organization.  As in many immature safety cultures, safety people and even degreed, trained, and certified safety professionals can take on roles that DAMAGE the...

“Little difficulty is experienced in correcting the mechanical hazards, but the correction of unsafe acts will remain troublesome unless there is a better understanding of the reasons or motives that permit these unsafe acts to occur. The purpose of this discussion is to point out that definite causative factors lie directly behind the occurrence of unsafe acts, that they are few in number, practicable...

To improve safety performance, coherent action is required in three (3) areas: technical aspects, safety management, and human and organizational factors These different “pillars” all influence the “culture of safety” within an organization. It should be emphasized that, in any given organization, safety priorities have undergone several phases of chronological development, with each...

“The situation that the worker has to manage is always unique. Even if the prescribed operation is habitual, certain factors are specific to this particular time: the weather conditions, the time and the day of the week, the state of the upstream or downstream facilities, the equipment to be used, a maintenance technician nearby, the team not being made up of the usual members, a change in procedure,...

Many organizations use blinding/blanking as their main means for isolating a Permit-Required Confined Space.  But a number of years ago, an unqualified operator mistook a “Paddle Spacer” for a “Paddle Blind,” thus leaving the flammable gas pipe to the PRCS improperly isolated.  There is a very distinct way to tell these two in-line devices apart from one another –...

One of my favorite topics to discuss during hazard analyses, incident investigations involving LOPC, and audits are the use of torque wrenches.  These wrenches play a critical role in process safety, yet they may be among the top 5 abused and misused tools in the mechanic’s toolbox.  And sadly, many still wish to argue that torque wrenches are not required in process safety, regardless...

Not a trick question; however, I bet it made you stop and think for a second.  There are many stories/scenarios involving LOPC events where a pressure gauge was not maintained or not read properly.  This year we got involved in an LOPC event and testing done on the critical pressure gauge showed it was way off in its reading.  Of course, the gauge was over 20 years old, had never been...

It is important to have a systematic and exhaustive decision-making process in place. While it applies especially to strategic levels, it can be adapted to all levels, because trade-offs must be made everywhere within organizations. Recognise the existence of and the need for compromise: accept that at every level the company can die in a number of different ways (loss of customers, major quality issue…),...

Historically, the job of a manager has consisted of planning, doing, checking, and acting – the famous PDCA cycle taught in management schools. But tomove towards an integrated safety culture, the role of managers now extends beyond this cycle: they influence and inspire safer behaviors from theirteams. The involvement of managers is essential since they set the tone: it is they who mobilize everyone. ...