Setting in Place the Right Controls for Optimal NEP Compliance

March 22, 2011 - PRLog -- In the wake of crises like the BP Texas City Refinery Explosion and BP’s most recent headline-creating gulf disaster, Chemical and Petrochemical companies and refineries are scrambling to secure their process safety management (PSM) processes to protect their employees and reputations. In addition to PSM issues, this event will allow attendees to discuss key challenges such as OSHA Standards and the National Emphasis Programs, and reaching a conclusion on the definition of Recognized and Generally Accepted Good Engineering Practices (RAGAGEP).

Suzanne Janicki is the Process Safety Coordinator and Team Leader at BASF –The Chemical Company in Hannibal, Missouri.  After a 22 year career with The Dow Chemical Company in various R&D and EHS positions working both domestically and internationally, Suzanne moved with her family to the heart of the mid-west working with Roquette America, Inc. providing EHS guidance for three years before coming to BASF.  She received a BS Chemistry Degree from Michigan State University and started her career in research and development.

Suzanne Janicki sat down with marcus evans to answer a few questions about process safety management today and how companies can stay compliant with the NEP compliance. Suzanne will be a speaker at the upcoming marcus evans Process Safety Management for Chem/Petrochem & Refineries Conference from April 11-13, 2011 at the Derek Hotel in Houston, TX.

Can you explain some of the primary concerns for Process Safety Managers in chemical and refining companies at the moment?

At the unit level, it really is about assuring the right culture.  Process safety management is all about individuals and how they conduct their operations.  When considering primary concerns process safety concerns it is important to focus on both the work process and the primary safe guards of the process.  At the unit level, helping the operations personnel incorporate process safety into “the way in which they work” to assure constant vigilance with items such as management of change and process hazard analyses is key to preventing the series of small events which can lead to a serious incident.

What are the key features of a successful PSM program?  

   The fundamental key is living process safety in everyday operations for all chemical and refining operations, from the small daily decisions on how to conduct maintenance through the large decisions of changing process design.  If individuals feel they can operation outside the “specifications” of their job tasks, overtime, there will be an increase in incidents and issues.  Many companies have excellent documented guidance and structure around the 14 process safety management elements.  Living those elements on a daily basis with small changes and decisions is key to assuring success; from how routine maintenance is conducted to communicating from one shift to another can mean the different between success and failure.  When “how the work gets” done is reviewed, if there is any hand offs of information or decisions where the workforce says “and then a miracle occurs”, those are the priority things that need to be resolved to assure safe operating practices.  The program cannot be viewed as a regulatory process, but rather the “how” a unit operates.  

How can process safety be built into the overall culture of a company?

We always hear the words “it starts with management commitment”.  Although this is a very important part of the culture in providing resources such as people and money for process safety equipment and processes, it is really about visible ACTION.  Allowing leadership at all levels in support of process safety is key.  When an operator asks for safety changes in job tasks as simple as better sample management, off loading raw materials etc., there needs to be action on those suggestions for improvement within the discipline of process safety. This builds confidence in an organization of safety as an expectation of operating the plant, not just operating the plant safely.  Assuring operators, contractors, engineers, procurement have the understanding that safety is the “way in which you work” and celebrating those examples on an on going basis establishes culture.  Working on and continuously building safety leadership skill sets in everyone builds process safety culture and ultimately on-going success.

What are the critical success factors for optimum NEP compliance?

It is important to think of NEP compliance similar to a product specification.  The elements of a production specification are set to produce a product by multiple functions and people.  The parameters to make quality product are identified and the process is controlled within these parameters.  The product is tested by a series of quality tests; packaging is critical in customer satisfaction and perception of product quality and ultimately how well the product works.  The elements of process safety management are in essence the compliance specification for operations.  Cross-functional work process management on an on-going basis assures operating within those requirements.  NEP compliance isn’t just a document, notebook or a list, it is how those documents, lists, and notebooks are established as a part of on-going safe efficient and effective operations.  Assure there is an understanding of how operating units work and then use those work practices to incorporate process safety compliance “specs” NEP compliance includes everyone implementing “Plan, Do, Check, Act” to keep managing within compliance, not against compliance.  

What lessons in process safety standards can the chem/petrochem industry take from recent incidents and disasters in this area?

Staying diligent to operating discipline and continuing to review any change in a different way is key.  Make no assumptions about what won’t happen, assume up front something bad will happen.  No question or scenario is too dumb.  It is key to assure questions are answered with logic and as best possible data driven knowledge.  Most of the recent tragic incidents are a series of little items, decisions, or assumptions that led to unfortunate synergistic effects.    Always start with the assumption something WILL happen, then determine the best ways, whether new process design, safeguards, programming, administrative controls, etc.  to assure a tragedy never will happen at your plant.

More Information
The marcus evans Process Safety Management for Chem/Petrochem & Refineries Conference will take place from April 11-13, 2011 in Houston, TX. Join Suzanne, along with speakerd from OSHA, The Dow Chemical Company, Total Petrochemicals Inc., NOVA Chemicals Inc., Delek Refining, Ltd. and many more at this two-day premiere event! For more information, please visit http://www.marcusevansch.com/PSM_Interview.

For more information, please contact:
Michele Westergaard
Marketing/PR Coordinator
marcus evans
312-540-3000 ext. 6625
Michelew@marcusevansch.com

# # #

Marcus evans conferences annually produce over 2,000 high quality events designed to provide key strategic business information, best practice and networking opportunities for senior industry decision-makers.