Process safety leadership in the spotlight

HSE challenges industry leaders

Health and SafetyOver 200 industry leaders have come together recently to share their learning on safety processes in the major hazards industry. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) created a common platform for industry leaders to share good practice and learning from incidents such as those at Texas City, Buncefield and the Thorp plant in Sellafield at its 'Leading from the top - avoiding major incidents' conference.

Discussions at this conference served as a stark reminder to HR executives and senior managers that the absence of conventional safety accidents and injuries in the past few years should not be taken as a positive assurance of an overall improvement in process safety across the major hazards industry.

The question is whether company Health and Safety policies are sufficient to ensure that major incidents are avoided. Process safety analysis (identification and evaluation of hazards associated with chemical and other processes that could potentially lead to major releases of dangerous substances) may seem like the responsibility of the shop floor manager, but any death or disability resulting from an accident immediately becomes an HR responsibility to manage.

Prevention

To prevent major incidents, the Health and Safety Executive recommends that organisations focus on process safety leadership built around 7 key elements:

  • Leadership which is demonstrated through actions from the senior management level, so that all managers and staff know that process safety is being taken seriously.
  • Process safety management taking place at all business levels. The HSE indicates that process safety is a Company Board issue and requires clear accountabilities at all levels, together with effective measurement systems, including indicators of process safety performance.
  • Real and dynamic risk assessments to ensure that employees understand the links between hazards and the risks they create, and the measures that are in place to control them.
  • Robust management of change approaches that capture real time operational issues so that today’s operating systems are properly understood by all.
  • Sustainability, focusing on long term investment and maintenance decisions.
  • Well-trained and competent people at all levels in the organisation and in sufficient numbers to address normal operation, as well as periods of change and emergency.
  • A learning organisation that values and encourages learning from its own experiences and those of others, and avoids complacency.

Issues

There are similarities in the challenges faced by all sectors in the major hazards industry. Issues which are common across major hazards industries include:

  • Increasingly ageing facilities, some well beyond originally expected operating lifecycles
  • Skills shortages in key trades and professions
  • Cost and production pressures
  • Balancing varied and often conflicting priorities
  • Massive change of ownership

A significant challenge for business leaders is creating a long term sustainable safety culture in the industry. Leadership credibility takes a long time to build but can be lost in an instant.

If you’re concerned about whether your company is compliant or on the right track, and would like to hear more about our HR compliance service, please call us on 0800 0482 737. Or you can contact us online.

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