Process Safety Knowledge ― The Route to Business Success

摘要

Left solely to the safety department, PSM can take on a highly structured approach lacking the imagination to deal with plant specific issues. Process safety excellence is often declared when a company has achieved compliance to regulatory requirements or has demonstrated a low incident trend. PSM is not an end in itself; it is a tool that helps a company achieve its business objectives. Larger plants, more aggressive operating strategies, aging infrastructure, declining workforce numbers and organizational redesign are examples of some of the challenges facing the chemical process industries. The oil industry has been a little slower to adopt PSM measures and recent loss statistics reflect weaknesses in this sector. Senior management must take full responsibility for ensuring that plant operations are secure and they must have the knowledge to deal with process safety issues as they arise. Selected case studies from the oil industry will illustrate the need for executives to understand and support the link between process safety management and business proficiency.