Process Safety Management (PSM) for managing contractors in process plant

On May 12, 2018, six workers from Shanghai AIJINKE Engineering Construction Services Co. died on the spot of an explosion when they were maintaining a benzene tank at Shanghai SECCO Petrochemical Co. The incident was characterized as a disastrous incident caused by hot work in a confined space. This article aimed to analyze the incident in a chronological order by using the event sequence diagram. The FLACS software was used to simulate the variation of pressure and temperature over time when benzene vapor was ignited in the tank. Multilayer bow‐tie analysis was adopted to explore the causes of the explosion, along with the corresponding consequences, and preventive measures. The analyses show that the primary causes were the unsafe behaviors of on‐site workers, hazardous conditions of in‐tank substances, risky factors in the construction environment, and deficiencies in process safety management. Based on the qualitative and quantitative analyses, we emphasize three considerable reasons, which include inappropriate flammable gas detection before the operation, failing to test for flammable gases during the hot work, and deficiency of the Management of Change. Finally, the article concludes with a summary of lessons learned as well as suggestions for incident prevention and safety improvement.

Section: The Subsequent Eventmentioning

confidence: 99%

Lessons learned from analyzing an explosion at Shanghai SECCO petrochemical plant

Dong

Liu

Zhao

et al. 2019

“…However, major accidents still being identified that kill many people and others reported injured. These accidents also involve significant production loss as well as property or environmental damage . There has been “less than the expected” decline in incident rates even after its implementation.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The performance‐based nature of the OSHA PSM standard where it does not clearly describe the detailed methodology led to the potential incident. Owing to this nature, its application is subjected to one's interpretation, which likely leads to human error upon the implementation . Human error is the interaction between human behavior and the background in which it occurs and behavior becomes “error” when it strays from the intended or anticipated in a given task environment .…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…A work‐aid tool based on incident investigation element for PSM compliance has not been established. However, a similar work on meeting PSM standard compliance is published for the management of contractors known as Contractor Management System (CoMS) based on the development of a model using the Microsoft Access software as the data management tool . The model described as a “database prototype tool” allows users to key in the data required by the standard while acknowledging and narrowing gaps on the existing programs for contractor management .…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…However, a similar work on meeting PSM standard compliance is published for the management of contractors known as Contractor Management System (CoMS) based on the development of a model using the Microsoft Access software as the data management tool . The model described as a “database prototype tool” allows users to key in the data required by the standard while acknowledging and narrowing gaps on the existing programs for contractor management . An effective database should have the aims to inhibit incidents, to learn from previous incidents and near misses, to educate the employees to avoid incident recurrence, and to provide easy and quick information retrievable when needed .…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 2 more Smart Citations

Incident investigation work‐aid tool for process safety management compliance in process industries

Majid

Shariff

2019

Self Cite

Incident investigations conducted in industries vary based on company policies and authorities' requirements. One of the related regulations as required by authorities is based on incident investigation elements of the process safety management (PSM) standard, 29 CFR 1910.119(m). This standard outlines the requirements for identification of catastrophic incident, incident investigation team setup, report writings, follow‐up actions on the established recommendations, communication of incident investigation findings with relevant personnel, and report record keeping. Many companies implement that the incident investigations based on 29 CFR 1910.119(m) likely lead to noncompliance due to wrong interpretations of the requirements. This article presents a structured and easy technique to conduct and implement incident investigations that comply with Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) PSM 29 CFR 1910.119(m). A framework and a work‐aid tool for incident investigation were developed and validated with a previous incident investigation of a catastrophic accident as a case study. The developed work‐aid tool could benefit the process industries to track and manage incident investigation activities systematically. It also helps to prompt users on the necessary actions to close the identified gaps that caused the accident. This technique allows users to manage incident investigation better, to avoid recurrence of the same accident in future, and at the same time to reduce adverse impacts on people, environment, and assets.

Stakeholder outreach on process safety for process industry using risk based approaches

Jayaraman

Shariff

Zaini

2019

For past decades, the industry and academician realized the core of effective process safety management (PSM) is closely related to good process safety culture. Major accidents in process industry occur at low frequency but the consequences on people, environmental, and assets damage are catastrophic. Previous accidents in process industry recorded many deaths and injuries of facility personnel and public. Hence, many regulations and best practices were introduced to avoid major accidents from occurring and to mitigate the consequences. Risk based process safety (RBPS) Guideline is one of best practices to manage PSM, using risk‐based approaches. When accidents happened, internal and external stakeholders are greatly impacted if it is not mitigated effectively. Thus, element stakeholder outreach which lies in Commit to Process Safety pillars are considered as important elements to protect the stakeholders and promoting good safety culture. This article presents a structured technique for stakeholder outreach using RBPS approaches and a work‐aid model to ease its implementation in process industry. The technique and work‐aid model are beneficial to help the organization managing stakeholders, educating the public on risk management and the importance of embracing safety culture in their life.