Celebrating Process Safety Management Success – But There’S Still More To Do!
UK and global high hazard industries recently celebrated a significant milestone – 20,000 staff trained in the Process Safety Management (PSM) standards via Cogent Skills.
This significant milestone was reached in Summer 2022, when participants from Atomic Weapons Establishment (AWE Plc) undertook a bespoke Process Safety Leadership course, delivered via online blended learning.
Since 2010, over 300 UK and global high hazard companies have now adopted the Process Safety Management (PSM) industry framework training standards. Great news! But there’s still about 500 COMAH sites who have yet to adopt the standards.
Process Safety Leadership training is an effective way of assuring Boards that their business has the right level of competency – to help keep their ‘License to Operate’
Some ask what is Process Safety Management? And who does it apply to? So, let’s explore these questions to help you with your Process Safety and learn more about this high hazard industry success
WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN PROCESS SAFETY AND OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY?
It’s important to clarify that ‘process safety’ is a way in which catastrophic incident risks are managed and controlled, rather than risks to occupational or personal safety.
Occupational (Personal) Safety and Process Safety Explained
Both could end in tragedy! A very basic overview:
- Occupational Safety. The hazards arise from the activity and the immediate work area. They are largely controlled by the individual (via work methods,
(PPE, etc). Occupational safety focusses on incidents which may impact the worker and those nearby. - Process Safety. Here, hazards are in the system – stored energy, toxic or flammable materials, high temperatures etc – and systems are needed to control these from design, through operations and changes. Loss of control of these hazards can lead to significant or catastrophic events which have greater consequences to your people, assets and the environment.
To be clear, we’re not talking about systems to prevent slips, trips or falls but rather much larger incidents that not only harm health but can cause multiple fatalities, as well as huge environmental, financial, and reputational damage.
The measures your business need to contain such hazards in a controlled way can be complex, as the processes no matter what the scale – is not just a problem for those with regulated quantities. This requires a systematic approach to managing risk, based on having several layers of protection to guard against each process risk, along with robust emergency arrangements – in case the worst does happen.
WHO HAS THE BIGGEST IMPACT ON PROCESS SAFETY IN YOUR ORGANISATION?
A major incident can affect your financial performance, business reputation, credibility within workforce, local communities AND your ‘License to Operate’
So, who does Process Safety Management apply to? Is it you, as a process safety specialist, is it the operators and shift managers who ensure that manufacturing continues smoothly on a daily basis, the engineers who continually strive for improvements in process integrity, efficiency and effectiveness, or the senior leaders who set the culture and direction of the organisation?
In reality, all of these people and more have a role to play in managing process safety – each has to recognise just how important their influence is on the continued safe operation of an organisation with major hazards – that is, hazards that could lead to a catastrophic incident if released.
Of course, it can be difficult to help people, especially those senior leaders with a non-technical background, to recognise the effects that their decisions can have on process safety. In truth PSM is not just for Process Safety professionals, it’s for those with Legal, Financial, HR, Operational, Technical and Commercial responsibilities – to ensure the Safety of People, Assets and the Environment
It could be very beneficial for Board level leaders to be presented with this new information from Matt Lea, UK HSE’s HM Principal Inspector of Health & Safety, Chemical, Explosives and Microbiological Hazards Division, who recently shared the following key findings from his team’s 2019 -2022 major hazard leadership inspection interventions.
- Major Hazard Leadership needs to be clearly defined and written into every Directors job description
- Process Safety Management representation is needed at Board Level
- During COMAH site inspections, the HSE, want reassurance that senior leaders know what’s going on at their sites, that they understand their major hazards and external factors, which may be influencing performance.
PROCESS SAFETY MANAGEMENT DOESN’T APPLY TO WATER INDUSTRY! DOES IT?
Yes of course it does! Especially regarding Explosive Atmospheres and Hazardous Chemical Substances at work – which could lead to accidental contamination.
Particularly if a responsible operator’s strategic aim is to have zero accidents and lost time incidents
No reputable water treatment site – or indeed any industrial process plant operator who releases wastewater as part of its production procedures, wants to contaminate the environment, put their customers, employees or local stakeholders at risk and run the risk of getting attention from the regulators. Do they?
So how can responsible operators ‘engineer’ the risk out?
By identifying clear, industry compliant processes and procedures and understanding how to implement good process safety management.
One proactive way to ensure safety, is to invest in Process Safety and Competence Management training such as:
- Process Safety Awareness
- Process Safety Management Foundations
- Workforce Competence Assessments
- DSEAR for Operators & Maintenance, Managers and Asset Designers
CELEBRATING HIGH HAZARD INDUSTRY SUCCESS
20,000 staff have now been trained in the Process Safety Management (PSM) standards via Cogent Skills
The standards, listed in this HSE COMAH guidance document – have been developed for industry by the UK Process Safety Management Competence Programme (PSM CP) Board, which includes representatives from the Health and Safety Executive, and are delivered exclusively by Cogent Skills.
The PSM standards are benchmarked to COMAH / SEVESO III compliance requirements and include detailed content supporting process safety competence and compliance.
Since the start of the PSM programme, the 20,000 delegates represent over 40 major accident hazard industry sectors – including Chemicals, Nuclear, Energy, Utilities, Manufacturing, Upstream and Downstream Petroleum, Explosives, Distribution and Storage, across the following COMAH site classifications:
- 36% Upper Tier
- 15% Lower Tier
- 49% Non-COMAH
But there is still more to do. There are over 900 COMAH sites in UK and only 1/3rd of COMAH and non-COMAH high hazard sites have adopted the PSM Training Standards.
Richard Roff, Chair of UK Process Safety Management Competence Programme Board stated:
“This significant milestone demonstrates the importance that responsible senior leaders place on process safety management across their businesses. It should also send a clear message to those yet to engage in process safety management training, that they are missing out on something their peers or competitors have in hand.
The principles of Process Safety Management are applicable wherever there is a need to maintain operational safety and reduce environmental risk so it’s great to see that non-COMAH organisations are taking their process safety seriously too.
It’s essential that leaders of organisations with the potential for catastrophic incidents in their operations prioritise the adoption of process safety education:
The Process Safety Management training standards are delivered via a suite of 1-2 day courses, including:
- Process Safety Leadership for Senior Executives for Senior Executives and Board Members of major hazard facilities
- Process Safety Management Foundations for Managers, Supervisors, Safety Personnel, Senior Contract Employees and Junior Engineers
- Process Safety Management for Operations for Operators, Maintenance Technicians and Long-Term Contractors
- PSMO – Train the Trainer (License to Train)
Want to explore your Competence and Compliance opportunities? Let’s MEET!
Contact Karen McCallum, Course Booking Manager
Telephone: 01325 740900
Email: industry@cogentskills.com
Web: Cogentskills.com/training and Cogentskills.com/consultancy
