Chemical Processing - August 2007 - (Page 21) • Improved safety. In one site study of incidents, 8% of all root causes related to procedures. More consistent execution reduces the risk associated with these procedures. • Enhanced ef ciency and increased production. Another site study identi ed that improvements in one procedure reduced execution time by four hours. • Better equipment reliability. Fewer errors in procedures means fewer chances for equipment damage that can lead to decreased lifespan and compliance issues. Procedures can make use of real-time intelligence derived from the DCS and be con gured to mix automatic changes (e.g., for set point) and instructions to guide the operator. These instructions can cause the procedure to pause until a particular step is con rmed. So, while a paper checklist might have included instructions for stopping a pump and closing a manual valve, an autowww.chemicalprocessing.com mated procedure can actually stop the pump and wait for the operator to verify the valve is closed before proceeding to the next step. Procedural operations embedded in the control system also allow access to other data sources, including Web sites, making it possible to get additional information. These procedures can be constructed to help coordinate activities at key points between console operators as well as with operators in the eld. Besides ensuring no steps are missed, the DCS-based technology also provides a complete activity log. This gives the company traceable steps for the particular procedure and so can help satisfy reporting requirements. Because the control system historizes each action taken during a procedure and records it for later analysis, it’s easier to identify problems and address them before the procedure is run again. Procedure events can be viewed with relevant August 2007 • 21 http://www.chemicalprocessing.com
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