Hydrocarbon Processing - March 2022 - 74

Environment and Safety
work performance is the type and overall number of
deficiencies captured during the field auditing process.
Many sites steward key indicators, such as:
The percentage of flawless audits from their field
auditing program
The number of high-consequence infractions noted
during the audits.
High-consequence infractions are those deviations that could
result in a significant incident or injury. Examples may include:
* No gas test performed prior to hot work
* No monitoring of the atmosphere inside a confined space
* Work being performed without proper isolation from an
energy source .
Common deficiencies in audit programs have been highlighted
here. In the following section, a roadmap (based on the
author's experience) on the key elements of a mature SWP audit
program will be provided.
SWP audit model. A detailed audit tool (checklist), as seen
in FIG. 2, should be used to drive consistency. An audit checklist
should have the level of granularity/detail to define specific
requirements of the work. It should capture key regulatory standards
(isolation point labeling for LOTO, removal of combustibles
within 35 ft of hot work, etc.) as well as any site-specific
requirements for those elements. The detailed findings from the
audits will be valuable to guide a site on what corrective actions
should be considered.
Consider utilizing front-line supervisors (operations and
maintenance) along with safety personnel to perform audits.
Using leading shift personnel to perform periodic field audits
not only engages them in the process, but educates them on the
specific requirements and provides a forum to give coaching and
counselling to their direct reports, as appropriate.
Many companies have incorporated audit checklists into cell
phone or tablet apps to allow ease of use for performing audits.
Most of the systems in the industry (auditing apps) also allow
the trending of findings from those audits, eliminating manual
manipulation of data.
As a best practice, consider utilizing contractor leading
personnel and managers to perform audits of safe work activities
using standardized checklists for consistency. All the data
from these various tiers of audits can be used to identify trends
in performance.
Ensure the sample size (number of audits) is adequate
to be statistically representative. Designing a safe work audit
program to audit at least 5% of all high-risk activities is recommended
to ensure corrective actions and improvement initiatives
are data-driven vs. a reaction to anomalies noted during
the audits. Most field audits should be focused on safety critical
activities. LOTO, hot work and confined space entries should
represent at least 80% of auditing resources.
Periodically review themes noted during the audits, and
use the data to identify improvements to close gaps. Many
sites review the results from their auditing at least twice a year.
The findings would suggest a) what seems to be working well,
and b) what areas require development of improvement plans
via refresher training, additional tool implementation, etc.
In a mature system, line managers have a clear understanding
(based on the findings from their program) of what areas
need improvement.
Establish metrics from safe work auditing as a leading
indicator of performance. Recommend stewarding at a minimum
of a) the percentage of safe work audits that were flawless,
and b) the number of high-consequence deviations noted during
the audits.
A line manager must always question any metric that
shows the flawless rate to be perfect. If no deviations are
noted, the auditors may not be looking hard enough, or
the audit tool (checklist) may not have the level of detail
needed to dive into the requirements.
Periodically review these metrics at the site leadership
team level as well as with affected employees and
contractors involved in the safe work permitting process.
Takeaway. The development and implementation of a sound
safe work audit program requires some level of resourcing to
build sound audit tools, educate auditors using the tool, and
periodically steward findings and leverage those learnings to
enhance performance. Once an audit process is established, the
program can provide valuable data on how facility leaders can
drive improvements within their companies.
FIG. 2. A detailed audit checklist should have the level of granularity/
detail to define specific requirements of the work, and capture key
regulatory standards as well as any site-specific requirements for
those elements.
74 MARCH 2022 | HydrocarbonProcessing.com
BOB BLUNDELL has more than 40 yr of experience in
refinery operations, and served as a mid-level Manager with
ExxonMobil before retiring in 2013. He is a Certified Assessor
in the API Process Safety Site Assessment Program and has
extensive experience in conducting refinery and terminal
safety assessments. His expertise also includes safe work
program development, alarm management and PSM
compliance auditing. He now serves as a Process Safety Consultant for
Ethos Process Safety Solutions.
http://www.HydrocarbonProcessing.com
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