10 Steps to Process Safety Excellence in Oil and Gas – Part 4
Add bookmarkProcess safety management (PSM) is a key concern for companies operating in the oil and gas industry, with new strategies and ways of dealing with challenges offering potential rewards in many areas.
As well as posing an immediate human and environmental risk, safety incidents can have wider repercussions relating to finance, brand reputation, regulations and the sector as a whole.
These are 10 steps companies can take to improve their safety management and minimise risk:
7. Back An Integrated, Industry-Wide Approach
Mr Bennett's article on achieving excellence in PSM also underlined the need for the industry to adopt an integrated approach to the management of major hazards.
He said issues in this area "cannot be solved overnight" but can be addressed by a coherent, inclusive strategy that considers "not just the consequences of failure, but also the likelihood of failure, and the factors influencing event likelihood and development".
8. Don't Think Technology Is Infallible
In a world of ever-evolving technology and powerful computers, it is possible that safety managers could see an operation's human element as the most likely source of an accident.
However, new technological innovations can often bring new challenges. Security holes or unreliable software can be just as big a safety risk as a stressed or overworked employee.
