Use of a standardized risk analysis program can prevent top management from under- or over-estimating process safety risks present within a system. A client with multiple sites around the world did not have a standardized way of analyzing risk – different risk assessment procedures had been developed and accepted over time at several manufacturing sites.
Company management, who are not typically located onsite and familiar with site-specific hazards, were not getting an accurate picture of where highest risks existed and where capital should be invested to mitigate those risks. We worked with management and plant safety representatives to develop a standardized risk analysis procedure for distribution to child sites for implementation. Extensive training was involved during which deeply-rooted, siloed safety cultures were overcome.
As a result of launching the standardized, company-wide risk analysis procedure, a domino effect quickly emerged. For example, several sites found that many safety systems once thought sufficiently robust required significant upgrades. The need for implementation of Alarm Management programs to remove nuisance alarms previously added only to satisfy an overly-conservative risk analysis was apparent.