Abstract
A turnaround is a planned, periodic total or partial shutdown of a refinery process unit or facility to perform maintenance, overhaul and repair operations and to inspect, test and replace process materials and equipment. This is a time sensitive operation that requires a major expenditure and focused project management 24 hour duration. Any delays due to operational or safety issues can adversely impact the shutdown time therefore increasing costs and impacting the revenue of the facility. With a high price of services, the pressure is greater than ever to deliver an efficient turnaround with virtually no incidents and on time. Safety management plays a crucial role in the turnaround activity.
Safety ensures regulations are followed, training and certifications are completed and preventive plans are in place and enforced. It starts by safety contractor selection, followed by a proactive safety plan and a flawless and timely execution.
How do we ensure that the safety management is conducted efficiently in order to impact the bottom line of the turnaround and limit delays?
Research by Liberty Mutual Research Institue for Safety demonstrates that for every $1 invested in safety there is a $3 to $6 return on investment, and our own research tells us that for every $1 spent on "tool time", $7 is spent on service costs associate with that work. Organizations need to aim for a safety excellence culture as this contributes to profitability and benefits employees and c ommunities. Safety excellence is the result of an effective safety management process. In order to monitor safety excellence, we will illustrate a system we call "The Safety Process Map".
This paper explores the deliverables generated by this map and the value they bring to turnarounds and shutdowns. These deliverables move beyond the standard Total Recordable Incident Frequency (TRIF) or Lost Time incidents reporting by auditing conformance to policies and procedure around activities like work permits issued and Confined Space Entry (CSE). Our position is that a process that can systemically identify when and why non-conformance to policy and procedure occur offers the opportunity for proactive mitigation activities. These proactive activities act on what we believe are often the root causes of negative incidents.
