Implementing process safety critical roles to reduce risk

In late 2014, Woodside commenced the implementation of the Energy Institute Process Safety Management (PSM) Framework to transform how process safety is managed in the organisation. The framework consists of four focus areas and 20 elements which formed a structure around which a cultural change to a ‘line led, risk based’ approach was made. The transformation focused on four key improvement opportunities: (i) consistent multi-disciplined risk assessments, (ii) efficient management of safety critical devices, (iii) better recognition of excursions beyond integrity limits and (iv) lift and formalise the capability of people to lead and deliver superior process safety performance. The first three focused on tools and methodologies – the PSM ‘system’. The capability workstream considered the people aspect of process safety, so that people understand and are able to execute their role in the overall process safety effort. This paper discusses the capability workstream in Woodside’s PSM Initiative, the ‘how’ of establishing process safety critical roles and implementing cultural change. It then discusses the demonstrable improvements and reduction in risk that were realised and measured, using lagging indicators (Tier 1 and 2 events) and a suite of leading indicators.