Insight & Outlook | Safety enhancement
With respect to Industrial Loss Prevention, there is a host of proven and time-tested methodologies in vogue like Safety Tour & Observation Program (STOP), Inspection, Investigation, Technical Study, Survey etc. Each of these is significant/independent in its own way and complementary to the others. These facilitate the process of final and overall system safety audit of any organisation. Mostly the survey process is
Basically, surveys call for a total/ detailed/threadbare review of a single element, for instance, building, equipment, piping, an established procedure or activity etc, that involves either inherent or add-on safety concerns. A well-executed survey is expected to reveal as many aspects of Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats (SWOT). Once the needed level of satisfaction has been achieved
Preventing mishaps through hazard surveillance
installations delightfully end up with the discovery of ‘a topic a day’ in comparison to the limited scope of yearly, half yearly, monthly or weekly schedules as envisaged at the beginning.
The critical elements A modest effort has been made here to list out few indicative elements – main and sub-categories – deserving to be included in surveys pertaining to manufacturing industries in general and chemical units in specific. These are as follows: Buildings: Control rooms, workshops, foundries, laboratories, electrical substations, cellars, basement facilities, warehouses, vehicle parking lots, loading/ unloading gantries, service centres, canteens, temporary shelters created by contractors, vendors or other agencies (with permission from company management) due to exigency, etc come under this category. Structural work: This area includes pillars, beams, roofs, anchoring, pipe/cable racks, yard piping tracks, tank/equipment/ machinery supports, overhead equipment mountings, ladders, landing platforms, structural supports for fixed overhead cranes, elevator (men or material) suspension system or other installed lifting machines/tools/tackles etc. Equipment: Process vessels, feed purification/preparation units, reactors, distillation towers, kilns, heat exchangers, condensers, absorbers, coolers, other unit operation systems, collection pits, effluent
K N K Murthy
The success rate of any safety monitoring technique in chemical industry depends mainly on its relevance coupled with effective implementation, surveillance and sustainability. Some such techniques include inspection, investigation, survey etc. Here is an attempt to address survey as a potential safety enhancement tool. a corollary to the outcome of observations/ recommendations related to top managerial visits of workplace, other inspections by HSE professionals/plant engineers/ supervisors, special investigations, specific study reports, or recommendations from a final/comprehensive system audit.
by efficiently conducting few specifically identified surveys, one will be motivated to take up such thematic exercises in a phased manner through prioritisation based on hazard vulnerability. In such a marathon race for safety empowerment, it would not be surprising if major
54 | Chemical & Process World | June 2013
containment and treating equipment etc, are some of the elements in this area. Machinery: This comprises pumps, compressors, centrifuges, rotary driers, lifting machines/tools/tackles etc. Devices: Electrical/instrument devices like flame proof/intrinsically safe