Improving Conduct of Operations Using Best Practice Tools From Operating, Engineering, and Management Discipline

Improving Conduct of Operations Using Best Practice Tools from Operating, Engineering, and Management Discipline

Jerry Forest

Global Process Safety Manager

Celanese

1601 West LBJ Freeway

Dallas, TX  75234

(214) 417-1920

Jerry.forest@celanese.com

Abstract

Conduct of operations concerns how work is performed in a manufacturing unit with the overall objective of reducing the likelihood of human errors.  The terms operating discipline and engineering discipline describe how to bring a consistent approach to the various operations and engineering tasks.  With consistency and discipline in application, errors are reduced.  Management discipline is a new term described in this paper that details consistent systems that can be put into place by management to insure operating and engineering discipline are effective and continue to improve the process safety culture.

This paper will detail best practice tools that will help manufacturing sites make immediate improvements in the operating, engineering, and management discipline areas of conduct of operations.  Best practice areas covered include:

Operating Discipline – Shift instructions, shift notes, shift handover, development of operator evaluation rounds, abnormal event communications, equipment line-up and sample collection.

Engineering Discipline – Selection and monitoring of safe operating limits with documentation of technical basis, consequences of deviation and steps to correct and how these limits tie into operating discipline and alarm management.

Management Discipline – Continuity of operation, fatigue management, work environment, inspection of operating and engineering discipline, and incident management.

The presentation will highlight selected areas in the three conduct of operations disciplines described in the paper.