Process Safety/Asset Integrity
Summary
As assets and facilities age, the need for excellence in Process Safety/Asset Integrity (PS/AI) becomes more and more critical. Focused management systems, integrity processes and activities, training, coaching and awareness are key fundamentals in successfully managing PS/AI risk. Risk Dimensions has worked with many organisations to identify PS/AI needs in addition to developing and implementing solutions.
Detailed Offering
There is often confusion about the difference between Process Safety and Asset Integrity. Basically they are one in the same thing: they both focus on the prevention and mitigation of unintentional releases of potentially dangerous materials or energy. In simple terms PS/AI management can be described as the establishment of a series of barriers, each of which can prevent the realization of a hazard and an incident. These barriers can be ‘hard’ (i.e. valves, vessels, alarms), ‘system’ (i.e. procedure, permits, rules), or ‘soft’ (i.e. people, behaviours, attitudes, competence, experience, commitment).
Many people, including leaders, find the concept of Process Safety and Asset Integrity difficult, especially when compared to occupational safety, which can be visually more identifiable. Our Risk Dimensions team has encountered this over many years and has delivered innovative solutions to clients in a number of locations. These include:
- Process Safety/Asset Integrity handbooks for leaders
- Major Accident Hazard Diagrams
- Innovative training in holistic Process Safety/Asset Integrity management
- PS/AI system development
- Root cause review and analysis of PS/AI incidents and near-hits
- Participation in Asset Integrity baseline assessments and Process Safety Integrity reviews
The financial benefit of robust Process Safety/Asset Integrity management should not be forgotten. The often-quoted statement that ‘safety is good business’ is equally relevant here. A plant or process with sound integrity achieved by good design, construction and commissioning, which is well-inspected and maintained and responsibly operated will reap financial awards.