Justification for Process Safety Management. Chapter 1-6
Career Advancement
Most discussions to do with process safety take it for granted that the investment of time and money is worthwhile. It is implicitly assumed that process safety is a value that does not need to be explained or justified. It is its own justification.
Yet it has to be acknowledged that process safety programs are costly ― not just financially, but also in the time of qualified personnel. Furthermore, the time it takes to evaluate and implement changes, usually through the Management of Change program, can reduce the speed with which projects are implemented.
Another concern is that the existence of a process safety program also reduces the degree to which a company can claim force majeure. Had the program not been in place, management may claim that a serious accident could not have been foreseen ― it was an ‘Act of God’. That defense is weakened. It is therefore important to identify the benefits of process safety.
The most obvious benefit is that a process safety program will reduce the likelihood or consequences of a catastrophic event. It is accidents such as Piper Alpha, Bhopal and Deepwater Horizon that led to the creation of process safety standards. And we may find that events such as the 2023 derailment in East Palestine, Ohio could lead to the development of process safety regulations in the railroad industry. The catch is that catastrophic events such as these occur only rarely, so there is a temptation to put off investing in process safety ‘until we have the time’. This is why regulations are needed.
Non-regulatory justifications for process safety include fewer environmental problems, lower insurance costs, improved system availability, and an enhanced corporate reputation.
Another rarely discussed benefit of process safety is subjective, but it is important. Managers who run smoothly operating facilities are likely to see their careers advance. They are also likely to have a less stressful personal life, since they will not be constantly fire-fighting (sometimes literally). Crises always seem to occur on weekends. A manager who develops and runs an effective process safety program has shown that he or she is likely to be good at managing other activities.
The justification for Process Safety Management is career advancement.
