Modeling and optimizing efficiency gap between managers and operators in integrated resilient systems: The case of a petrochemical plant

The reliability issue in complex industrial systems such as oil, gas, petrochemical companies, nuclear and aviation industries has been of great importance. Resilience engineering (RE) is a new attitude toward the improvement of safety and reliability in the stated systems. One of the challenges a resilient system might face is the gap between work as imagined by managers and work as actually done by operators. This study will introduce a new framework named integrated resilience engineering (IRE) as a result of developing the concept of RE. The data used in this research have been obtained by means of questionnaire from a petrochemical company. Thereafter, the efficiency of operators and managers are calculated in RE and IRE frameworks through data envelopment analysis (DEA) approach. Then, the gaps between managers and operators are analyzed in two frameworks. The results are indicative of a significant growth in the number of efficient operators and managers in IRE framework compared to RE framework. Besides, the efficiency mean of managers and operators in IRE framework has experienced the growth of 1.8% and 5% compared to RE framework, respectively. The efficiency gap between managers and operators in IRE framework has also enjoyed the improvement of 88% compared to RE framework. Generally, it can be said that the suggested items of this research has led to the betterment of managers and operators’ efficiency and of the efficiency gap between them. Therefore, these items can improve the resilience and safety of complex systems. The results of Spearman test show that there is a strong direct correlation between the DEA results in two frameworks. This is the first study that examines the efficiency gap between operators and managers based on the RE principles and by means of DEA approach.     

Measuring and analyzing adaptive capacity at management levels of resilient systems

Resilience engineering (RE) is capable of handling disruptive events and controlling their consequences in process industries such as petrochemical plants. This study aims at analyzing the level of adaptive capacity and identifying effective factors on developing adaptive capacity in the organizational structure of process industries. The data of this study were obtained through direct observation and a structured questionnaire in a petrochemical plant. Managers at all levels participated in the survey. Data envelopment analysis (DEA), which is a mathematical approach, was used to compute and analyze the role of the factors contributing to adaptive capacity. The results indicated that reporting safety issues played a central role in enhancing adaptive capacity at all management levels. Both middle management and low-level management emphasized the importance of management commitment, whereas top-level management considered flexibility as a vital factor in managing disruptions and reducing accidents. The findings of this study could be useful for managers and other decision-makers to improve safety in process industries.     

Performance evaluation of integrated resilience engineering factors by data envelopment analysis: The case of a petrochemical plant

Petrochemical units are potentially prone to incidents that have catastrophic consequences such as explosion, leakage of toxic materials, and the stoppage of the production process. Resilience engineering (RE) is a new method that can control incidents and limit their consequences. It includes top-level commitment, reporting culture, learning, awareness, preparedness, and flexibility. However, this study introduces a new concept of RE (referred to as integrated RE or IRE) which includes the above factors in addition to self-organization, teamwork, redundancy and fault-tolerant. This study evaluates performance of IRE in a petrochemical plant through considering the obtained data from questionnaires and data envelopment analysis (DEA) approach. Moreover, the performance of RE and the new IRE are compared and discussed. The results show that although there is a strong direct correlation between the DEA results in two frameworks, the mean scores of efficiency in IRE is slightly higher than RE. This is the first study that introduces an integrated approach for RE. In addition, this study is amongst the first ones that examine the behavior of resilience engineering by DEA. Moreover, the superiority of IRE is shown through robust statistical analysis.     

Continuous performance assessment and improvement of integrated HSE and maintenance systems by multivariate analysis in gas transmission units

In this study, an integrated “Health, Safety, and Environment (HSE)” and maintenance systems are presented. Multivariate analysis is used for continuous performance assessment and improvement of these systems. The two subjects of “Maintenance System” and “HSE” have been individually investigated several times in different studies. However, few studies have been done to integrate these two systems and provide an integrated system for their implementation. This study evaluates current maintenance and HSE systems of a Gas Transmission Unit by Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) and Principal Component Analysis (PCA). Moreover, decision making units (DMUs) are examined and ranked. Employees are considered as DMUs. This is done through investigating and measuring their efficiencies and identifying the inefficient and less-efficient units. Since an increase in the number of inputs does not lead to an increase in the number of outputs with the same scale, an output-oriented DEA with a Variable Returns to Scale (VRS) is used. The Fuzzy DEA (FDEA) is also used in this research to decrease uncertainty existing in qualitative indicators and human error. Finally, suggestions are given to improve those DMUs. The managers and employees of the gas transmission unit constitute the statistical population of the study. To achieve the objectives of this study, standard questionnaires with respect to HSE and Maintenance system are completed by operators. The proposed approach would help policy makers and top managers of Gas Transmission Company to have a more comprehensive and thorough understanding the working conditions with respect to the maintenance and HSE features.     

A neuro-fuzzy algorithm for assessment of health,safety, environment and ergonomics in a large petrochemical plant

Process plants such as petrochemical units have been continuously trying to improve Health, Safety, Environment and Ergonomics (HSEE) programs. This study proposes an adaptive network-based fuzzy inference system (ANFIS) for assessment of HSEE programs in a petrochemical plant. The proposed neuro-fuzzy approach is applied to a set of operators in the petrochemical unit to show its applicability and superiority. To achieve the objectives of this study, standard questionnaires with respect to HSEE are completed by operators. The average results for each category of HSEE are used as inputs and accomplishment of HSEE programs is used as output for the algorithm. Moreover, this algorithm is used to rank operators performance with respect to HSEE. Finally, the algorithm identifies efficient operators with respect to HSEE. This is the first study that introduces an intelligence algorithm for assessment and improvement of HSEE program in a petrochemical plant.     

An entropy-based TOPSIS approach for analyzing and assessing crisis management systems in petrochemical industries

Crisis management systems should be assessed and updated in petrochemical industries due to hazards, such as fire and explosion. Successful crisis management systems can protect both personnel and property in the petrochemical industries. The present study aimed to assess crisis management systems of five petrochemical plants in terms of three aspects, including organizational aspects, human aspects, and technical aspects. A questionnaire was designed, encompassing 34 items to cover all three aspects at both management and staff levels. A multi-criteria decision making (MCDM) approach, including the entropy method and Technique for Order of Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS), was used to analyze the collected data. The outcomes of the entropy method indicated that organizational and human aspects had the greatest influence on crisis management systems of the plants with 58% and 49% importance at management and staff levels, respectively. The crisis management systems of the investigated plants were ranked and analyzed using the TOPSIS approach. The findings of this study could assist managers and other decision-makers to address the issues of crisis management systems in petrochemical industries.     

A framework for resilience assessment in process systems using a fuzzy hybrid MCDM model

Resilience engineering (RE) has recently emerged as a novel safety management paradigm in socio-technical organizations. It is believed that RE is more compatible with the characteristics of complex socio-technical systems. The multicriteria nature and the presence of both qualitative and quantitative latent factors make RE substantially more complex especially in quantifying and modeling aspects. To address this issue, the present research aims to develop a fuzzy hybrid multicriteria decision-making (MCDM) model for quantifying and evaluating resilience using the fuzzy Analytic hierarchy process (F-AHP) and fuzzy VIKOR (F-VIKOR) techniques. Initially, an evaluation framework including six resilience indicators and 43 sub-indicators was established. Afterward, the F-AHP method was used to determine the weight of the resilience indicators, while the F-VIKOR method was employed to rank the resilience performance of the different operational units. To present the model capability, we evaluated the resilience of a gas refinery as a typical instance of socio-technical systems. The findings revealed the performance level of resilience indicators in all units of the studied refinery and their ranking based on the computation of the index value (Qi). With respect to the Qi values, the best and worst performance of units from the resilience perspective was specified. Results indicate that the proposed model can serve as an effective evaluation approach in complicated systems and can be used to effectively design strategies to improve system safety performance. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study that evaluates the resilience using the VIKOR and AHP in a fuzzy environment in the process industry.     

3D可视化石化装置安全管理系统的开发

本文介绍了3D可视化石化装置安全管理系统构成、功能和实验途径，该系统将三维激光扫描和GIS技术运用于石化行业，通过数据处理建立石化装置测绘级精度、全尺寸、全真实体的三维数字模型，并通过添加GIS信息和设备属性信息，实现石化装置5D可视化管理、分层管理、设备检维修和施工改造模拟、事故影响范围及应急救援最佳路径模拟、工作人员仿真培训等安全管理模块，为石化企业设备管理提供了新的技术平台。     

A new approach for layout optimization in maintenance workshops with safety factors: The case of a gas transmission unit

In this study, an Integrated Simulation-Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) approach is presented for optimum facility layout of maintenance workshop in a gas transmission unit. The process of repair of incoming parts includes various operations on different facilities. The layout problem in this system involves determining the optimum location of all maintenance shop facilities. Layout optimization plays a crucial role in this type of problems in terms of increasing the efficiency of main production line. Standard types of layouts including U, S, W, Z and straight lines are considered. First, the maintenance workshop is modeled with discrete-event-simulation. Time in system, average waiting time, average machine utilization, average availability of facilities, average queue length of facilities (AL) and average operator utilization are obtained from simulation as key performance indicators (KPIs) of DEA. Also, safety index and number of operators are considered as other KPIs. Finally, a unified non-radial Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) is presented with respect to the stated KPIs to rank all layouts alternatives and to identify the best configuration. Principle Component Analysis (PCA) is used to validate and verify the results. Previous studies do not consider safety factor in layout design problems. This is the first study that presents an integrated approach for identification of optimum layout in a maintenance workshop of gas transmission unit by incorporating safety and conventional factors.     

基于三角模糊数的HAZOP分析在石油化工装置中的应用

工艺危害分析强调运用系统的方法对危害进行辨识、分析,并采取必要的措施消除和减少危害。HAZOP分析能对工艺过程非常系统、全面的进行分析,但传统的HAZOP分析在量化风险时,对于偏差原因发生的可能性评价存在较大的主观性。本文对于没有统计资料的HAZOP分析偏差原因发生可能性,采用专家打分法,利用三角模糊数来表示其模糊发生概率。对于有统计资料的偏差原因,直接表示成三角模糊数。这种方法能够很好的表示HAZOP分析偏差发生概率。介绍了基于三角模糊数的HAZOP分析步骤,并在石油化工装置中进行了应用。这对HAZOP分析技术在石油化工装置中的推广具有重要意义。     

Integrating major accidents hazard into occupational risk assessment: An index approach

Major Accident Hazard (MAH) and Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) are two separated topics in both industrial practice and legislation; recently, interest is increasing toward an integrated risk assessment mainly forced by the tendency to a more efficient safety management system. The present study proposes a semi-quantitative approach to integrate MAH in OSH risk assessment. The two risk types are characterized by opposite features: the OSH analysis is usually task-based and focused on job profiles, while the MAH analysis is space-based and focused on plant characteristics. The basic idea of the proposed approach is to merge spatial information and job profile features in order to improve OSH assessment; thus, a risk index derived by the recent standard ISO 12100 (2010) has been adapted. In detail, the proposed index combines exposure times of each worker at each plant unit – derived from the OSH analysis – with damage areas derived from MAH analysis allowing a quantitative assessment of the MAH risk level for each individual job profile. The model has been tested in a large petrochemical plant; several hypotheses have been developed in order to validate the model. Results have showed the potentiality of the proposed approach in providing a common and coherent representation of both MAH and OSH risks, according to job profiles and plant units.     

Building an Executive Information System for Maintenance Efficiency in Petrochemical Plants—An Evaluation

This study used the manufacturing process in the petrochemical industries as an example and developed a dedicated maintenance programme and executive information system (EIS) for this industry. The software for EIS was established on a CMMS platform, with logical and extractive analysis used to store the information in a KPI databank. The system developed can provide plant managers and engineers with a complete summary of information and keep them updated regarding the present status of their maintenance efforts. The objective of this study was to establish a management system for maintaining knowledge in the petrochemical industries, such as the management of standard operating procedures (SOPs), historical records and the analysis of data for the facility. To design the software, a review of petrochemical facility was purposed to enhance the maintenance efforts and facilitate the decision-making process. The main functions of the system include asset reliability analysis, failure analysis and maintenance benefit cost analysis. For the petrochemical industry, the impact of safety and environment caused by equipment malfunction is more substantial than that of other industries. If executives can manage essential points effectively and make decisions according to a key performance index, risks to safety and environment, which result from equipment malfunction, can be decreased and safety can be enhanced for petrochemical refineries.     

基于模糊数学的石化企业安全状况评估系统

针对石化企业安全信息存在模糊性和随机性的特点,提出了一个多因素多指标石化企业安全状况模糊综合评价算法,基于这种算法,设计了一个石化企业安全状况评估系统,以安全管理、工艺运行管理、设备运行管理、清洁生产、安全教育和人员素质等因素为系统的输入,运用模糊逻辑理论,结合专家评分,定量计算出石化企业的安全等级情况。系统充分考虑了多个安全因素对安全状况的影响,融合了主观判断和客观计算,解决了石化企业安全评价中多因素多指标带来的烦琐评价过程和复杂运算的问题,为石油化工企业的安全管理提供相关理论依据和实践支持。实际应用表明,其结果与实际情况较为符合,该方法可以较好的提高石化企业安全现状综合评价的客观性和准确性。     

石化企业安全投资状况评价研究

首先分析影响石化企业安全投资状况的不确定因素,在此基础上建立石化企业安全投资状况评价指标体系。运用集对分析理论的方法对某石化企业的安全投资状况进行评价。结果表明,集对分析理论适用于石化企业安全投资状况的评价,差异度i的取值可以反映出该石化企业的安全投资状况及其安全经济管理水平。影响石化企业安全投入状况的重要因素是石化企业安全设计投入、安全技术装备投入、安全科技研发投入、治理环境的投入、应急救援投入、事故导致企业停产损失投入等。     

石化企业火灾危险性模式识别模型研究

石化企业具有易燃、易爆危险性等特点,一旦发生事故,后果相当严重.考虑到影响石化企业火灾危险性因素较多,从生产过程、储存过程、运输过程、消防设施与安全管理五个方面探讨了石化企业火灾危险性模式,运用层次分析法确定了石化企业火灾危险性模式识别指标的权重.将SPA理论与最优化原理相结合,提出了同异反最优模式识别模型,并将其与现有的最大联系测度方法应用于某石化企业危险性模式识别中.实例应用表明,同异反最优模式识别模型从整体上判断石化企业危险性模式,较最大联系测度方法更为科学、合理.     

The impact of job security,satisfaction and stress on performance assessment and optimization of generation companies

In this study, performances of Iranian thermal power plants have been assessed with respect to human factors such as job stress, satisfaction and security through data envelopment analysis (DEA). In the first step performance of power plants (DMUs) have been evaluated considering traditional production factors including installed capacity, internal consumption and fuel consumption as inputs and gross production as output (model 1). In the next step, model 1 is expanded to include three above mentioned human factors (model 2). Power plants have been ranked based on their relative efficiency scores in both models. Pearson and Spearman correlation coefficients between relative efficiency scores and rankings of power plants in two models have been calculated. The results show that efficiency scores and rankings of power plants in two models are quite different indicating that mentioned human factors have direct impact on overall performance of generation companies and that if we were to use just traditional factors it would not reflect the optimum efficiency of the DMUs. Finally, job security has been found as the most effective human factor in Iranian power plants. This is the first study that presents an integrated approach for assessment of electric power plants considering job stress, security and satisfaction. And it is shown that these human factors play important role in overall performance of generation companies.     

Challenges in building resilience engineering (RE) and adaptive capacity: A field study in a chemical plant

Safety issue in a chemical plant is absolutely critical because loss of control can result in a catastrophic consequence which is not limited to the boundaries of the plant. Thus, a risk assessment system is required for (a) preventing accidents by anticipation, (b) surviving disturbances by recovery, and (c) handling disruptive events by adaptation. RE is a proactive approach claiming to achieve all these objectives. The present research tries to identify challenges in the procedure of building RE and its adaptive capacity in a chemical plant. Primary data were collected through on-site observations and interviewing personnel. The results indicated the main challenges could be classified into nine categories of: lack of explicit experience about RE, intangibility of RE level, choosing production over safety, lack of reporting systems, ‘religious beliefs’, out-of-date procedures and manuals, poor feedback loop, and economic problems. Finally, it is concluded that the management insight about safety in such systems should avoid hindsight bias and tend to create foresight. Changing this insight can lead to achieve high reliability and resilience in the plant.     

Prioritizing highway safety improvement projects: A multi-criteria model and case study with SafetyAnalyst

This paper presents a multi-criteria model for prioritizing highway safety improvement projects, in which a set of criteria related to the project’s technical, economic, and social impacts are properly weighted in consideration. The proposed model features an Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) framework to tackle the multi-criteria decision making problem. Different from the conventional AHP, this paper adds a fuzzy scale level between the criteria level and the alternative level, which offers the advantage of preventing the vagueness and uncertainty on judgments of the decision-maker(s). Such a unique modeling feature is further embedded with a non-linear optimization formulation to maximize the consistency in pair-wise comparison and weight estimation for each criterion. Case study results reveal that the proposed model is efficient not only for selecting the most suitable project for a specific site, but also for determining the priorities for implementing those suitable projects among multiple sites given the budget constraint. Comparative study between the proposed model and the existing ranking methods has also indicated its capability to capture the comprehensive impacts of all contributory factors which have been neglected by most existing single multi-criteria approaches during the safety project selection process. The clarity of model inputs, ease of synthesizing the final score of each candidate project, and the interpretation of results with respect to different selection criteria offer its best potential to be used as an effective tool for highway safety managers to assess and refine the safety improvement investments.     

Management walk-arounds: Lessons from the Gulf of Mexico oil well blowout

Many companies understand that good management requires senior managers to spend time with front line workers. Some companies build into performance agreements for senior managers a requirement that they conduct a certain number of such site visits each year. The challenge is to make productive use of these visits. Safety is often a focus for visiting VIPs, but too often safety is understood to be a matter of “slips, trips and falls”, rather than the major hazards that can blow the plant or the rig apart. This paper will examine a VIP visit made to the Deepwater Horizon rig by senior managers from BP and from the rig owner, Transocean, just hours before the explosion. It will argue that, despite their best of intentions, these managers fell into the trap identified above. The paper looks at things that senior managers can do to focus attention on the most significant hazards.     

石化企业安全链模型研究及应用

为增强石化企业安全管理能力,针对石化行业的特点、管理现状和国内外安全链理论的发展状况,运用系统思想并结合石化企业特征构建起融合安全要素和流程体系的安全链模型。安全要素由人、环境、信息、操作设备、运营设备、技术和管理等构成,流程体系由反映全生命周期的"提前行动、预防、准备、响应、恢复"等5个流程构成,2个维度的有机结合形成了安全链模型。运用该模型可以对影响石化企业安全生产的各要素和阶段予以准确定位。最后以宁夏石化公司为例,分析该模型在石化企业安全管理中的应用,实践表明其可以促进安全管理水平的提高。