Rail ruminations for process safety improvement

Process safety practices have undergone multiple refinements over the past few decades, but major accidents continue to occur. Most organizations strive to improve performance by strengthening existing methods or by adopting new and/or different approaches. Central to these continual improvement efforts is the practice of applying lessons learned as a means to drive out potential risk exposures. Often, lessons learned may be transferred from other industries; indeed, high-performing organizations regularly benchmark practices outside of their immediate industry.In pursuit of continual process safety improvement, this paper examines risk management practices in the Rail Industry, and explores how methods intended for managing passenger and public rail safety may be transferred to drive continual improvement of process safety. Rail safety has its roots in engineered safety solutions; modern practices have additionally embraced the human aspects of safety performance. A selection of approaches for rail safety assessment and risk management are described in three areas considered fundamental to safety management: management of systems, management of technology, and management of human elements. In light of these examples, the authors provide views regarding how the field of process safety management may leverage the rail experience.     

A survey-based system for safety measurement and improvement

PROBLEM:A task force sought to develop a method for safety measurement that is reliable and valid and provides a framework for improvement efforts. METHOD: Over a 10-year period, through working in a chemical company with about 6,000 employees and over 50 plants, the authors researched the use of employee surveys to measure safety and as a diagnostic tool for improvement efforts. RESULTS: The statistical studies indicate that this survey, which evolved from the Minnesota Safety Perception Survey, is both reliable and valid as a measurement tool. The survey measures important components of the management system including (a) management's demonstration of commitment to safety, (b) education and knowledge of the workforce, (c) effectiveness of the supervisory process, and (d) employee involvement and commitment. This study also describes anecdotal evidence that the diagnostic element of the survey enables the development of effective action plans to improve safety performance. This evidence includes ratings of the process by plant managers who have used it. IMPACT ON INDUSTRY: The survey and related methods have helped to improve safety performance in several companies.     

提高安全培训效果方法探讨

搞好安全生产技术培训必须加强安全生产培训工作,整合培训资源,完善培训网络,加大培训力度,提高培训质量。如何保证安全培训质量？如何提高安全培训的效果？这些问题是安全培训部门做好安全培训工作的重点。笔者认为提高安全培训效果应做好以下几项工作。     

Factors influencing the implementation of a safety management system for construction sites

The objective of the study was to determine the influential safety factors that governed the success of a safety management system for construction sites. The number of incidences among construction workers and the level of awareness on matters concerning safety were also determined. The study involved a self-administered three-part questionnaire among the workers and interviews with industry experts involved in brick-laying, concreting and in related assorted trades. Part A of the questionnaire concerned personal particulars, Part B involved training and experience and Part C was based on 28 industry-accepted safety factor elements. The construction sites ranged from high rise buildings, landed houses and infrastructure renovation. The sample size was 275. From the survey it was found that the most influential safety factor was personal awareness followed closely by communication. Suggestions and recommendations on equipment design and improved work practices and procedures to improve the efficiency and productivity of construction workers were proposed. Management was urged to get their workers better informed about safety matters.     

Fire protection as the underpinning of good process safety programs

This paper will provide an overview of the role of fire protection engineers in the mitigation phase of a process safety program. Fire protection engineers are involved in the assessment of hazards and the selection of fire protection strategies which can reduce the risk to an acceptable level according to the stipulated goals and objectives. Fire protection strategies may include the installation of a variety of approaches, such as passive and active fire protection systems, manual intervention and siting. Passive systems include fire rated barriers and protection of openings in those barriers, while active systems include systems such as fire detectors and sprinklers. Manual intervention may include the manual activation of fixed fire protection systems or firefighting activities by facility fire brigades or municipal fire departments. The manual firefighting activities are typically considered to be in the ‘response’ phase.     

Continuous improvement and existing safety systems

This paper highlights some of the issues facing owner/operators when attempting to align personnel, procedures, and equipment to achieve cost effective and safe operating performance. Each issue is presented using simple and practical thoughts toward life, collected from fortune cookies consumed during the technical editing of CCPS's Guidelines for Safe and Reliable Instrumented Protective Systems (2007).     

提升企业安全管理绩效的探索与思考

安全是企业管理综合水平的反映.安全管理绩效的提升取决于观念的转变和基础安全的建设.本文经过作者多年安全生产管理的实践和思索,论述了安全管理如何从人治向法治转变;从被动防范向主动控制转变;从阵发性整治向制度化转变;从事后查处向事前预防转变;从以控制伤亡事故为主向全面做好本质安全工作转变的问题,试图进一步探究安全生产工作发展的路径和深层次内涵.     

Threat perception and the readiness to participate in safety programs

Reacting to a perception of threat, workers can become fatalistic or increase their readiness to participate in plant safety programs. A field study of 396 production workers at eight factories tested key relationships derivable from this assumption. Workers were found to be particularly sensitive to presumed personal jeopardy from existing safety hazards. These threat perceptions were tied to previous encounters with accidents and to training for a specific task. In contrast, occupational climates seen as supportive to safety efforts did not effect personal threat evaluations. Safety instruction and co-worker support were established as complementary factors that moved workers toward an activist path of participation rather than a fatalistic acceptance of an existing situation. While relationships were primarily investigated on an individual level, special conditions at certain enterprises were found to influence worker willingness to become involved in safety endeavors.     

企业有效落实安全生产责任主体实践

先进的理念、科学的管理及班组自主活动是企业有效落实安全生产责任的三大支柱.一个良好的企业氛围是实现科学管理和推进班组自主活动的基础和前提,间时科学的管理和班组自主活动的开展对形成良好的企业氛围起到积极有效的促进作用.本文同时系统地介绍了如何实现科学管理、推进班组自主活动的一些具体方法和手段.     

企业安全生产标准化与安全文化建设结合实施模式探讨

目前大多数企业依据国家、行业以及地方政府的要求,分别开展企业安全生产标准化和安全文化建设工作.两项工作分别开展,固然有利于工作的针对性和专注性,但由于忽视了两项工作之间的内在联系,使得在实际操作中缺乏科学合理的统筹安排,要么仅仅流于形式,要么造成时间、精力、物力、财力上的浪费,达不到应有成效.如果将两项工作结合在一起实施,不仅符合系统安全管理的规律,而且可以起到相互促进的作用.通过分析两项工作的一般流程和内容,提出二者结合的实施模式,试图为企业安全生产标准化和安全文化建设的实施提供参考.     

凝析油储罐运行中的安全问题及改进

据国际国内关于油品储罐的事故统计和分析，拱顶储油罐的事故率最高，可见该类型储罐风险大，由于影响储罐安全运行的因素很多，任何一个环节出问题，都可能引发重大事故。本文就凝析油罐运行6年来，从储罐腐蚀、浮盘质量及安全环保方面所发现和整改的实际情况，在设计和施工中遗留的问题进行深入分析，提出改进措施，为类似的储罐设计施工及管理提供参考。     

Organizational prerequisites for the implementation of systematic health, environment and safety work in enterprises

The Norwegian internal control (IC) regulation, which was set into force in 1992, has received attention because preventive health and safety systems have become mandatory for every enterprise, regardless of size and business. Enterprises are expected to implement proper systematic actions to ensure that the enterprise operates in accordance with requirements specified in laws and regulations in the health, environment and safety (HES)¹ domain. The present study was conducted in order to find out what organizational factors are feasible in predicting success in managing systematic HES work. The study focuses on enterprises' experiences in their efforts to implement IC of HES. The results showed that 45% of the companies in Norway had implemented IC 4 years after the onset of the regulation. A total of 36% were under way, while 19% had not started yet. In 1993 the corresponding figures were 8%, 25% and 67%, respectively. Available internal HES competency with professional training was the strongest predictor for success in managing systematic HES work. Thereafter followed factors like external push and pull factors (customers, labor inspection and business partners). Time elapsed since implementation of the regulation was also of importance.     

全国安全生产调查信息系统设计与实现

为对我国安全生产基本情况的全面掌握和风险评估分析,按照“风险优先”原则,实现对重大事故风险的重点监管与控制,研制了全国安全生产调查信息系统。系统采用Struts结构,运用XMLHTFP组件,应用Ajax技术等关键技术和普遍受欢迎B／S模式,实现了企业端信息填写和数据卜报,政府端审核评分、查询和统计分析等功能。系统设计合理,操作简单,便于维护,实用性强,为建立全国安全生产基本情况数据库奠定了基础。     

An algorithm for assessing the risk of traffic accident

INTRODUCTION: This study is aimed at developing an algorithm to estimate the number of traffic accidents and assess the risk of traffic accidents in a study area. METHOD: The algorithm involves a combination of mapping technique (Geographical Information System (GIS) techniques) and statistical methods (cluster analysis and regression analysis). Geographical Information System is used to locate accidents on a digital map and realize their distribution. Cluster analysis is used to group the homogeneous data together. Regression analysis is performed to realize the relation between the number of accident events and the potential causal factors. Negative binomial regression model is found to be an appropriate mathematical form to mimic this relation. Accident risk of the area, derived from historical accident records and causal factors, is also determined in the algorithm. The risk is computed using the Empirical Bayes (EB) approach. A case study of Hong Kong is presented to illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed algorithm. RESULTS: The results show that the algorithm improves accident risk estimation when comparing to the estimated risk based on only the historical accident records. The algorithm is found to be more efficient, especially in the case of fatality and pedestrian-related accident analysis. IMPACT ON INDUSTRY: The output of the proposed algorithm can help authorities effectively identify areas with high accident risk. In addition, it can serve as a reference for town planners considering road safety.     

Designing continuous safety improvement within chemical industrial areas

This article provides support in organizing and implementing novel concepts for enhancing safety on a cluster level of chemical plants. The paper elaborates the requirements for integrating Safety Management Systems of chemical plants situated within a so-called chemical cluster. Recommendations of existing Plant Safety Management System Codes of Good Practice are analyzed in relation to the needs of cluster chemical safety. The paper establishes comprehensive guidelines for gradually standardizing Plant Safety Management Systems through the design, the development and the installation of a Cluster Safety Management System within a group of chemical companies. A cluster organization framework is proposed and a scheme for continuously improving cluster and plant safety management via communication and cooperation at plant department level as well as at cluster level is suggested.     

旧工业建筑再生利用项目施工安全的评价及改进

针对旧工业建筑再生利用项目施工过程中存在诸多安全隐患的问题,首先,结合此类项目遗留工业垃圾冗杂、施工场地狭窄、部分构件拆换、大型机械使用受限的施工特点从4MTE角度构建施工安全评价指标体系。然后,在考虑指标赋权的主客观综合性与评价工作的未确知性后,建立了基于结构熵权法与未确知测度理论的旧工业建筑再生利用项目施工安全评价模型,并通过工程实例验证该模型,得出的评价结果与实际情况相符。最后,结合未确知测度单因素指标测度函数的特点,提出了施工安全管理改进策略的制定方法。     

提高执行力 保障安全生产

以济钢的车间安全管理为例，论述了提高执行力对保障企业安全生产的重要性。     

Systematic review on the implementation methodologies of inherent safety in chemical process

The accomplishments of inherent safety in the field of loss prevention thus far are impressive due to its scientific philosophy: reducing risks at source rather than adding engineered and procedural protections. Generally, the implementation of inherent safety can be done through a cohesive set of fourteen principles elucidated by Kletz and Amyotte. This work, guided by the fourteen principles, presents a systematic review on the implementation methodologies of inherent safety. Firstly, PRISMA procedure was adopted to select eligible literatures according to inclusive and exclusive criteria. After obtaining the selected literatures, the preference, level of application, and gaps in using these principles were critically analyzed. Of the fourteen principles, intensification, substitution, attenuation, simplification, limitation of effects, and avoidance of knock-on effects are preferable to implementing inherent safety in chemical process. Although the remaining principles are also potentially useful, they are not commonly used due to their costs and complexities of implementation. Overall, this work presents a complete spectrum to look across the implementation methodologies of inherent safety and concludes with some holistic and inclusive approaches as future research recommendations.     

企业外用工安全管理探讨

企业用工制度改革后,外用工越来越多,给企业安全管理带来了许多新的问题。叙述了对外用工安全管理中存在的问题,提出了改进措施。