resource 19n4 special focus hse

7/31/2019 Resource 19n4 Special Focus Hse

1/17

THE MAGAZINE FOR MALAYSIAN PETROLEUM CLUB MEMBERS (MALAYSIA)

VOLUME 19 NO. 4 KDN: PP 7878/12/2012 (031611)


2/17

specialfocus

23

HSE the hard facts


3/17

24

As they say, the world is getting smaller and news

travels fast, especially sensational and dramaticstories on major industrial accidents. In recenttimes, there have been a number of major accidentsthat have put the spotlight on HSE and effectiveimplementation of its guidelines and policies. Infact, safety at work has received so much attentionthat now, when we leave our homes to go to work especially if that involves going to a petrochemicalplant or an offshore facility our minds race througha long list of probable dangers; our families, on theother hand, worry that we might suffer the same fateas the unfortunate accident victims they see in thenews.

The reality is that oil and gas has become a multi-billion dollar industry, but the growing investmentin HSE has not guaranteed a totally safe workingenvironment. So we continue to push for answersbecause the industry must have zero tolerance foraccidents.

It is essential that HSE is made the cornerstone ofthe industry. There should be a partnership with allthe stakeholders, businesses, and every individualworking in this eld.

The industry has also seen increasing implementation

of innovation and technology. But although the besttechnology combined with the best work systemscan help to achieve our HSE goals, managing humanfactors and failures is also essential in preventingany untoward incidents. The workforce must becompetent to ensure that all operations are performedin a safe environment with no room for risk anderrors.

HSE standards and their implementation need tobe regularly reviewed for improvement no matterhow miniscule the changes are. There are alwayslessons to be learnt from each incident or a potentialaccident. And major disasters must surely be viewedas game-changers to business-as-usual.

Since 1950, the International Labour Organization(ILO) and the World Health Organization (WHO)have shared a common denition on occupationalhealth. It was adopted by the Joint ILO/WHOCommittee on Occupational Health at its rst sessionin 1950 and revised at its twelfth session in 1995.

The denition reads, Occupational health shouldaim at: The promotion and maintenance of thehighest degree of physical, mental and social well-being of workers in all occupations; the preventionamongst workers of departures from health caused bytheir working conditions; the protection of workersin their employment from risks resulting from factors

A cornerstone of the industry


4/17

specialfocus

25

adverse to health; the placing and maintenance of theworker in an occupational environment adapted tohis physiological and psychological capabilities; and,to summarise, the adaptation of work to man and ofeach man to his job.

The main focus of occupational health is on threedifferent objectives: (i) the maintenance andpromotion of workers health and working capacity;(ii) the improvement of working environments andwork to become conducive to safety and healthand (iii) the development of work organisations andworking cultures in a direction which supports healthand safety at work and in doing so, also promotes a

positive social climate and smooth operations whichmay enhance productivity of the undertakings. Theconcept of working culture is intended in this contextto reect the essential value systems. Such a culture isreected in practice in managerial systems, personnelpolicy, principles for participation, training policiesand quality management of the undertaking.

It is impossible to eliminate all risks that can existin the workplace. Instead, it is absolutely importantthat everyone remains responsible and takes sensibleactions to reduce the room for error. BY SOFIYANYAHYA


5/17

26

PETRONAS may have chosen a rather unconventional way of

conveying the safety message, but HSE is certainly no laughing

matter in the national oil company.

A humourous take on


6/17

specialfocus

27

For most people, the daily commute to work ishabitual. You get ready, you get on the train,and you grab your morning coffee while jugglingyour BlackBerry and briefcase and trying to readthe morning headlines. You arrive at your cluttereddesk, fuss about getting your laptop switched on

while sending out messages on BB Messenger(BBM) to colleagues. Your head is down, your

ngers busily texting and so you trip over anexposed cable, hit your head on a steel cabinetand pass out.

Youve hardly given that harmless-looking cabineta second thought you see it every day in the

corner and never imagined it could cause yousuch pain and suffering until it literally hits you on


7/17

28

the head. In fact, most of us hardly give a thoughtto the potential risks to our safety, particularlywhen we are on BBM with the boss while drivingor walking!

Amusing as these examples may seem, failure to

be alert to your surroundings and understandingthe implications of your actions can prove fatal,

especially for those of us working in high-risk jobslike in the oil and gas industry.

With this in mind, PETRONAS sought tointernalise a safety-rst mentality that takes intoaccount all aspects of the workplace environment

using a platform that everyone, including ourcontractors, can relate to humour. PETRONAS


8/17

specialfocus

29

commissioned Malaysias celebrated cartoonistDatuk Mohd Nor Khalid, better known as Lat,to bring to life the Group Health, Safety andEnvironment (GHSE) Zero Tolerance Rules in2010 through two cartoon characters, ZeTo andTuah.

Tuah depicts any one of us at the workplace whileZeTo is a character made up of a set of PersonalProtection Equipment (PPE) that constantlyreminds Tuah about safety. The objective of thisapproach was to help make the HSE culturesecond nature to everyone in the organisation,

including contractors.


9/17

30

Through a series of sketches, ZeTo Rulessupplement governing safety rules and regulationsimposed by PETRONAS at all times. It basicallytargets safety awareness on three levels namelyequipment, processes and most importantly,people. All of these contribute to total safety in

PETRONAS operations. Conveying what couldor would happen if you carry out unsafe activitiesthrough these visually appealing illustrations

enhances HSE awareness and inculcates a HSEmindset, and allows the lessons learnt to beretained more effectively.

Safety simply makes good business sense becausein the oil and gas industry, a major HSE incident

can lead to massive nancial loss, loss of life,irreversible environmental damage and a dent onthe companys reputation.


10/17

specialfocus

31

By doing things differently in a content-heavyand dry, policy-driven environment, PETRONAShas successfully begun incorporating ZeToRules as part of its Group HSE Policy towardsachieving zero fatalities and zero accidents orincidents Group-wide. As HSE numbers are

mere manifestations of entrenched mindsets,PETRONAS, through its ZeTo Rules, hopes to

ingrain in its work culture the fact that an HSEmindset is integral to business sustainability.

In a wider context, these rules also createawareness across a broader audience includinganyone who might be tempted to use his harmless

BlackBerry in an unsafe manner.


11/17

32

training behind the controls of a crane can puteveryone within the danger zone at risk. Onecareless mistake could injure or even causefatalities. Crane training programmes are designedto teach operators how to properly set up thecrane, the dangers involved with crane operation,and how to ensure proper rigging.

Another Safety Flash from the Marine SafetyForum reported that in January 2011, some gasbottles on a rack had slipped and tipped overduring ofoading from the supply vessel onto therig. Again it was fortunate that no one was killedor injured but the incident could have resulted inserious personal injuries to the cargo handlers orvessel crew as well as caused severe damage toequipment (source: www.marinesafetyforum.org).

The main concerns identied were inadequatecommunication, including tool-box talks andsafety briengs between the vessel crew and

cargo handlers, and a failure to identify potentialhazards during lifting operations.The same forum reported that later in the year,a crewman suffered a minor crush injury whenhis hand got caught between two objects duringlifting operations. The incident occurred whensome oil drums were being positioned on therig deck using a crane, with the support of twodeck crew. One was handling the tag line whilethe other was acting as the lift supervisor orbanksman, equipped with a radio to communicatewith the crane operator. While manoeuvringthe oil drums, the two crew members attemptedto man-handle the drums horizontally withoutslewing the crane jib. The banksman startedpushing the drum while the other pulled on thetag line. The banksman then radio-ed the crane

An IMCA Safety Flash headline in January 2012read Near Miss: Crane Hook Block Droppedto Deck. The announcement reported an incidenton board a vessel in which a crane winch wireparted and the hook block was dropped to deck.The incident occurred when the crane operatorbegan to extend the jib of the crane withoutletting out the winch wire at the same time. Theextending jib caught the hook block and causedthe crane winch wire to part. The hook block,weighing 30kg, dropped onto the deck froma height of 10 metres. Luckily, there were noinjuries (source: www.imca-int.com).

Following an investigation, it was revealed thecrane operator was not paying proper attentionto the extending jib. Whats worse was the factthat the crane operator had not informed hissupervisor of the work to be done and that theoperator was working alone with no one elsewatching or supervising whilst the crane was

being operated.

In the last several years, there has been anincrease in the number of serious injuries anddeaths that have resulted from crane accidentsreports Chris Jackson, a Californian industrylawyer who has done much research on thesubject matter. These accidents have mainlyoccurred due to tilting, collapses, overloading,mechanical failures, operator errors, improperrigging, falling equipment, working in poorweather conditions, and lack of proper operatortraining.

Jackson further reiterates that due to the highrisk of crane operation, more employers havestarted to invest in better crane accident trainingprogrammes. Putting a person with inadequate

Accidents at job sites:

who is accountable?By Nazrin A. Kudus, OPITO


12/17

specialfocus

33

operator and asked him to hoist the drum slightly,totally unaware at the time that the hoist wire wascaught on the container. This caused the drum totweak the supervisors hand between the drumand container.

Investigations uncovered that the underlyingcause of the accident was the workers failureto follow company procedures, and that riskassessments were not performed prior to criticalheavy lifting being carried out. Other factorsinclude lack of safety awareness for themselvesand toward the surroundings as well as a of lackof training.A study was conducted in May 2009 by John

Hare, PhD of the British Health and SafetyLaboratory titled The Underlying Causes ofOffshore Incidents for the Offshore IndustryAdvisory Committee (OIAC) to provide analysesof the causes of offshore incidents. The study,which was based on incidents occurring over theperiod between 2004 and 2008 revealed someinteresting ndings with regards to injuries (andfatalities) befalling personnel involved in liftingand handling activities.

Out of nearly 70 cases, the study found thesecond most common type of incident offshorewas injuries sustained while handling and lifting.With over 10 cases, these types of accidents weresecond only to incidents where injuries werecaused by ying or falling objects (double thenumber of instances).

Further, the analysis found that some of theunderlying factors for accidents were in orderof importance inadequate hazard analysis orrisk assessment; inadequate supervision; lackof or inadequate operating procedures; and

The global oil and gas industry is currently drivinghome the importance of formal competence training andcertications for personnel involved in high-risk activities

inadequacies in the Permit-to-Work process. Therecommendations that came out of the reportwere, among others, to pay closer attention andcarry out stricter supervision on the Permit-to-Work process, adherence to regulations such asthe Management of Health and Safety at WorkRegulations (MHSWR) and Lifting Operationsand Lifting Equipment Regulations (LOLER). Itsuggested further work also ought to be done ondeveloping specic guidance and regulations withrespect to activities involving handling and heavylifting.Moving forward, one of the initiatives the globaloil and gas industry is currently undertaking is todrive home the importance of formal competence

training and certications for personnel involvedin high risk activities. Suggestions includeparticipating in courses that abide by the NationalOccupational Standards for Offshore CraneOperations, the OPITO approved Banksman &Slinger and the Rigger Competence training,to name a few. The training programmes aredesigned to ensure candidates demonstratecompetence in high-risk activities in order tocontribute to an efcient and effective workenvironment. The objective is also to provide adetailed background and know-how as to how tooperate efciently.

Having said that, the burden should not onlybe put on employees; employers should also beaccountable for their workforce and equipment.In many instances, crane injuries are due to anemployers negligence or leniency with regards tofrequent and thorough inspections. Both partiesmust be aware that no matter what the cause ofthe accident is, the outcome can be devastating.

For more information on OPITO approved standardsand training courses, please visit www.opito.com


13/17

34

Finding the best

HSE managementsystem

With HSE systems, specically electronicPermit-to-Work (PTW) and Safety, startingto gather momentum in the industry, there are a

handful of solutions that are gaining a footholdglobally. But the problem with the majority ofthese systems is that they are rigid in their designand the processes they provide. Many safety rulesand processes differ dramatically, even within thesame industrial sectors, so how can one designpossibly offer safety solutions for all environmentswithout adapting to localised processes,regional safety rules and specic environmentalrequirements?

By SIMON TOWARD, ENGICA TECHNOLOGYSYSTEMS INTERNATIONAL, UK


14/17

specialfocus

35

Lets start by explaining Electronic PTW andSafety systems. These are computerised softwaresolutions that assist in process safety management

compliance and management of workplace safetypermits and their associated safety requirementstraditionally controlled via certicates (likeIsolations, Diving, Excavation, Conned SpaceEntry etc). Safety systems identify where potentialconicts may occur, and offer a guide via anestablished step-by-step process outliningminimum requirements and the necessary checksand approvals by authorised safety professionals.Of course there is also the added benet of

monitoring and analysing the data in the systemfor unsafe trends, bottlenecks and information forauditing. All this helps the company to monitor

and achieve its HSE targets and regulatoryrequirements.

Now that we have established what these systemscan do, let us look at why many systems havea rigid design. Most of the systems available inthe market today started as safety systems in aparticular environment or site and have beenmarketed from there. Many of the better knownones started life in the oil and gas industry andhave been designed and built around oil andgas processes in a specic area. Although thesesystems look good, they need to be adapted to anestablished companys working practices. Usingthem outside of their designed environment isdangerous as one cannot assume what works forone industry in one part of the world will alsodo for another industry elsewhere. Upstreamsafety processes and rules do not match those foroffshore, or for mining, distribution pipelines oreven exploration.

This may sound like Im against electronic safetysystems but nothing could be further from thetruth. Any system that can make a job easier,create awareness on potential conicts, provideinformation on current activities and trace

information, sounds fantastic. One can never puta price on a system that could potentially save alife or prevent an accident.


15/17

36

The upgrades are also simple to address as tool-based congurationsusually store the changes as data which can be simply re-loadedafter a core is upgraded. So all that needs to be done is choose aexible system that offers the required features within a budget.Although these systems vary greatly in price, some are denitelyworth the money. And because of the congurability of somesystems, they allow implementation in stages. As the systemproves its worth and as people become more comfortable with itsimplementation, they can then move to the next stage and enhancethe system to t what suits them best.

Another thing to look out for when choosing such systems is theirability to talk with other devices and systems. Some key areas ofinterest for distribution, mining and utility companies are the use ofGIS to track activities remotely and visually. This is needed becauseof the vast size of the sites or pipelines. RFID tags (Radio-FrequencyIdentication systems) are often used to achieve this.

Mobility is also important for many industries as safety work is doneon the site not in an ofce, so look for systems that can operate overthe web or on mobile devices. This is a subject that deserves a fullarticle written about it all on its own.

CMMS and DMS integrations are also important to stop doubleentry of information. Direct interface capability to devices for

gas testing that can detect discrepancies prior to entering aconned space or starting a potential job are other things tolook at.

Not all of these things are needed for all companies so choosewhat is best for you but always keep in mind that the industryis constantly evolving and you need an application that willevolve with it unless you want to reinvent the wheel everyfew years. A little bit of thought and investigation at the startcan mean big savings and fewer headaches further down theroad.

The solution is simple select a system that canbe adapted to your environment and safe workingpractices and rules. Such systems do exist.But these systems take forever to program anddebug and get working and I can never upgrade toa newer version because I have a one-off customdesign. That may sound familiar but is not at alltrue as modern systems with a well-designed coreallow screens, processes and rules to be builtusing simple visual tools. In many cases, a fullsystem can be created in a matter of a few monthsby using tools, core processes and changes whichare stable, efcient and already established. Thetraining is then greatly simplied as the design isfrom the site and is often an enhanced copy of theexisting paper system.

This also means that e-learning or ComputerBased Training (CBT) solutions can be utilised tosave on mass re-training efforts and easier MOC.


16/17

specialfocus

37

Engaging hearts and minds

ExxonMobil is raising the bar on safety so that it is seen as partof its organisational culture, says Grace choo.

Security, Safety, Health and Environment (SSHE) performance isan integral part of any companys operations in the oil and gasbusiness. Some multinationals are starting to even make it part oftheir organisational culture. One such company is oil and gas giantExxonMobil, which emphasises a bottom-up approach when itcomes to SSHE.

According to Grace Choo, SSHE Manager at ExxonMobilExploration and Production Malaysia Inc., Safety standards areapplicable to everyone, from new hires right up to our Chairman.For example, we encourage our employees and contractors to beaware of the hazards around them and intervene when they seeunsafe behaviour. During a visit to one of our offshore platforms, anew personnel reminded the Chairman that he had yet to put on hissafety glasses when he was stepping out of the living quarters intothe work area. The new employee was thanked and appreciated forhis intervention.

Grace explains that the company has devised awareness campaignsthat focus on the cultural transformation of what she describesas engaging the hearts and minds towards SSHE. She aims to

ensure that safety is paramount for every person that comes intoExxonMobils premises. Part of the culture of safety is ensuring thatcaring for someone elses safety should not be seen as a duty ora job, but rather as a core value. It is part of our human nature tovalue life, regardless of whether we are on or off the job.

This includes ensuring the wellbeing of workmates, family and thepeople around you, she says. Recently, we personalised safetyto yet another level by asking employees to identify the top vepersonal risks that can affect them on a daily basis, including those


17/17

38

risks outside the workplace. Forme, that includes commutingto and from work via the publicLight Rail Transit. Im exposedto snatch thieves, pickpockets

and run the risk of beingknocked down by a speedingvehicle while crossing the road.To reduce my risks, I dont carrya handbag, and dont keep myphone in my pocket. While inthe kitchen, I use knives so Iremind myself to never multi-task when using sharp objects.Another personal risk is workingat the computer for longstretches at a time. We havea software programme in thecomputer that will remind us

to take breaks, and I disciplinemyself to comply with it, evenwhen the work is urgent, saysGrace.

She is quick to point out thatone successful approach toelevating safety has beenidentifying three Safety FocusAreas for the organisation based on incident learnings fromprevious years. For 2011, for example, ExxonMobil focused onbeing the best-in-class for rst-line supervisor effectiveness, shortservice workers and pre-job planning.

The primary role of rst-line supervisors is to keep people safe.These supervisors have typically 10 to 12 workers under theirinuence. They are the role models for the safety values we as acompany believe in. So we have workshops and coaching to helpthem be effective in that role, says Grace.

The second focus is on short-service workers who are new to thecompany and its organisational culture. Every new worker hasto undergo induction training before getting permission to workoffshore. In addition, the new worker is assigned a buddy, a redhard hat (much like the P sticker for a new driver) and undergoescoaching until graduation from the short service work programme.

Thirdly, the company looked at pre-job planning which isfundamental to doing an activity safely. The process steps typicallyinvolve a leader and his/her work team assessing the job steps, thehazards associated with each step and how they as a team willwork to reduce the risks as the job progresses. Everyone is expectedto know their role and work together to do an activity safely. Weempower the workers by giving them a Stop Work card signed bythe Chairman which they can use anytime should they feel a jobstep or a situation is unsafe. If in doubt, stop.

As a result of these Safety Focus Areas and other campaigninitiatives, the company improved its overall safety performance by50% last year. We believe all injuries are preventable. Last years

efforts united everyone and it was a tremendous success, saysGrace.

Besides safety, Grace sharesExxonMobils efforts onprotecting the environment.We have an initiative wherewe get the eld technicians

to form a network called thespill-buster team and their jobis to nd creative ways to stopeven the smallest drips anddrops into the sea. This has beenproven successful and we havesignicantly reduced minordrops by 50% since 2009.

We also educate ouremployees on the importance ofsegregating work-related wasteoffshore. So, nothing goes to thesea except for biodegradable

food waste. We also managearing of gas. Most arecompressed for re-injection intothe ground or sold but we havesome excess that is burned forsafety reasons. It must be keptto a minimum in accordancewith PETRONAS guidelines,explains Grace, who is also

responsible for the organisations emergencyresponse, environment and regulatory affairs.

She is also the company representative in

trade organisations such as the Federation ofMalaysian Manufacturers, Petroleum Industry ofMalaysia Mutual Aid Group (Oil Spill Responsecooperative) and Technical/Planning Leader forthe ExxonMobil Asia Pacic Regional ResponseTeam.

In Graces opinion, it is hard to describe health,safety and environment in economic termsbecause it is more of a moral obligation.

For us, we cannot assign a dollar value toanything that hurts people, the environmentand health. Our business goal is to produce oil

and gas safely and reliably for the country thatwe operate in. We need to factor into the basecost that we will invest in safety, health andenvironmental protection.

Our vision is the same universally: Nobodygets hurt, which is a lofty but achievable goal.For ExxonMobil in Malaysia, our next step is aplan to conduct a safety culture survey. This isan attempt to measure hearts and minds and theorganisations perception of safety. Through this,we hope to see our strengths and weaknesses inthe safety programmes and work to continuously

improve our journey toward a hurt-freeenvironment, she concludes.

resource 19n4 special focus hse

Documents