Oil and gas industry safety indicator papers now online

If you weren’t able to make it to the Chemical Safety Board’s (CSB) public hearing this week in Houston, Texas, you can now access that papers that were presented at it online.

The two-day hearing focused on the CSB’s continued analysis of effective safety performance indicators. The Board also used it as an opportunity to release preliminary findings into the agency’s investigation of the Macondo well blowout, explosion and fire in the Gulf of Mexico.

Attendees listened to and participated in presentations and discussions on measuring process safety performance in high hazard industries, including the development and implementation of leading and lagging indicators, for effective safety management.

The first day of the hearing covered the downstream refining and petrochemical sector. It featured presentation by CSB staff on the Board’s evaluation of the American Petroleum Institute’s (API) Recommended Practice for Process Safety Performance Indicators for the Refining and Petrochemical Industries (ANSI/API RP 754). The creation of API RP 754 was an outcome of a CSB’s recommendation resulting from the agency’s investigation into the BP Texas City refinery fire and explosion that killed 15 workers and injured 180 others. The CSB found that safety performance indicators for major accident prevention were not being used to drive safety improvements. The lessons learned from other high hazard industries with advanced indicator programs were also discussed.

The second day included a presentation by CSB staff on preliminary findings on the use of safety indicators and major accident prevention from the Macondo incident. To date, the CSB has conducted numerous interviews and examined tens of thousands of documents from over 15 companies and parties in order to examine the use of safety indicators.

To access the materials presented during the hearing, click on the links below:

Using Performance Indicators to Drive Improvement: CSB Overview
Delivered by Don Holmstrom (CSB, Western Regional Director) and Kara Kane (CSB, Attorney-Advisor)

Summary of CSB Evaluation of ANSI/API Recommended Practice 754
Delivered by Manuel Gomez, Ph.D. (CSB, Director of Recommendations)

Safety Indicators for Offshore Drilling
A working paper for the CSB inquiry into the Macondo blowout by Andrew Hopkins

Process Safety Indicators for Major Accident Prevention
PowerPoint Presentation
Delivered by Kelly Keim, Vice Chair, ANSI/API Recommended Practice 754 Task Group

OSHA's Refinery and Chemical National Emphasis Program, PowerPoint
Delivered by Jordan Barab, Deputy Assistant Secretary, OSHA
CSB Meeting: Leading and Lagging Indicators Metrics, PowerPoint
Delivered by Kim Nibarger, United Steelworkers (USW) International Union

The Implementation of Effective Key Performance Indicators for Major Hazard Enterprises
PowerPoint Presentation
Delivered by Ian Travers, UK Health and Safety Executive (HSE)

Using Leading Indicators to Avoid Major Accidents
Statement by Hon. Jessie Hill Roberson, Vice Chairman of the U.S. Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board (DNFSB)

Reactor Oversight Process - Performance Indicator Program, PowerPoint
Delivered by  John W. Lubinski, Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC)

The Implementation of Effective Key Performance Indicators to Manage Major Hazard Risks
PowerPoint Presentation
Delivered by Martin Sedgwick (Scottish Power) and Angela Wands (Amor Group)

Offshore Safety Performance Indicators: Preliminary Findings from the Macondo Incident, Presentation
Delivered by Cheryl MacKenzie (CSB, Team Lead), Kelly Wilson (CSB, Investigator), and Don Holmstrom (CSB, Western Regional Director)

Lessons from the National Academies Report: Evaluating the Effectiveness of Offshore Safety and Environmental Management Systems
PowerPoint Presentation
Delivered by Ken Arnold, PE, NAE

Performance Indicators in Major Hazard Industries– An Offshore Regulator’s Perspective
A Discussion Paper for the US Chemical Safety Board by Ian Whewell

Safety Performance Indicators: The Workforce Perspective
Delivered by Jake Molloy, National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers (RMT)

Safety Performance Indicators as an Effective Way to Prevent Accidents
PowerPoint Presentation
Delivered by Roy Erling Furre, SAFE Union, Norway

Trends in Risk Level Norwegian Petroleum Activity (RNNP)
PowerPoint Presentation
Delivered by Øyvind Lauridsen, Petroleum Safety Authority Norway (PSA)

Safety Performance Indicators
Delivered by Lois Epstein, The Wilderness Society

Progress on Process Safety Indicators - Necessary but Not Sufficient?
PowerPoint Presentation
A Discussion Paper for the US Chemical Safety Board by Peter Wilkinson, Nortic Risk Solutions