Benchmarking Process Safety Programs

PresentationThe concept of informal benchmarking is a natural process of sharing and exchanging information on a subject of mutual interest among peers within and even outside one's company. However, only some corporations for significant business functions usually do the formal benchmarking procedures (Fig.1) described in this paper because of the significant benefits (Figs. 2 and 3). In applying benchmarking concepts to process safety, this paper is largely excerpted from and based on the general principles discussed in Robert C. Camp's book on "Benchmarking, The Search For Industry Best Practices That Lead To Superior Performance" (Ref.1). For process safety too, benchmarking has been used informally for many years. Edinburgh-based Safety, Health, and Environment Intra Industry Benchmarking Association (SHEiiBA) (www.sheiiba.org) is the first organization to be almost entirely involved with benchmarking HSE programs. Benchmarking Process Safety Programs is intended to provide HSE professionals with a mechanism to benchmark their own process safety programs, resources and performance with companies from their own and other industry sectors. The principle is that of mutual exchange of data, information, and know-how between participants who contribute small amounts of data to a bank of information, and from which they can withdraw significantly greater amounts on demand. The real value of the exercise is not so much about comparing numbers only, but sharing successful practices and perhaps allowing people to network wit each other- whatever the industry or country. Different benchmarking programs will have different methodologies depending on the subject and circumstances. The paper will describe 10 generic benchmarking process steps, which can be used to various extents depending on the applications. Without benchmarking, traditional target setting methods within companies is often effective. It is generally based on gut feel, lacking external focus, pursuing pet projects, without recognizing one's strengths and weaknesses. On the other hand, benchmarking is an active commitment from management. It is a clear and comprehensive understanding of how one's work is conducted as a basis for comparison to industry best practices. It leads to a willingness to change and adapt to industry best practices with new ideas and creativity. In the discussion of the 10 benchmarking steps, the paper briefly describes how we propose to use a formal benchmarking in the following two proposed subjects: 1) The first case is a proposed benchmarking study on risk reduction methods for exothermic reaction processes, for which there is a need to develop better generally acceptable practices. This project is being coordinated by the Design Institute For Emergency Relief Systems (DIERS) Risk Subcommittee, under the chairmanship of the author (Ref. 3). DIERS is an affiliate of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers. I