Management Discipline: Defining a Process Safety Strategy

Management Discipline: Defining a Process Safety Strategy

Jerry J. Forest - Global Process Safety Manager, Celanese

jerry.forest@celanese.com

Abstract

We often associate operational discipline with conduct of operations and define discipline as the tools to achieve repeatable results.  While discipline in operations is primarily focused on the operator, engineers and management contribute to the success in achieving consistent results.  A plan, do, check, act, (PDCA) model, or Deming Cycle, can be used to represent the relationship among Operational, Engineering, and Management Disciplines.  The management discipline part of the cycle involves making decisions (act) based on the output of the operations, and planning for success.

This paper will describe a modified strategic business analysis planning tool that managers can apply to process safety in order to achieve a desired vision and objectives.  Too often we are reactive to incidents and create activity list from year to year in order to achieve objectives and goals.  The process safety strategic business analysis tool is a structured approach of data analysis, and understanding the company’s internal and external environment in order to set strategic alternatives that will bring a company from its present state to the desired future state.  By planning for and following a strategy, consistency in operations is achieved, and repeatable results can be obtained.