A Leader's Tactical Approach to Influence Changes in Process Safety Culture

Following the Texas City disaster and the subsequent publishing of “Failure to Learn”, many companies were awakened to the idea that their top leaders played a much more defining role in the success of their organization’s integrated process safety program.  Once an organization recognizes that a culture change is needed, the question then becomes, how do we engage top leadership so that they influence culture? And, what tactical activities can leaders promote and participate in that will have a notable outcome?

The author’s intent is to reach those in leadership roles who are already on their journey to process safety excellence and provide ideas and actions that they can take to move from supporting process safety to “leading” process safety.  Leadership must execute strategic tactics to maintain and continuously improve one’s process safety performance to achieve a Best in Class Process Safety Culture.   Leaders have the ability to influence overall safety and organizational culture through their actions and expressed priorities.  Key topics covered by the author will include visible leadership, effective communications, risk based decision making,  self-assessments, lesson learning, key performance indicators and active monitoring and feedback.