The local and international energy sector continues to grapple with the effects of COVID-19. This pandemic has implications not only for the health and well-being of individuals but also for risk management and the continued safe operations of energy companies. This new dynamic makes the updating of response guidelines essential as companies globally strive to manage the new risks as well as continue to operate safely in the new normal. NGC and the Centre for Chemical Process Safety (CCPS) have therefore partnered to produce updated response guidelines and insights to assist companies across the world to manage new risks and continue operating safely.
This initiative, facilitated by the formation of an international team, including Celanese and Chemours, resulted in the creation of a monograph that captured pertinent actions around Risk-Based Process Safety Management (RBPSM) and was led by NGC’s Vice President of Operations Ramesh Harrylal.
RBPS guidelines are used by energy and chemical companies to manage and mitigate the risk of process safety incidents due to failures of technology, human error, weaknesses in management systems, external circumstances, or natural events. With COVID-19 disrupting routines, reducing manpower and forcing companies to manoeuvre in a restricted operating environment, risk management must now factor in a host of new conditions and constraints.
The resulting booklet, arising from one week of intense collaboration, can be used by companies internationally to help in better managing risk associated with COVID-19 as well as other disruptions. This new CCPS monograph, published in four languages, has been adopted by several companies globally. Factors such as a company’s limited access to funding for PSM; the execution of preventative maintenance works with limited tools and materials; working from home and reduction of employees on the worksite; increases in the likelihood of human error due to heightened stress levels are some of the areas considered. The monograph proposes specific actions which assist companies to mitigate the risks associated with changing environments that COVID-19 pandemic presented.
Commenting on the genesis and importance of this project, Mr. Harrylal noted that “Process safety assurance is critical for all companies involved in managing highly hazardous facilities. It was recognised early by NGC that COVID-19 could have an impact on process safety and all energy sector stakeholders as changes were being made to resourcing strategies and operations. NGC, therefore, saw an opportunity for knowledge sharing and collaboration in this critical area. We are happy to have been able to contribute in a meaningful way and help companies around the world operate safely in times of challenge.”