Introduction
This article summarizes my activities in acquiring a remarkably productive HSE (Wellbeing, Basic safety And Environmental Administration) system within PetroKazakhstan (a Canadian owned oil company) which had very handful of HSE programs and packages prior to I arrived. In this paper, I consider to current as distinct as doable a photograph of exactly where the organization, PetroKazakhstan, was when I arrived and what actions I took along the way to HSE accomplishment.
My Arrival:
I had never ever been to Kazakhstan ahead of or to any of the Former Soviet Republics. I did exploration the nation via the Internet and observed that Kazakhstan was not the barren arctic squander-land I experienced envisioned but instead a beautiful and diverse place with mountains and plains (known as steppe) and even a part of the Caspian Sea, the world’s major fresh new drinking water lake. PetroKazkhstan’s HQ was found in Almaty, a lovely metropolis which was a blend Asian and European architecture and society.
My very first day on the task was January 4, 2004. Like all new staff members I experienced to meet up with the people, realize the corporation, and find a spot to reside. I rented a awesome apartment in a best place known as Samal 2. This location is close to the mountains and my apartment was subsequent doorway to the RamStore, a shopping mall with a grocery retail outlet which produced my initial encounter very pleasant. I only had only a 2 minute stroll to get my necessities.
The Position:
My placement, HSE-Director was a new situation reporting to the President. Previously, there had been an HSE & Instruction Director found in the Oil Industry but his purpose was principally connected to schooling. My first process was to go to the oilfields and see what was likely on there and to talk to the persons equally in HSE and operations. PetroKazakhstan (PK) experienced 2 principal operating teams, a person known as PKKR which was the oil manufacturing facet and the other referred to as PKOP, the refinery. PK also had rail loading terminals, oil storage services and retail petrol stations.
My Visits:
I experienced made the decision ahead of leaving on my field stop by that I would:
Fulfill as many crucial persons as doable and with any luck , persuade them to convey to me about HSE in their parts, the excellent, bad, and unappealing.
Take a look at the oil discipline operation web pages and acquire a glance for myself, assessing hazards and chance measures becoming taken to regulate them.
Review the firm HSE guidelines and treatments
Make a summary of gaps I observed and evaluate the gaps vs. sector very best HSE administration methods
Our 10 point HSE program (based mostly on gap examination vs. marketplace leaders ) integrated:
Improve Management HSE Management- We wanted to have an understanding of how Firm administrators/supervisors observed their part in HSE. We then desired to develop workshops which would discover key HSE roles and obligations for professionals and supervisors. Effectiveness ambitions for HSE would be incorporated in management’s Annual General performance Appraisal.
Include Chance Administration & Assessment – Hazard identification coaching need to be presented for all personnel as well as Introduction to Risk Management for all supervisors and supervisors.
Enhance HSE Teaching – HSE instruction plans were not made for each web page dependent upon chance. New education options for workers dependent on hazard essential to be produced as nicely schooling for supervisors on how to consider their employees in HSE performance.
Establish Contractor HSE Techniques – There ended up no Contractor HSE Management systems. Contractor HSE Plans had been identified as a crucial have to have. A recommendation was produced to seek the services of an seasoned HSE Contractor Specialist to get the method started.
Create Basic safety in Style – PK experienced relied on EPC contractors to ensure basic safety in style and design in the past. A “basic safety in style and design strategy” would need uniform security style and design processes for all long run EPC contracts. A vital prerequisite would be a mandated Safety in Design Prepare.
Update Operations & Maintenance Ideas- There had been quite a few gaps in operator coaching as effectively as a lack of Conventional Operating Techniques (SOPs) in many important career jobs. A contractor to develop the operator schooling and SOPs was proposed. Routine maintenance and integrity processes essential to be reviewed and up-to-date. A proposal for a computerized integrity maintenance process was proposed.
New Info & Documentation System – Quite a few HSE stories becoming created within PK but not less than uniform criteria and not combined for critique by senior management. A centralized and uniform HSE reporting procedure and database was proposed.
Boost Crisis & Crisis Programs- Commonly the Crisis Reaction designs had been quite great and complied with Kazakh law. Having said that, PK lacked a company crisis administration program. We proposed that all community internet site unexpected emergency response designs be reviewed and up to date and the employees be properly trained in accordance to these strategies. Strategies really should also be translated into both languages used in the industry, i.e., English and Russian. Hiring an professional emergency response guide to produce a company Disaster Administration Program was found as a rational way forward.
Revamp Incident Investigation & Avoidance – Because there had been no uniform accident investigation treatments or accident reporting types, we proposed that new techniques and kinds for incident investigations be designed. Schooling would be supplied to all protection/environmental engineers and supervisors on root induce investigation and the ideas of incident investigation.
HSE Process Assessment & Enhancement – Options were being to be made for HSE system audits which would review these 10 points on an annual basis, reporting the success to senior management.
What did we do 1st?
When faced with 25-30 HSE procedure gaps, what would you do first? I have generally fallen again on my primary main belief that you prioritize based on threat. That is what we did. For example, the refinery had no PPE (particular protective tools) needs so we drafted a PPE regulation and begun the procurement of PPE. At the identical time, we secured a coaching business to come in for PPE teaching. The accident reporting and investigation technique was not a reliable indicator of incidents occurring in the field. Really couple contractor incidents were noted and number of supervisors knew how to total an accident investigation variety. The usual induce of an incident was “negligence”. The common corrective motion was “mail the wounded to the clinic”. The similar accidents ended up repeating in excess of and more than. We instantly revised the incident course of action and varieties and then applied a instruction plan for incident investigation. A fatal accident happened in February, 2004, which steered me to assessment and update the Very hot Function Permit procedure and to get started utilizing Contractor HSE Administration. Until eventually then, contractors have been on their own as to how to perform their function. The fatal accident transformed all that. We started out by issuing policies from senior management that all contractor things to do would be overseen by a area web site supervisor. We also improved the Allow process to call for that regional web site supervisors sign and audit the function. In the in the meantime, the Permit program was revised and training was delivered.
On a broader scale, I knew the organization essential to fully grasp its threats and how to control them. I contracted a highly regarded possibility management business to perform a QRA (quantitative risk assessment) and to update our Unexpected emergency Response Process. The QRA would establish our significant process and HSE pitfalls and provide tips to reduce these risks. Our Emergency Reaction Procedure was essentially minimal to what the Kazakhstan governing administration needed. We wanted a corporate disaster management plan which would oversee and direct steps in time of significant incident.
These necessary measures were being totally endorsed by PK senior management and they presented their total guidance in making certain that the 10 details to HSE achievements have been place into area.
Summary & Results
By the conclude of the initial year, every single section of PetroKazakhstan’s HSE overall performance experienced improved drastically. The 10 things of the PK HSE Basic safety Management Technique ended up in location with improved effects in HSE, morale and efficiency. The keys to PK’s HSE good results were being:
– Identification of HSE gaps vs. Very best Sector Exercise
Enhancement of a “In shape for reason” HSE Management Method
Senior Administration involvement and support
Measurement of HSE gaps, evaluation of the gaps with corrective steps taken
Rejoice HSE good results usually
Take note: I turned in excess of my HSE Director job to my deputy HSE Director (a local Kazakh) soon after the 1 12 months assignment ended in December 2004. I still left experience assured that PK would come to be an business leader in HSE. In August, 2005, the China National Petroleum Corporation acquired PetroKazakhstan.