Control of Major Accident Hazards - Health and Safety ...

1 Control of Major Accident Hazards42 of 57 pagesAgeing Plant Operational Delivery GuideVersion 1/June 2010 Appendix 5 ageing plant inspection Appendix defines the topics to be addressed at sites identified for ageing plant inspection,aiming to do so in a way that allows a gap analysis to be carried out against information obtainedduring previous interventions at the there is a history of previous intervention on some or all of the topics (likely to have beencarried out by, or with the support of, Mechanical Engineering or C&I Discipline Specialists) theInspection Team should assess the current knowledge on the site in a gap analysis against thetopics identified in this appendix. The results of this gap analysis should be used to define thedetail of future interventions such that all topics are addressed and an overall view of theperformance of the site can be inspections should be aimed at providing sufficient knowledge of systems, and theiroperation, at the site to enable Field Teams to gauge the extent to which the arrangements aresuitable, and to identify issues requiring further intervention.

2 For more complex sites it is expectedthat further Discipline Specialist interventions will be required to follow up specifically identifiedissues in more of Major Accident Hazards43 of 57 pagesAgeing Plant Operational Delivery GuideVersion 1/June 2010 Topic 1. LeadershipTo what extent are the site senior managers aware of the performance of the systems designed tomaintain the integrity of Safety -critical assets, and what is their commitment to ensuring that suchassets remain fit for service at all times?Rationale: It is important that the site leadership team have clear visibility of the performance of thevarious systems that deliver continuing asset integrity in order that they have confidence that the siteremains in a fit state to operate.

3 In addition it is important that those in ultimate authority demonstratea commitment to asset integrity by providing independence to those who are charged with making keydecisions regarding fitness for service and supporting the decisions they should be a clear set of Key Performance Indicators that provide the leadership team withinformation on the performance of the various systems delivering asset integrity. These should bereviewed on a regular basis, with evidence that poor performance is subject to ageing has progressed to the extent that equipment is nearing the end of its useful life thereshould be evidence that the leadership team are aware of this and supporting plans to providereplacement equipment when necessary.

4 For example, where significant repair work or fitness forservice assessments are required to enable equipment to return to service this should be clearlyvisible to the leadership difficult integrity decisions have been necessary, there should be evidence that the leadershipteam have supported the independence of those charged with making such Plant: Key Inspection TopicsControl of Major Accident Hazards44 of 57 pagesAgeing Plant Operational Delivery GuideVersion 1/June 2010 Underlying Key Issues Do the leadership team regularly review KPIs relevant to asset integrity? Is poor performance indicated by KPIs subject to challenge? Where ageing issues have progressed to the point where equipment is nearing the end of itslife, are the leadership team aware of this and supporting plans to replace the equipment?

5 How are lessons learned from incidents/accidents and near miss reports used to improveintegrity management? Are there Safety suggestion schemes, plant defect reporting schemes etc to encouragepersonnel to report problems or observations or suggest ways to improve the systems andarrangements? Is there evidence of the leadership team supporting the independence of those charged withmaking key decisions on asset integrity? How does leadership know if sufficient resources are assigned to this effort on an ongoingbasis? How does leadership establish the resource requirements to ensure an effectiveintegrity/maintenance system? How does leadership know that the people involved in this effort are competent to perform theduties that leadership expect them to perform?

6 In addition to changes to process technology and equipment, does leadership recognise thatsubtle changes to people and management processes can affect the integrity/maintenanceperformance, and how do they manage these changes? How does leadership reconcile potential conflicts between releasing equipment for integritymanagement/maintenance needs versus production needs? How does leadership ensure that process Safety -critical equipment inspection/examinationdeferrals are technically sound and approved by appropriately qualified and sufficientlyindependent persons? ageing Plant: Key Inspection TopicsControl of Major Accident Hazards45 of 57 pagesAgeing Plant Operational Delivery GuideVersion 1/June 2010 Topic 2. Plant and equipment on site the Asset RegisterDoes the site have a comprehensive Asset Register that contains all its equipment?

7 If so, does itidentify and differentiate its process Safety critical equipment, so that appropriate operating,maintenance and integrity management strategies can be applied? Does this register includemechanical, electrical, Control and instrumentation and structural equipment?Rationale: Sites may already have asset registers that include both equipment that is not processsafety-critical and that which is. However, their resources will invariably be limited, so it is important toknow not only what plant and equipment is present on site, but also how important it is to Safety . Thiswill allow maintenance and integrity management systems and processes to prioritise and focus oneffectively controlling Major Accident should be an Asset Register that lists equipment, where it is, and indicates its safetysignificance.

8 It is imperative that process Safety -critical equipment is/has been identified by a multi-disciplinary team, which should include, but not be limited to, a professional process engineerwith intimate knowledge of the process under discussion, an experienced operator, and suitablyexperienced and qualified maintenance/integrity engineers or Control and instrumentation engineers asappropriate. Note: Field Teams may choose to explore this aspect of the asset register duringseparate inspections involving Mechanical and C&I should also be information on the hazardous fluids along with their hazardous properties Safety Data Sheets (MSDSs) as a sites will have both computer and hard copy records with this information but often in differentformats, some collected together others not.

9 Format is not an issue as long as the information aboutthe hazardous fluids and the hazardous fluids envelope is easy to access and is also important that the asset register is kept-up-to-date and mirrored by accurate up to dateP&IDs and other plant or process documentation. The importance of these information systemupdates should be recognised in a documented management of change of system for the asset register should clearly identify all primary containment Safety -critical mechanical equipment(tanks, vessels, pumps, piping etc) which, if they fail, could give rise to a MAH. There should also bea register of Safety -related electrical, Control and instrumentation and prevention/ Control /mitigationsafeguards equipment for Major hazard should be some form of prioritisation or risk ranking system within the asset register ormaintenance management system to highlight Safety -critical plant and equipment associated withmajor hazard should be some mechanism for identifying and highlighting equipment found to be subject tosignificant ageing , either through the inspection reports, written schemes of examination or integrityreviews, so these can be monitored and managed effectively the existence and operation of thesesystems will be tested by later questions in this Plant.

10 Key Inspection TopicsControl of Major Accident Hazards46 of 57 pagesAgeing Plant Operational Delivery GuideVersion 1/June 2010 Underlying Key Issues Is there an Asset Register in place? How is the Asset Register kept up-to-date? Does it include EC&I, prevention, Control and mitigation safeguards, and structures (this can beparticularly important where the Safety of the plant relies on instrumented protective Safety Integrity Level (SIL) 1 or higher rated systems)? Have Safety -critical items been identified by an appropriately qualified team? Are Safety -critical items highlighted together with all the relevant assets that comprise this,support it, or are necessary for it to function? ageing Plant: Key Inspection TopicsControl of Major Accident Hazards47 of 57 pagesAgeing Plant Operational Delivery GuideVersion 1/June 2010 Topic 3.