Processing better safety onsite knows no boundaries. It’s not restricted by geography or borders. All high hazard sites need strong process safety management systems.
Stanley Services Limited is a proponent of this thinking. Following a training session in the UK, they invited Reynolds Training Services to deliver process safety training at their Falkland Island fuel terminal.
“Process safety only becomes truly effective when it’s shared across the whole of a site – from boardroom down to operations on the ground,” explains Reynolds Training Services managing director, John Reynolds.
Reynolds Training Services delivered process safety training sessions over a 10 day period to key members of Stanley’s board, administration and operational personnel.
John continues: “Stanley’s Falkland terminal does not fall under the UK regulations, but aims to embed industry best practice into its operations. As such, we built the bespoke process safety training packages around the Hazardous Installations Directorate Major Hazard Management Systems for High Hazard Sites.”
The expansive process safety package enabled “the big picture” to be embedded at Stanley’s site.
“Industry best practice flows through their daily operations,” adds John.
Understanding the value of process safety management leadership
Jan Cheek, member of Legislative Assembly for the Falklands Islands, attended the training session. In the week prior to the proceedings, Ms Cheek recalls how she remained “willing to be convinced of the value” of the process safety management leadership training.
Ms Cheek quickly notes what a difference a day makes. The training sessions were “most useful” and had left her “convinced” as to the importance of process safety.
“I’m certainly more aware of the risks and potential mitigation of risk in fuel storage and transfers than before the training,” she writes in a diary entry to the Falkland Island’s Penguin News.
“The importance of proper systems and checks was vividly demonstrated by several case studies where normal checks were overlooked or overridden.”
John agrees: “As we near the tenth anniversary of Buncefield, process safety has rightly never been more important. Process safety management systems must be understood across the whole of any site, ensuring that the barriers of prevention and mitigation are embedded correctly across activities.”
Stanley Services Limited, he says, ensured the training was felt from the fuel terminal, to the forecourt, through to the boardroom.
“It’s this holistic approach where everyone is working towards a common goal that enhances safety. Stanley recognises the hazards, how to identify risks and, crucially, how to implement strong controls around them.”
And, reasons John, boards such as Stanley that “focus on process safety” are perfectly positioned to fill any gaps in their corporate risk register.
“Why is this important?” he asks. “Because creating a safer environment safeguards the plant, personnel, wider community and the environment from risks.”
Thank you Falkland Islands
As a quick aside, Reynolds Training Services would like to offer a BIG thanks to the amazingly kind, courteous and helpful people of the Falkland Islands – we can’t wait to return. Oh, and let us not forget to doff our hat to the penguins.
