Contractor management: Four questions a good safety briefing should answer

Transcription

1 Contractor management: Four questions a good safety briefing should answer They are specialists and know exactly what to do in their respective trades. However, they work in your refinery possibly for the first time: Contractors, their employees and perhaps even sub-contractors. It takes more than a standard briefing at the plant gate for them to be able to do their job well and safely. René Lutat, Head of Operations, Shutdown & Rental Management at Dräger, explains what it takes: 1

2 Contractor management 1. What can happen? Contractors should know where danger may arise during the assignment. Although external service providers understand the risks of their own trade, they are often insufficiently aware of the specific hazard sources and hazard areas of a refinery. A joint tour of the plant and premises immediately before starting work is optimal, says René Lutat, Head of Operations Shutdown & Rental Management at Dräger. The participants receive their initial orientation on site and see where meeting places, distribution points for safety equipment, escape routes and first aid stations are located. At the same time, the Health and Safety Management can explain where in the next few days what type and scope of work will be performed and the hazards that may be associated with this work. Also when heavy equipment is used at the plant, the contractors should be aware of this: For example, if a crane is on the site, the required clearence areas for operating the crane safely will also limit the movements of the contractors. The 360-degree view of the action increases attention and sharpens the external staff s awareness of the need to look beyond one s own nose: A scaffolder, for example, not only has to worry about his or her own safety concerning falls, but may also carry a gas detector as part of the required gear. Comprehensive training in such a case is expensive and not always practicable for scheduling reasons alone. Still, the goal should be to inform all contractors together with their teams as comprehensively as possible, explains René Lutat. This is one of the key points that we can do for contractors when our experts take over the safety management of a plant. 2

3 Contractor management 2. What is the responsibility of the external service provider? Contractors should know exactly what they have to do and what the limits of their decision-making authorities are. The jobs service providers are to carry out at the plant are listed in their work order. What frequently remains undefined, however, is the scope of their decision-making authority (e.g. about adjusting the volume of work, measures to be taken when unexpected complications arise, etc.) or the reporting and documentation requirements: What is the progress reporting frequency? Daily, per shift or upon completion of the work? To whom and in what form? Clear definitions are important not only for the workflow planning but also the safety management. Example 1: Workers discover damaged areas when cleaning a tank. A welder working next to the tank is asked to briefly take a look to see if the repair can be done at the same time. He climbs into the tank without the required gas detector. Example 2: The leader of a team of welders is unable to fix an overhead leak because the lifting platform is not yet available. In order not to hold up work, he asks the scaffolder to quickly build him a makeshift platform to reach the leak. Who should decide what in this case? When and where are special permits and additional instructions required? As a rule of thumb: Which responsibilities and decision-making authorities contractors are assigned depends on their skills and abilities. The topic of responsibility also includes the responsibilities of the safety personnel. The function and importance of the safety personnel are not always known to everyone at the plant. René Lutat reports: It happens, for example, that our people point out to a contractor that the hearing protections of his or her employees are insufficient. Up to this point, the colleague only knew the safety personnel of the plant and it takes a little explaining that we have the competency as well as authority to assess this. 3

4 Contractor management 3. Which rules apply? Contractors should know what rules ensure they can do their job at the plant safely and securely. From the maximum speed for vehicles up to smoking and cell phone bans: The house rules of the plant are conveyed with general rules and regulations. However, a good safety briefing for contractors should also meet specific requirements for the respective work orders and trades. For example, are additional power sources required? Exposed cables, temporary lines, generators and unprotected equipment are a frequently underestimated sources of danger. The contractors should know where the closest power supply is from their respective work locations. Where are extension cables needed? And how should the workplace be secured or safeguarded? Even simple safety hooks used to keep cables off walkways to reduce stumbling hazards are not always available at every plant. And this is one of the easiest ways to prevent accidents, explains expert René Lutat. No matter what type of deployment or work assignment, our people always take a few dozen safety hooks along because you never know when you need them. The removal of pollutants is also covered by specific rules and regulations: Where can contractors safely and as per specifications dispose of liquid or solid pollutants and hazardous substances resulting from their cleaning and maintenance activities? And: Every external employee on the premises should know which audible and visual alarm signals are used here. We must not forget that external service providers are working at constantly changing locations. In an emergency, everyone must know in seconds the meaning of an increasing and decreasing siren and what must be done, says René Lutat. 4

5 Contractor management 4. What protective equipment is needed? Contractors should know what safety equipment is required to accomplish their tasks. Scaffolders know that they must provide fall protection. Welders need visors, respirators, heat-insulated clothing. A good safety briefing provides contractors with accurate information about which additional safety equipment is required for the work at the refinery and of course, the requirements of the client concerning the technical specifications and quality of protection equipment. Nevertheless, it often happens that contractors show up for work without a gas detector or with inadequate personal protective equipment. Whether the safety management is relying on the service providers to implement all requirements accurately and as specified, or prefers to provide equipment to ensure the safety equipment of all persons on site complies with the standards required is a question of the prevailing safety culture at each site. The use of rental equipment offers here an economical solution: The required safety equipment, from personal protective gear to gas detectors and means of escape, to air compressors: they are all available in sufficient quantities and cost is according to usage. It is guaranteed that all equipment is always in working order and ready for use and demand peaks are also covered in case of emergency. Because: Our experience shows that there is no such thing as a perfect shutdown. Unexpected problems and complications are always a possibility, says René Lutat. The following applies especially for shutdowns and more complex maintenance tasks involving different specialists: It pays to involve contractors early and as extensively as possible in any planning. This also applies to the safety service provider: We can consult not just with safety policy and equipment but due to our experience are also able to provide assistance with many questions pertaining to processes and the organizational structure, explains René Lutat. And since we have a pretty good overview of the service provider landscape, we can also offer an informed assessment on the safety performance of many contractors. Your safety is our passion. 5

6 Contractor management Innovative technical solutions can support the effectiveness of the safety management an example: Shutdown of a German oil refinery. Various maintenance tasks must be performed, several dozen contractors are working on site. A team of industrial cleaning specialists prepares to service a tank that has already been checked and cleared. Suddenly the mobile gas detector alarm of one of the workers is triggered. He pauses and exchanges a look with his colleagues. The colleague calmly shakes his head: His own gas detector, just a few metres away, has not been triggered. He takes a few steps toward his colleague. Now his own device no longer displays a gas concentration, and he deactivates the alarm message on the display. When the team returns to the workshop at the end of the shift, the incident is not mentioned after all, nothing happened. And none of the workers feels like writing reports and answering questions shortly before quitting time but by doing so the contractors are violating a clear safety rule: The rules for this facility stipulate that every gas alarm must be reported. Management wants to be informed of any potential leak at the plant. A typical problem for which a reliable and efficient solution was found: Two new software features in the mobile gas detection equipment from Dräger, which are used in this refinery, ensure that each gas detection incident is registered and forwarded even when the detected gas concentrations are below the alarm limit. The portable gas detector PAC 3500/5500, for example, responds to low gas concentrations with warning signals such as flashing light, vibration and horn. The display shows the alarm alternately with the measured gas concentration. The warning signals can be turned off on site but not the display, which can be disabled only in conjunction with the workshop system. Another solution is connecting the PAC or X-am series with the X-Dock Manager. Each portable gas detector can be assigned to a specific workstation or user. The active data management system allows the notification of the X-Dock Manager with an automated each time gas is detected. Shutdown Managers need to know where potential dangers are. Hazards can t be managed if they aren t on your radar. Michael V. Brown, New Standard Inc., on reliabilityweb.com, 2008 Imprint / Contact Region Middle East, Africa Dräger Safety AG & Co. KGaA Branch Office P.O. Box Dubai, United Arab Emirates Tel Fax [email protected] 6