THE chemical industry handles hazardous materials every single day. Having extremely thorough and robust measures in place to ensure safety and regulatory compliance is absolutely critical. Nevertheless, managing safety and compliance protocols can also become highly complex and costly if not done efficiently. Chemical companies across the board are increasingly looking for ways to streamline these critical processes without compromising worker safety or breaking compliance rules in any way.
Implementing clear standardised operating procedures, comprehensive training programs covering both knowledge and skills, and incorporating modern technologies like automated tagout safety solutions can help significantly improve productivity, efficiency and safety. Well-designed protocols and solutions can enhance consistency, provide foolproof guidance for workers, and collect data to optimise operations.
Standard Operating Procedures in Depth
Every single chemical plant should have unambiguous standard operating procedures (SOPs) already implemented that fully align with up-to-date safety regulations and codes. Despite this though, many companies still partially rely on informal knowledge and processes that can vary greatly between teams and plants. This over-reliance on inconsistent knowledge leads to safety gaps, and ultimately puts workers at risk unnecessarily.
Plants can streamline operations substantially by:
Creating comprehensive facility-wide SOPs: Having the same detailed processes in place for all teams helps ensure vital consistency while eliminating gaps.
Digitising SOPs for easy on-demand access: Storing these standardised operating procedures on user-friendly plant floor mobile apps and cloud-based databases makes it far easier for workers to quickly search and reliably reference procedures on demand in order to confirm correct protocols.
Regular SOP review: Continuously improving SOPs is hugely important for both safety and operational efficiency over the long-term.
Incorporating SOPs into automated workflows: Building the steps laid out in the SOPs into plant software platforms to digitally guide workers through every required step in each procedure.
Extensive Training and Qualifications
Even the most detailed and well-designed SOPs will ultimately fail if the teams themselves lack the requisite skills, knowledge, and qualifications to follow the procedures properly. Comprehensive training programs are essential for success, but many current options are still far too time-intensive and use outdated training methods like paper exams. Modernising training programs to focus on efficiency, retention and measurable competencies can dramatically improve productivity and safety simultaneously.
Ongoing Operational Risk Management
Proactively managing day-to-day operational risks using both human insight and advanced analytics is hugely important for the chemical industry, given the volatile substances handled at plants. But accurately tracking emerging risks can prove challenging, since products, processes, regulations, and equipment requirements all change frequently. Modern technologies such as these below can provide consistent support on this front:
Chemical management mobile apps: Make it easy for workers to track real-time detailed chemical inventory levels at relevant storage vessels across the plant, as well as access the latest safety data sheets (SDS) with precautions for every single substance handled onsite.
Advanced IoT sensors: Carefully monitor pressure levels, tiny leaks, subtle temperature changes and more via networks of smart sensors, which then feed collected data into advanced analytic systems in real-time.
Sophisticated data-driven risk models: Collect data inputs from sensors and existing plant systems to feed complex analytical models to access operational risks from many angles. Models can run simulations to predict problems, while prescribing solutions – allowing more efficient use of limited health and safety resources.
Automating compliance checks: Use software platforms to frequently audit existing operating procedures, equipment status, staff training records, inventory levels and more against current safety codes and regulations.
Through this focus on connecting emerging technologies with robust standardised protocols and extensive training programs, chemical plants can stay continuously aware regarding their current risk and compliance statuses across operations. This then allows more targeted mitigations while reducing the substantial manual effort previously required using outdated approaches.
Empowering Frontline Workers with Knowledge and Tools
It is also vital to note that, ultimately, frontline chemical plant and refinery workers are truly the most critical component in radically improving daily safety and full regulatory compliance. Unfortunately, previously cumbersome manual processes often overwhelmed employees. Furthermore, lack of skills and overall visibility into plant-wide operations and risk status can leave frontline workers ill-equipped to make sound safety decisions independently.
However, by leveraging technology to digitise records and automate risky procedures, the cognitive load on employees can be reduced substantially. This then allows workers to confidently handle higher value tasks, while connecting them to essential safety knowledge resources. Tactical examples include:
Wearable augmented reality devices: Smart glasses can display animated step-by-step instructions visually laid over relevant real-world views, to better guide workers through required procedures and protocols.
Unified mobile platforms: Provide convenient one-stop access to operating procedures, training content, inventory database lookups, analytic dashboards and more via handheld tablets.
Accessible analytics for all: Simplified dashboard views of overall compliance scores, real-time risk levels, and predictive notifications of emerging issues accessible through apps and screens.
Thoughtfully connecting people, digitised processes and automated safety assurance systems via the latest user-centric software tools and interfaces means chemical facilities can certainly increase productivity by removing bottlenecks. But even more critically, these modern solutions also proactively spur measurably safer operational behaviours, verifiably consistent compliance, and resilient operations in times of crisis.
Conclusion
Achieving world-class safety and full regulatory compliance unquestionably requires tremendous, coordinated focus across standardised operating procedures, extensive hands-on skills training, organisational culture shifts and up-to-date operations-focused technologies.
Leaders in the chemical sector also face the challenge of stagnating productivity growth in recent years, largely caused by attempting to meet intensified regulations without the benefit of digital tools. Nevertheless, new connected technologies like automated safety assurance platforms, VR simulations, IoT sensors, safety wearables and unified mobile solutions can accelerate performance substantially when thoughtfully combined with strong standardised protocols and modernised training programs.
Rather than reactively viewing safety investments as merely a necessary cost burden, top firms now recognise how increased capabilities in this area can directly enable more streamlined efforts, stronger process compliance, confident workers, and ultimately far higher profitability. With this more proactive mindset now spreading rapidly, the future continues looking brighter for increasing safety, productivity and growth responsibly across the chemical industry.
