What are the best metrics to measure the effectiveness of a plant's process safety program?

1 Lagging and leading indicators

One way to categorize process safety metrics is to distinguish between lagging and leading indicators. Lagging indicators measure the outcomes of past events, such as injuries, fatalities, spills, fires, or explosions. They are useful for identifying the severity and frequency of process safety incidents, but they do not provide much insight into the root causes or the preventive actions. Leading indicators measure the inputs and activities that influence process safety, such as audits, inspections, training, maintenance, or near-misses. They are useful for identifying the strengths and weaknesses of the process safety program, but they do not guarantee the absence of incidents.

2 Process safety culture

Another important metric to consider is the process safety culture of the plant, which reflects the attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors of the workers and managers regarding process safety. A strong process safety culture can foster a proactive and collaborative approach to identifying and mitigating process safety risks, as well as encouraging reporting and learning from incidents. Some indicators of process safety culture are the level of employee engagement, the quality of communication, the degree of accountability, and the availability of resources and support.

3 Process safety performance indicators

A more specific and comprehensive set of metrics to use for process safety evaluation and improvement are the process safety performance indicators (PSPIs), which are based on the guidelines developed by the Center for Chemical Process Safety (CCPS). The PSPIs are divided into four tiers, each representing a different level of detail and analysis. Tier 1 PSPIs are the most serious and reportable process safety incidents, such as loss of containment or loss of primary containment. Tier 2 PSPIs are the less serious but still significant process safety incidents, such as unplanned or uncontrolled releases or deviations. Tier 3 PSPIs are the leading indicators of process safety management system performance, such as compliance with procedures, standards, or regulations. Tier 4 PSPIs are the leading indicators of process safety system health, such as equipment reliability, process stability, or alarm management.

4 Process safety metrics dashboard

A useful tool for displaying and communicating the process safety metrics is a process safety metrics dashboard, which is a visual representation of the key indicators and trends. A dashboard can help to monitor and compare the process safety performance across different units, plants, or regions, as well as to identify and prioritize the areas for improvement. A dashboard can also help to engage and inform the stakeholders, such as workers, managers, regulators, or customers, about the process safety goals and achievements. A dashboard should be clear, concise, and relevant, and should include both lagging and leading indicators, as well as qualitative and quantitative data.

5 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?