ASSIGNMENT #3
COURSE TITLE: Co-op / Internship Programme
COURSE CODE: INOV2001
GROUP MEMBERS:
Carissa Gooman - #71486
Antonnel Greaves- #65185
Talani De Gannes- #69169
Glacier Ramkissoon-#74665
SUBMISSION DATE: 13th/04/2017
Process Safety Management (PSM)
Aspects/important components of the PSM system to be implemented in the
company-
PROCESS KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT
This component deals with the information that focuses on the management of
chemicals, technology and equipment that is recorded. It supplies chemical
hazard information by manuals. It also involves the documenting, developing
and managing of the hazards and risks that can arise from each equipment and
also through the involvement of chemicals where desired. The information that
are involved includes:-
Written technical documents and specifications.
Process design basis.
Equipment design basis.
Engineering drawings and calculations.
Specifications for design, fabrication, and installation of process equipment.
Other documents such as chemical hazards information, MSDSs, etc
For instance, chemicals that are used to degrease equipment can be flammable,
hence this information will be documented and steps in which these hazards and
risks involved can be managed effectively. The benefit of having this
component, will lead to a lowering in the probability of chemicals being
misused, harmful exposure to chemicals, as well lowering the hazards and risks
that can occur in the workplace. These hazards and risks if not addressed
effectively can lead to down-time, hence a great lost in productivity. This
component will provide information regarding the effects and safety control
mechanisms to prevent or isolate any potential risk to employees and
technicians.
PROCESS EQUIPMENT INFORMATION
Provide manuals of all the various equipment that includes safe operating
limits, defined specifications functions and parts of the machine in a nearby and
easy to access area. They involve procedures that fabricates, inspects and
maintains the equipment used in the process. A documented file for each
equipment involved must be maintained. Such equipment are:-
Compressors (high and low)
Chillers
Dryer
Storage tanks for compressed air
Grinder
Amslers
HDPE (High density polyethylene) machines
Equipment for process safety should be identified, so that established monitoring
and inspection schedules to enable cost effective corrections to problems before
they develop into a critical stage. This component should include Preventative
maintenance (PM) such as:-
A method of identifying critical equipment;
A method to establish PM frequencies for critical equipment;
A mechanism to ensure PM is done at the specified frequency;
A record of the above.
This will be beneficial to the workers operating and providing technical support
on the various equipment by making them less ignorant of the workings of the
equipment, and how to safely operate it. Basically, each process in governed by
a particular which must be characterized, understood and managed. The
information much be accurate and up-to-date.
Proper conducting of the operations should outline specific authorities and
responsibilities as well as approved procedures must be established. Example
proper documentation and recording of incidents or accidents must be done and
that information musts be updated, to ensure that a clear hierarchy is made
known, as well as specific responsibilities are delegated.
TRAINING AND PERFORMANCE ASSURANCE
Personnel’s should be trained in the right skills and ongoing retraining to
maintain skills. To enable employees to perform their jobs safely, and to assess
and react in potentially hazardous situations. Their required skills, knowledge
should be identified and documented. Training ensure people doing their job,
does it properly. Employees and technicians should be trained to understand
and use site safety systems. Areas that should be covered are:-
General safety rules;
Permit to work procedures;
Use of personal protective equipment;
Emergency procedures;
Specific hazards of the area in which they will be working;
Specific hazards of the materials which they may encounter.
For example, employees must be trained in extinguishing a fire, given that the
temperatures of the plastic becomes excessive in some machines due to
malfunctions, which causes flames to burst out unknowingly. The benefits are
that, having more people trained to deal with emergency situations will only
lead to more qualified personnel capable of recognizing hazards, and
minimizing the effects of hazardous situations, hence better productivity rates
and quality.
PERFORMANCE ASSESSMENTS
After employees, have undergone the training employees should be stealthily
tested, having them perform their daily tasks but checking to ensure they follow
guidelines provided in the trainings. This will provide real information based on
the everyday working habits of employees, and not just a façade manifested by
employees concealing their true working practices. This will allow for. The
benefits associated with assessing the performances of person’s is that it leads
to corrective measures being implemented to those who need guidance in safe
work practices. It well determine how much the personnel have learnt and how
successfully they can correctly address situations that arise in the work place.
EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM
Discuss the possible risks and scenarios of what can occur in the facility that
can lead to an emergency. Having an effective emergency plan, will ensure that
all persons are aware of the risks and would know what to do if something goes
wrong. Example, in the extruder blow molding machines, it is quite common
for the parison (HDPE plastic) to accidentally come into constant contact with
the hot knife, resulting in the plastic catching a fire. The worst case scenario in
this instance is the entire machine catching fire and spreading to the other
machines as the fire spreads via the flammable HDPE plastics. If an EMS is
already in place then all personnel will already be aware of the evacuation
procedure, where the muster points are and how to behave during an
emergency. It will therefore, limit the amount of causalities that could occur
and down- time of the equipment.
CONTRACTOR MANAGEMENT
Non-company employees hired to perform tasks at the company should be
properly educated of the hazards presented to them and the job they were hired
to resolve. This ensures that they do not present new hazards to the company.
Also they should participate in performance and safety reviews as they can
guide the company in aspects they are qualified in to identify and resolve any
further issues. Benefits are that it limits the amount of hazards in the workplace
and hence, improve productivity.
REFERENCES.
https://books.google.tt/books?
id=RpSVlnZS3mgC&pg=PT164&lpg=PT164&dq=benefits+of+having+con
duct+of+operations+in+a+psm+system&source=bl&ots=fDf5OhLiVY&sig
=OW7Cv-
_bXY_EFTTwZz12Hfv0ur8&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiUutr_3KHTAh
XGQSYKHagRAsoQ6AEIMzAD#v=onepage&q=benefits%20of
%20having%20conduct%20of%20operations%20in%20a%20psm
%20system&f=false
http://www.cheminst.ca/sites/default/files/pdfs/Connect/PMS/PSM
%20Guide%204th%20Edition.pdf
https://www.osha.gov/Publications/osha3132.html
