A practical approach to preventing systematic error in the maintenance of instrumented safeguards. Issue 2 (9th November 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Summers, Angela; Roche, Eloise
• Is Part Of: Process safety progress. Volume 39:Issue 2(2020)
• Page Start: n/a
• Page End: n/a
• Publication Date: 2019-11-09
• Subjects: electrical systems -- human error -- human factors -- instrumentation -- maintenance -- safety instrumented systems -- systematic; Chemical plants -- Management -- Periodicals; 660
• DOI: 10.1002/prs.12102
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1066-8527

Abstract

Abstract: Instrumentation and electrical (I&E) maintenance is typically managed using site‐wide policies, practices, and procedures. Since I&E equipment is part of the control system and nearly every other layer of protection, the cumulative impact of poor I&E performance can be a significant contributor to major events. Systematic problems in managing I&E equipment reliability lower process safety performance across a site. Practical guidance is needed on how to assess the vulnerability of existing sites to instrumented safeguard failure due to maintenance deficits. This paper leverages Reason's organizational accident model as a framework to discuss site‐specific factors that impact a site's susceptibility to maintenance error. A table of more than 60 human factors covering I&E maintenance activities was developed and organized by four elements of causality: organizational processes, workplace practices, personnel traits, and enabling conditions. The human factors table can be used to rate an industrial site on a negative‐to‐positive scale, highlighting those areas where systematic changes would likely improve maintenance performance and instrument reliability.