In safe hands

O&G’s Julian Rogers catches up with Sherri Stuewer, Vice President of Safety, Health and Environment at ExxonMobil, to discuss how the world’s largest oil company protects its global army of employees in more than 200 countries and territories.

O&G. First, can you explain what are the main safety risks affecting your workers? Are there significant differences between onshore and offshore risks?

SS. We routinely analyze the incidents and near misses, both in personnel safety and process safety, which occur in our operations so that we can work to prevent further incidents. Although the tasks and tools vary, there is remarkable similarity in the types of incidents we see across all our operations. If you compare our upstream workforce (which includes substantial offshore operations) to our downstream workforce (which is largely refining and marketing operations), the most common circumstance leading to injury is the same. In 2006, about 40 percent of all recordable safety incidents resulted when an employee or contractor was struck by equipment, with body position being a major contributing factor. In both upstream and downstream, the most common types of recordable incidents were cuts, scrapes and punctures while the most commonly affected body parts were hands and fingers.

O&G. What is ExxonMobil doing to improve safety standards? What are the biggest challenges in implementing a successful safety policy?

SS. We are constantly trying to improve our safety performance. Since 2002, our vision has been stated simply as ‘Nobody Gets Hurt’. We have enough operations that have been performing without injury for years to know that this goal is achievable.

Our company and the industry have raised safety performance substantially over the past decades by continuously improving operations. In the 1960s through the 1980s there was a strong focus on improving facility integrity, through improved design and maintenance standards. The 1990s brought the introduction of comprehensive SH&E management systems, such as Exxon Mobil’s Operations Integrity Management System, or OIMS (Operations Integrity Management System), which was introduced in 1992.

OIMS requires the disciplined execution of management systems to address key elements of risk management, including facilities integrity, change management and workforce training. We have made significant progress. For example, our lost time incident rate (LTIR) has improved by an order of magnitude since 1994, and is now in the 0.04-0.05 range (incidents per 200,000 work hours). That represents one lost time incident for every 2000 people working for a full year. On the process safety side, we employ a very systematic approach to identify and categorize all risks associated with our operations and then mitigate or eliminate them.

Achieving and sustaining such performance takes tremendous ongoing emphasis and discipline, and it requires that employees and contractors are well trained, competent and have their ‘head in the game’ 100 percent of the time. A major safety challenge for us now is to reduce the risk tolerance of our workforce, so that they are always looking for risks in their work and seeking to mitigate them.

O&G. How is new technology being utilized to increase safety?

SS. As we invest in new facilities and in upgrades to existing facilities, we are constantly looking for ways to improve safety. As one example, we are currently implementing new hearing conservation practices and noise standards that will help bring about fewer workplaces that require extensive hearing protection. We also have an active ‘human factors’ program that improves the interfaces between people, systems and equipment to help reduce the risk of musculoskeletal injuries. We use systems to monitor our process operations and either warn or automatically intervene when conditions warrant. We are also using new information technology to capture and share learning from safety incidents and near misses globally.

O&G. Are high tech solutions the most effective way of reducing accident and injury, or are simple measures like the correct use of protective gear more important.

SS. Oil, gas, and petrochemical manufacturing are all high tech operations that require advanced systems and technology to operate safely. However, technology is only part of the solution. Simple measures, such as consistent and proper use of protective equipment and adherence to safe work practices, are also important. It is also essential that the culture of the workplace emphasizes identification of risks and supports all members of the workforce intervening to address those risks.

O&G. What are the major costs involved in implementing effective safety measures? Do they represent good value for money?

SS. We don’t calculate the cost to benefit ratio of our approach to safety. It is a value integrated into all we do. We see the benefits of this discipline in higher production and lower costs. ExxonMobil believes so deeply in the benefits of safety, and the resulting dividends of sound operations, that we’ve co-developed the Robert W. Campbell Award with the National Safety Council. It is an international award for diverse companies in all industries that demonstrate that improving safety not only reduces injuries but also delivers results to the bottom line.

So to address the second part of your question specifically, the time and energy needed to help assure a competent and safe workforce pays off through improved business performance many times over.

O&G. How do government regulations impact on your approach to safety? Can outside influence be helpful, or is it more effective to deal with safety issues on the ground on a case-by case basis?

SS. Occupational health and safety regulations in the developed world define the minimum level of performance. But there are stronger drivers for companies to define their own standards for safety. We believe that the discipline necessary to deliver excellent safety performance delivers business benefits in the form of improved operations. In addition, shareholders and the communities in which we operate have expectations that help to define the standards for safety and environmental performance.

O&G. Has the increased demand for energy made it more difficult to maintain safety standards?

SS. We do not compromise our safety standards due to changes in the business environment. If we cannot do a job safely, we will not do it.

O&G. Finally, how has increased activity in parts of the world that are both environmentally and politically volatile affected your approach to safety?

SS. As our operations expand to different locations around the world, we are encountering extreme climates, sensitive environments and challenging political situations. In all of these circumstances, we maintain the same high standards for safety, health and environmental performance. Our OIMS system, which is a disciplined and consistent approach to risk management, is essential for delivering performance that meets those standards in all of our operations around the world. The OIMS system is a framework of expectations on all aspects of operations, from management leadership and commitment to worker training, to facility inspections, to managing change. It may be more challenging to meet the OIMS expectations in some locations around the world, but meeting them is not optional. We do not begin an operation until we are confident we can operate within the OIMS expectations.

0.04
Number of ‘lost-time incidents’ per 200,000 work hours at ExxonMobil facilities

“We do not compromise our safety standards due to changes in the business environment. If we cannot do a job safely, we will not do it” – Sherri Stuewer, ExxonMobil

APV Launches the NR5 Easy Flow!!

Specialist in Hygienic Plate Heat Exchangers, APV in Goldsboro, USA is introducing the NR5 Easy Flow - a new Super Hygienic Plate Heat Exchanger. The NR5 Easy Flow, which can provide up to a 20% increase in processing capacity, is a natural successor of the R5, which has been the industry standard since 1964.

Jim LeClair, Regional Product Director states that the NR5 Easy Flow has been developed to help customers improve their processes even further. Comparing the NR5 to the classic R5, the same frame will carry up to 20% more plates because of a thinner plate material. The NR5 is made of 0.6 mm 316 stainless steel, whereas traditional hygienic plates are 0.8/0.9 mm.
Measurements are identical to the R5, which means that old plates can be exchanged without modification or new plates can be added in combination with a separator. The plate is 3A approved and can be used in the Dairy, Food, Beverage and Pharmaceutical industries.

Plate Design

The plate design of the NR5 Easy Flow is quite unique. Classic diagonal flow with naturally superior distribution means an increase in the heat transfer area and a reduction in CIP time. Furthermore, the plates are equipped with EasyClip gaskets providing rapid gasket replacement without glue and the Corner Interlock to secure correct alignment and to eliminate plate damage.

Contact points per sqft/sqm are always looked upon with great interest – especially by manufactures of products containing fibres/solids. Again the NR5 stands out. Only 174 contact points/sqft versus 400+ on traditional hygienic plates.

About APV

APV is a world leader of high quality process technologies and engineering solutions for the dairy, food, beverage, brewing, pharmaceutical and healthcare industries. As a subsidiary of Invensys plc, APV has access through its sister companies to some of the latest and most innovative automation systems. From engineered components through to complete, fully automated process plants, the company focuses on adding value to its customers’ business performance and profitability. APV’s range of manufactured products includes heat exchangers, homogenisers, pumps and valves for hygienic applications.

APV's services extend far beyond the product itself. From manufacturing the equipment to offering our customers an extensive, global network of after-sales parts and services, APV ensures that the equipment performs to optimum efficiency throughout its lifetime.

APV solutions are supplied through its global network of sales and service offices located in more than 40 countries throughout the world.

About Invensys

Invensys is a global automation, controls and transportation group. Its products, service expertise and ongoing support enable intelligent systems to monitor and control processes in many different environments. Leading companies in a wide range of industries rely on Invensys to help them perform with greater efficiency, safety and cost-effectiveness.

The Invensys Group comprises five businesses: Process Systems, APV, Eurotherm, Rail Systems and Controls. The Group is headquartered in London, employs around 30,000 employees in 60 countries, and is listed on the London Stock Exchange.

APV: www.apv.com