Increasing the Technological Efficiency for Texaco Oil Refinery Plant - Research Paper Example

 XYZ Ltd. is regarded as small to medium sized company that manufactures different electronic products ranging from television to computer accessories by using various hazardous chemicals. The company employs 90 employees who work in different operational areas that include the production process, administrative department, warehouse and site management among others. As the manufacturing operations of XYZ Ltd. largely incorporate the use of hazardous chemicals and equipments, there lies every probable chance to cause major accidents at any point of time. Therefore, the company should remain much concern about adopting as well as implementing effective health and safety system in order to mitigate any sort of accidental issue. Moreover, the acceptance of an effective health and safety program can enable the organisation to prevent various sorts of operational hazards in future while producing electronic equipments. XYZ Ltd. involves producing a range of electronic equipments through the execution of various chemicals. In order to efficiently perform its broad assortment of manufacturing operations, the company possesses exceptional policies as well as standards that promotes towards maintaining healthy and effective working environment while producing electronic equipments. With this concern, the business policy as well as standard of XYZ Ltd. has been designed in order to reduce waste and harmful gases by a significant level in which it operates. In order to promote the issue concerning health and safety, XYZ Ltd. ensures to follow an effective Health and Safety (H&S) policy for its workers to effectively perform their broad array of manufacturing operations. Moreover, the H&S policies of the company also ensure to protect the external environment and communities surrounding its manufacturing plant by a greater degree. 1.) Health and Safety System for XYZ Ltd. An effective practice of health and safety system can be regarded as a major aspect for a company to successfully accomplish its desired business objectives. The significance of health and safety system in a particular workplace significantly promotes operational efficiency through reducing different costs concerning health and safety issues within a company. The system generally provides assistance to the companies ensuring that the personnel are safe while working in the workplace. Moreover, a proactive management concerning health and safety system within the working environment further enables the companies to prevent or reduce the amount of accidental injuries and ill-health within the workplace (Health & Safety Authority, 2013). From the perspective of XYZ Ltd., it can be stated that the planning of developing its health and safety system is a major initiative that can efficiently support the company to minimise various types of accidental as well as ill-health related issues while performing different operational functions. Therefore, the proposed health and safety plan for XYZ Ltd will be prepared in accordance with the principles and standards of five major elements of ‘POPMAR’ framework recommended by Health, Safety & Environment (HSE) document HSG65. The POPMAR framework constitutes five major elements that encompass policy, planning, implementing and operation, measuring performances as well as auditing and reviewing performances (Health and Safety Authority, 2006). The framework can be better understood with the help of the following pictorial representation. The different constituents of POPMAR framework have been described hereunder. Policy The companies should highly emphasise upon incorporating and developing the policy concerning health and safety within the workplace for the purpose of mitigating any sort of accidental issues. From the perspective of XYZ Ltd., the company must consider the policy linked with health and safety as an integral part of its operational process. The health and safety policy of the company should encompass certain major guiding principles and laws in order to protect the employees and other people from different hazardous conditions. Therefore, the policy of health and safety system for XYZ Ltd will be focused on following issues. Design, maintenance and provision of safe and secure workplace environment for the workers of the company Provision of safety working environment in terms of planning, organising, performing and maintaining the systems of organisational operations Performing identification as well as risk assessment process of the ongoing hazards Preparing emergency plan as well as provision of first-aid training programmes Urgent reporting of the hazardous accidental occurrences to the higher authority for smoothly conducting the investigation process Information, supervision, instruction as well as adequate training process for the employees as required and Conducting health and safety consultation and employee participation programmes Source: (Health and Safety Authority, 2006). Planning Planning can be considered as an essential practice towards effectively implementing health and safety policies. From the perspective of XYZ Ltd, the planning process will be executed in order to efficiently handle the risk factors of the operational activities. Therefore, the planning process of health and safety system of XYZ Ltd. will be focused on the following factors. Designating appropriate responsibilities through reflecting upon job roles and skills of the workers Setting apparent performance standards Clearly defining roles and responsibilities for attaining organisational goals and Setting adequate time frame to accomplish different tasks Source: (Health and Safety Authority, 2006). Implementation and Operation From the perspective of one of the elements of POPMAR framework i.e. implementation and operation, it can be stated that the mechanisms concerning the capabilities and support of a health and safety system eventually develops the implementation as well as the operational reforms of an organisation by a considerable level. In this regard, the companies need to be quite well-structured through demarcating the workforce in accordance with their respective different roles and responsibilities. Moreover, the workforce of XYZ Ltd. will be engaged and committed with the proper implementation of health and safety policies and they will be clearly communicated as well as motivated to efficiently perform their respective roles and responsibilities. With this concern, the senior officials of the company will be entitled to recognise their roles through considering the following activities. Promoting and maintaining active participation of the workforce in every aspect of the health and safety management system Making the workforce aware about the health and safety system of the company Ensuring effective consultation, employee participation as well as representation concerning safety in the workplace and Promoting employee cooperation in order to prevent or identify hazards and Source: (Health and Safety Authority, 2006) Measuring Performance In order to enhance the efficiency of the proposed health and safety system for XYZ Ltd., it is quite important for the company to measure the performance of each individual member in accordance with the policies and plans of the system. With this concern, the performance level of the employees from different level will be monitored and measured according to the health and safety guiding principles and plans of the company. Therefore, the performances of the employees will be measured through the following procedures. Reviewing of health and safety system that will be conducted at least twice in a year Ensuring senior managers to take health and safety responsibilities of the workforces and Ensuring that the health and safety policies and regulations remain same or developed over the periods Source: (Health and Safety Authority, 2006) Audit and Review The auditing and reviewing process is viewed to be an important stage for the companies where the policy of the health and safety system can be evaluated concerning the efficiency of the overall processes of the system. In this similar context, the auditing and reviewing performance of XYZ Ltd. will be evaluated by the external auditors that will be quite beneficial for the company in clearly identifying its level of efficiency or deficiency in developing the policy of health and safety. 3. a) RIDDOR Assessment Form (F2508) Part A About You 1. What is your full name? 2. What is your job title? 3. What is your telephone number? About your organisation 4. What is the name of your organisation? 5. What is the address and post code? 6. What type of work does the organisation do? Part B About the incident 1. On what date did the incident happen? 2. At what time did the incident happen? (Please use the 24-hr clock e.g. 0600) 3. Did the incident happen at the above address? Yes Go to question 4 No Where did the incident happen? elsewhere in your organisation – give the name, address and postcode at someone else’s premises – give the name, address and postcode in a public place – give details of where it happened If you do not know the postcode, what is the name of the local authority? 4. In which department, or where on the premises, did the incident happen? Part C About the injured person If you are reporting a dangerous occurrence, go to Part F. If more than one person was injured in the same incident, please attach the details asked for in Part C and Part D for each injured person. 1. What is their full name? 2. What is their home address and postcode? 3. What is their home phone number? 4. How old are they? 5. Are they Male Female 6. What is their job title 7. Was the injured person (tick only one box) one of your employee? on a training scheme? Give details: self-employed and at work? a member of the public? Part D About the injury 1. What was the injury? (e.g. fracture, laceration) 2. What part of the body was injured? 3. Was the injury (tick the one box that applies) a fatality? a major injury or condition? (see accompanying notes) an injury to an employee or self-employed person which prevented them doing their normal work for more than 3 days? an injury to a member of the public which meant they had to be taken from the scene of the accident to a hospital for treatment? 4. Did the injured person (tick all the boxes that apply) become unconscious? need resuscitation? remain in hospital for more than 24 hours? none of the above Part E About the kind of accident Please tick the one box that best describes what happened, then go to Part G. Contact with moving machinery or material being machined Hit by a moving, flying or falling object Hit by a moving vehicle Hit something fixed or stationary __________________________________ Injured while handling, lifting or carrying Slipped, tripped or fell on the same level Fell from a height How high was the fall? Trapped by something collapsing ___________________________________ Drowned or asphyxiated Exposed to, or in contact with, a harmful substance Exposed to fire Exposed to an explosion ___________________________________ Contact with electricity or an electrical discharge Injured by an animal Physically assaulted by a person ___________________________________ Another kind of accident (describe it in Part G) Part F Dangerous Occurrence Enter the number of the dangerous occurrence you are reporting. (The numbers are given in the Regulations and in the notes which accompany this form) Part G Describing what happened Give as much detail as you can. For instance • the name of any substance involved • the name and type of any machine involved • the events that led to the incident • the part played by any people. If it was a personal injury, give details of what the person was doing. Describe any action that has since been taken to prevent a similar incident. Use a separate piece of paper if you need to. Part H Your Signature Signature Date If returning of post/fax. Please ensure this form is Signed, alternatively, if returning by E-Mail, please type your name in the signature box Where to send the form Source: (Mansfield District Council, 2013) 3.b) Steps to Evade Such Occurrence in the Future The business operations of XYZ Ltd. intend to produce various electronic equipments. Therefore, an effective health and safety as well as risk assessment pro-forma is highly required owing to the reason that the activities in the production level significantly involve various hazardous activities. Therefore, the risk assessment pro-forma for XYZ Ltd. will be based primarily upon certain major factors that have been described hereunder. Policy Statement The policy statement of XYZ Ltd. will be focused on promoting and aiming health and safety of the workforce along with the surrounded community members. Therefore, it will incorporate the practice of safeguarding employees and others who are likely to face hazardous issues. Moreover, the policy will also comply with the health and safety legislation and provide adequate as well as suitable information, instruction and training process with the intention of mitigating any sort of accidental issue. In addition, the policy statement of the company will further insist and encourage the business managers to ensure proper supervision and safety within the workplace. Streamline Plans Formulating or streamlining the manufacturing plan along with maintaining effective policies can be considered as a major decision especially for a company. In this context, XYZ can focus on determining the objectives along with guiding principles that ensures developing the policy of health and safety system within the workplace. Moreover, the plan will be focused on promoting health and safety both for the workforce and surrounded community as well. The plan will significantly involve different activities and their possible consequences, operational complexities as well as various hazardous situations that are to be faced by the workforce within the workplace. Enhancing Risk Assessment Process An effective risk assessment process would ultimately ensure increasing productivity of the workforce and also minimising the amount of risks in the production level. The enhancement particularly in the risk assessment process would support the companies in mitigating different accidental issues by a considerable level. Performance Review The process concerning performance review can enable XYZ to modify its various levels of production through examining and evaluating the consequences of the machinery equipments and different hazardous chemicals used within the manufacturing plant. Reviewing the operational performances of the manufacturing plant in a frequent period would facilitate the company to assess different sorts of risks (State of California, 2010). Therefore, an effective risk assessment pro-forma for XYZ Ltd. has been illustrated by taking into concern certain imperative factors in order to enhance the efficiency of health and safety within the workplace (See Appendix). This particular pro-forma has been chosen in order to recognize different risks, determine the individuals possessing risk, evaluate the risk levels and most significantly ensuring that different work activities can be performed safely. The pro-forma would be used as a valuable guide in order to perform an effective assessment of safety risk. The guide would comprise the liable individuals who generate risks within the place of work, recognise along with assess those risks and adopt along with implement strategic decisions in order to mitigate those risks (State of California, 2010). Assessment Task 2 a.) Outline of the Incident Texaco Oil Refinery at Milford Haven is an oil refinery plant situated in Wales that had experienced a hazardous accidental event during the mid of the year 1994. The Texaco Refinery has been identified to be producing hydrocarbon fuels that largely include motor fuels, fuel oils, kerosene and gas oils among others. Texaco delivered a broad assortment of core services that include maintenance, inspection as well as engineering, quality assurance, public relations and planning along with security among others. It has also been identified that the company employed nearly about 600 people scattered in different operational segments like warehouse, process areas relating to public relations and onsite departments. The explosion and fire that took place in the Texaco Oil Refinery at Milford Haven affected 26 workers severely. It has been apparently observed that the explosion took place by flammable liquid hydrocarbon that was incessantly pumped with its outlet closed. The incident occurred on Sunday and this can be regarded as one of the imperative factors in preventing large fatalities due to the presence of low populaces of working staffs (Institution of Chemical Engineers, 2013). b.) The Immediate Causes The incident of Texaco Oil Refinery had been witnessed on Sunday afternoon in the mid of the year 1994 due to the malfunction of electronic valves. One of the main immediate causes of the incident can be identified as an electric storm that affected various operational equipments that include vacuum distillation, butamer and alkylation along with the Fluidised catalytic cracking unit (FCCC). The situation was mainly caused due to varieties of events that include ineffective control of the valves, performance of large modifications without evaluating the negative consequences, unstructured graphics linked with control panel and failure to initiate strong necessary actions. Therefore, it can be affirmed that the technical malfunction was the immediate cause of the explosion (Institution of Chemical Engineers, 2013). c.) The Underlying Causes The explosion and fire in the Texaco Oil Refinery was caused due to improper management of the refinery plant. The incident happened owing to the reason of ineffective control system, unsupportive electric equipments as well as failure of the management. From the perspective of an oil refinery plant, the contact of fire with the inflammable liquid hydrocarbon is one of the major factors that can enormously affect upon the plant and workers operating under it. The technical fault within the refinery plant was the major underlying causes of the explosion that was wrongly monitored by the management (Institution of Chemical Engineers, 2013). d.) Major POPMAR Elements That Had Not Been Implemented Fully by the Company After acquiring a brief idea about the incident of Texaco Oil Refinery, it can be stated that the following elements of POPMAR had not been fully implemented by the company. Planning From the perspective of the element of planning relating to POPMAR framework, it can be stated that the company did not initiated any sort of effective measure in planning to develop its infrastructure that could provide superior assistance concerning safety of the working environment of the refinery plant. The planning process in the refinery plant should have been further required towards adopting superior safety initiatives that could enable the workplace to be more secure. Relating to the case of Texaco Oil Refinery, it has been viewed that the company did not made any sort of panning about the continuous pumping of the flammable hydrocarbon liquid with closing the outlets (Healey & Greaves, 2007). Measuring Performance The policy and guiding principles of the company was identified to be highly structured but the management team overlooked the performance monitoring process of the overall plant and its various technical levels. The performance measuring process must be taken into concern in order to ascertain that the risks in the operation level are being observed and controlled at the right time (Health and Safety Authority, 2006). Audit and Review In the context of audit and review process of the plant, Texaco Oil Refinery plant did not properly conduct the audit and review process of the operations as well as different technical parts of the refinery plant. The contact of fire with hydrocarbon liquid led to the cause of major explosion that can severely damage the overall plant as well as members working in its. Therefore, auditing and reviewing process should be properly conducted in order to recognise the risk factors within the workplace. With this concern, it can be identified that the company was not properly conducted its auditing and reviewing processes of the technical area that ultimately led towards the occurrence of the explosion. According to the observation of the incident that took place in the Texaco Oil Refinery, it can be stated that the aforementioned POPMAR elements are the major concerning factors that were not properly implemented by the refinery plant and thus massive explosion as a form of accident was occurred (Health and Safety Authority, 2006). e.) Recommendations Plant Infrastructure Design Designing an effective plant infrastructure is regarded as one of the major areas especially for mitigating any sort of accidental issues that occurs within a particular organisation. With this concern, the infrastructure of Texaco Oil Refinery was considerably viewed to be in a vulnerable condition that eventually led towards occurring fire and explosion. It has been apparently observed that the technical segment of the plant was the major contributing factor for the happening of the incident. Managing an effective and a well-built design especially for the technical areas can prevent the occurrence of hazardous conditions within an organisation. From the perspective of plant infrastructure design, the company can introduce safety alarms so that it can comprehend the situation and take corrective actions. This introduction of safety alarms would eventually support the company to defend against any sort of hazardous events. Moreover, the introduction of the safety alarms would certainly assist the company to perform necessary level of incorporation in a systematic manner (Institution of Chemical Engineers, 2013). Effective Inspection of the Plant The Texaco Oil Refinery plant require to organise effective and appropriate inspection systems as well as frequent reviewing processes concerning its various operational as well as technical in order to prevent a reoccurrence of the incident. In this context, the inspection and reviewing process of the plant should encompass the performances of the overall plant including infrastructure, workforce capabilities as well as storing hazardous chemicals and gases ensuring safety environment within the workplace. From the perspective of technical areas, the plant should highly focus upon scrutinising and recognising various fault areas that may lead towards further happening such hazardous situation. In relation to make effective inspection of the plant, the company should adopt as well as follow a collected as well as a formal procedure for recognising the hazards and implement effective measures for making any sort of modifications. From the standpoint of emergency planning, the company can also introduce fire brigades with the intention of providing sufficient water supplies at the time of worst-case scenario (Alberta Health Services, 2010). Increasing Technological Efficiency Increasing the technological efficiency can also be the other crucial factor for Texaco Oil Refinery plant in reducing the risk of various hazardous conditions. The company should incorporate advanced and developed technological elements in order to enhance the level of health and safety within the workplace. With this concern, the company should remain utmost focus upon incorporating advanced technological equipments that can monitor and exhibit various faults and technical errors while performing various operational functions. Moreover, from the viewpoint of increasing technology efficiency, the company should introduce an effective safety management based system that must comprise the ways of storing, recovering and most significantly reviewing any sort of information relating to accidental issue. In this similar context, with regard towards raising technological efficiency, the company can adopt as well as implement effectual display systems through which a comprehensive idea about the overall condition of any such incident can be attained with ease (Institution of Chemical Engineers, 2013). . References Alberta Health Services, 2010. Strategic Plan for Workplace Health and Safety. Workplace Health and Safety Management System (WHSMS) Standard. [Online] Available at: http://www.albertahealthservices.ca/org/ahs-org-whs-strategic-plan.pdf [Accessed February 16, 2013]. Health & Safety Authority, 2013. Managing Health and Safety. Topics. [Online] Available at: http://www.hsa.ie/eng/Topics/Managing_Health_and_Safety/ [Accessed February 16, 2013]. Health and Safety Authority, 2006. Workplace Safety and Health Management. Publications. [Online] Available at: http://www.hsa.ie/eng/Publications_and_Forms/Publications/Safety_and_Health_Management/Workplace_Safety_and_Health_Management.pdf [Accessed February 16, 2013]. Healey, N. & Greaves, D., 2007. A Review of Consistency of References to Risk Management Frameworks in HSE Guidance. Health and Safety Laboratory. [Online] Available at: http://www.hse.gov.uk/research/hsl_pdf/2007/hsl0713.pdf [Accessed February 16, 2013]. Institution of Chemical Engineers, 2013. The Explosion and Fires at the Texaco Refinery, Milford Haven, 24 July 1994. The Incident. [Online] Available at: http://www.icheme.org/resources/safety_centre/products/~/media/Documents/icheme/Safety%20Centre/HSE%20reports/ExplosionAndFireAtTexacoRefinery.pdf [Accessed February 16, 2013]. Institution of Chemical Engineers, 2013. HSE Accident Reports. Resources. [Online] Available at: http://www.icheme.org/resources/safety_centre/products/hse_accident_reports.aspx [Accessed February 16, 2013]. Mansfield District Council, 2013. Report of an Injury or Dangerous Occurrence. Health and Safety at Work Etc. Act 1974. [Online] Available at: http://www.mansfield.gov.uk/CHttpHandler.ashx?id=495&p=0 [Accessed February 16, 2013]. State of California, 2010. The Whole Worker: Guidelines for Integrating Occupational Health and Safety with Workplace Wellness Programs. Department of Industrial Relations. [Online] Available at: http://www.dir.ca.gov/chswc/WOSHTEP/Publications/WOSHTEP_TheWholeWorker.pdf [Accessed February 16, 2013]. UCL, No Date. Risk Assessment Proforma. Safety. [Online] Available at: http://www.google.co.in/url?q=http://www.ucl.ac.uk/medicalschool/msa/safety/docs/raform.doc&sa=U&ei=UPImUea2K8msrAeDkoCoCg&ved=0CCoQFjAC&sig2=ymK4eSEgNHxi1gCYe-9hDA&usg=AFQjCNGgoUx2gVfezqL-wKiFGI-i1PVdnw [Accessed February 22, 2013]. Appendix Department/Area: Date of Assessment: Assessment No: DESCRIPTION OF ACTIVITY HAZARD IDENTIFICATION PERSONS AT RISK (who might be harmed and how? are there any groups especially at risk?) EXISTING PRECAUTIONS (what controls are currently in place?) other risk assessments             ANALYSIS OF EXISTING PRECAUTIONS (are the precautions effective; if not, why not?) ACTION REQUIRED (what further action needs to be taken to control/reduce the risk?) Action By whom Target date Date completed                                         REVIEW DATE PERSON(S) CARRYING OUT THE ASSESSMENT Print: Signature: Date: Source: (UCL, n.d.) Read More