1. MAINTENANCE AND PRODUCTION
(Alfredo Ruggiero)
The production and maintenance are essential in the management of safety. .It 'extremely
important that the supervisors manage good safety aspects as they are the key people who
manage the staff, machinery / equipment and monitor labor conditions every day, every shift.
The supervisors are also the people who are in a position to take immediate action when there are
security problems in a system and preventing possible.
So the conduct of operations according to written procedures, or worry that the personnel
operating is properly trained and trained in the tasks required are specific tasks of the supervisors.
Management of safety on the systems it 's never a static thing. It needs constant update. The
supervisors are called upon to provide information on how the procedures are implemented, how
they are managing the plants; their knowledge of operations every day is essential to make the
system efficient and reliable So the knowledge of the process is critical for the plant safety
management.
Supervisors must keep the documentation up to date by making sure to make the appropriate
changes according to their daily plant management.
Even during the design production and maintenance must provide the right considerations for a
plant safety project. When designing the maintenance collects information for maintenance
programs during start up, normal management, decommissioning. The production has the role of
keeping up to date knowledge of the process.
When designing the production and maintenance participate in the identification of risks such as
fire, explosions, toxic or dangerous releases, reactions in runaway, being part of the team Hazop.
The risk assessment is conducted by the head of safety but under the signs that come from the
production and maintenance. The supervisors are also important in defining the integrity programs
of the equipment to reduce the life of the possible plant upset and failure of the equipment which
could lead to releases of hazardous substances. In addition, supervisors should evaluate with
security teams also the human factor and ergonomic factors; just knowing the plant can give some
important tips on how to reduce risks linked to human error.
Even after an accident their root cause analysis can lead to effective tips to avoid a repeat of the
events even with the identification of countermeasures applicable to similar processes.
Fundamental is the management of change by ensuring that all personnel involved and
'adequately informed about the proposed process changes.
Important aspect is 'the ability of supervisors to recognize situations that require change
management, so that they can help to identify safety solutions for the changes.
Then a way to improve the safety performance of the plant is to conduct periodic audits by
providing frank answers to questions and implementing the suggestions in the audit scope.
The supervisors of the production and maintenance should actively participate in the planning
stages and should communicate their points of view, so every device, each section of the system
should be analyzed to take into account the phases of
commissioning
2) start up
3) operations
4) decommissioning
5) decontamination for maintenance
6) maintenance.
HAZOP sessions should be undertaken to evaluate the deviation of the process and identify
corrective actions.
The documentation becomes an essential element of security; so 'should have:

2. 1) of process drawings (p & I)
2) data on protective systems
3) specific process and equipment
Specific data for equipment maintenance
5) data on the process chemistry (chemical data, physical, flammability, explosiveness, reactivity)
6) operational procedures
7) Emergency procedures
8) procedures of using PPE
9) procedures load / unload products / raw materials
Examples of factors analyzed in risk assessments are:
• pressures and process temperatures
• Criteria for the calculation of the safety valves
• Identification of the set point, the process interlocks
• Study of reactivity in the reactor
• Programs plc / dcs
• List of critical equipment / instrumentation
• Fire-control systems
• depressurization systems
• Analysis of material compatibility
• Design specifications of the lines and equipment
Sometimes it is useful the what-if analysis is done in order to identify a list of potential dangerous
situations and suggest corrective actions with the appropriate safeguards in the process.
As we are seen in all this work the participation of the operations and the maintenance is wide.
If the risk is judged unacceptable by the risk assessment then we must find solutions that lower the
level. Thus' for example, there may be:
1) environmental monitoring for hazardous substances
2) automatic sprinkler systems
3) sufficient separation distances between devices
4) containment basins
5) buried lines
6) control of the sources of recognitions
7) Contingency plans practices regularly carried out tests
8) Training of emergency team
9) agreements with the Fire Brigade
10) mutual aid between adjacent companies
11) in the safety design of the layout of the plant (the process unit should be separated enough to
reduce the probability of contact between a drive and the other in case of emergency; easy escape
routes for the in case of emergency workers; in case fire detection of the correct position of the
control room)
Designers can improve safety and ergonomics by providing the workplace, adequate space for
maintenance work. For example, the pumps can be pooled together for easily accessible, located
on the outside of buildings, and located close to access roads and placed with ample space around
them to allow the maintenance personnel to act with ease, as well as the exchangers should be
oriented so that during their cleaning with the removal of the tube bundle the anchor and lifting
systems do not prevent access to the system in emergency
Reference : Guidelines for safe process operations and maintenance ,Aiche/ccps