Operating discipline

Our objective is not to set new standards, but to encourage companies and individuals to apply existing standards and the operational discipline necessary to establish their own internal requirements that support business excellence. This guideline provides tools to help the toller and their client take a systematic approach to managing their relationship and implement applicable... 

Practice a high level of operational discipline. Maintain good communications and a positive outlook. 

Understanding and Encouraging Operational Discipline A workshop to enhance process safety, environmental responsibility, quality and profitability. AntiEntropics Inc., 1999. 

Where the switching of plant is purely manual, the plant instructions should specify the limits of control, and not leave these to the shift operator, who may not be sufficiently skilled to take the correct decisions. Standby plant is often fitted, and it is part of the operation discipline to change over machines to ensure that they get even wear and keep all sets in running order. All operation staff should be aware of the method of bringing standby plant into use in an emergency. Where refrigerant valves need to be opened or... 

Safety and loss performance in the chemical industry is the result of the interaction of plant design, construction and maintenance with production processes, and trained people applying a well-developed operating discipline. An accident leading to personal injury, property damage, or product loss invariably is the result of the failure of one or more of these elements. Each factor involved in chemical production—equipment, process, product, and people—may be subject to a variety of failure modes which may lead to accidents. 

Unique, though not exclusive, to the operations function is the concept called operating discipline (see Section IV, E). Incorporated in this idea is the systematic accumulation of all operating experience such that mistakes will not be repeated. Any change, no matter how small, requires reassessment of its impact on the operating discipline. 

Each LPP may also discuss information which should be included in the operating discipline and maintenance procedures for the process activity covered. Appropriate references to other LPPs are provided, as are references to applicable industry and government standards. 

In each of these cases technology was not lacking, but the discipline required to follow procedures and good operating practices—operating discipline—was lacking. 

There is no definition or checklist which will tell you, now you have an operating discipline. It is several different things. It is all the knowledge needed to operate a plant to produce a quality product safely, efficiently, and without insult to the environment. It also is the training required to equip the entire work force to achieve that goal. And it is the orderly conduct and self-control which leads to that achievement. 

In computerese, operating discipline is the software—standards, written procedures, operating instructions, guidelines, training, supervision, and conduct—needed to operate a plant successfully. 

At Dow, the operating discipline in a typical production unit will include ... 

Operating discipline forces thinking things through ahead of time. It provides for initial and follow-up training of all personnel involved in operating and maintaining the plant. 

Operating discipline also provides an institutional memory for the plant it covers. It assures information transfer to new employees and to all employees in the event changes are made, and it assures that company and legal requirements are met. 

The accidents described above are dramatic examples of failure of operating discipline. Experience teaches that some similar failure underlies every adverse incident in a chemical plant. 

Research and engineering make vital contributions to the initial operating discipline, as to manufacturing people with experience in similar technology. Dow has found that plant operators can contribute valuable experience to the development of the discipline. 

Once this initial operating discipline is put into usable form, it must be communicated to the people who will use it. This means a series of training sessions before plant start up, training that continues through the start up period. 

At any time, the operating discipline provides extensive documentation of the plant s history. 

Others may create, implement, and update the operating discipline. However, the plant manager or superintendent bears the responsibility for establishing and maintaining it. At Dow, this responsibility is formally spelled out in the company s Minimum Requirements for Safety, Loss Prevention and Security. ... 

Plant Performance Comparisons New Technology and Know-How Design Guidelines Safety Loss Information Competitive Information Technology Reviews Operating Discipline... 

During the audit, the team is alert to new technology, good operating practices, new equipment, and operating disciplines which can be communicated to other plants within the Technology Center s scope. 

The operating discipline for the job the employee holds or is about to begin... 

All appropriate personnel have a fundamental understanding of the reactivity of all the chemicals in the operation. This understanding shall be in place at a level necessary to prevent foreseeable Reactive Chemicals accidents. Operating discipline and training are keys to achieving this desired result. 

All necessary Reactive Chemicals testing and engineering analysis have been completed and appropriately included in the operating discipline. 

Once the worst case scenarios are identified, lines of defense should be identified or developed for each scenario. These lines of defense should be standardized across the technology, utilized as part of the training efforts and included in the operating discipline for the facility. 

Lack of operating instructions and lack of rigid operating discipline were major contributing elements in this accident. Quick, decisive, cooperative efforts between operations and the emergency squad limited damages. Thankfully, there were no injuries. 

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