Superior safety performance planning

Different metrics may be used to describe past performance, predict future performance, and encourage behavioral change. They are a means to evaluate the overall system performance and to develop a path toward superior process safety performance. This is accomplished by identifying where the current performance falls within a spectrum of excellent-to-poor performance. Such information will allow executives and site management to develop plans to address the specific improvement opportunities that could lead to measurable improvement in process safety. Good process safety metrics reinforce a process safety culture that promotes the belief that process safety incidents are preventable, that improvement is continuous, and that policies and procedures are necessary and will be followed. Continuous improvement is necessary and any improvement program will be based on measurable elements. Therefore, to continuously improve performance, organizations must develop and implement effective process safety metrics. 

Because of the emphasis given to them in discussions with safety professionals, two performance measurement systems deserve further comment. Scheduled safety audits are performed in eveiy superior performing company. Through a formal process, they provide management with a determination that expectations are or are not being met. In that process a systems aura prevails — an aura of plan, do, check, and improve. 

Many companies have reviewed and updated their emeigency and disaster plans since the World Trade Towers event. In the superior performing companies, which have extensive security departments, the safety professionals were impacted and participated in the updating, but most of the work fell to the security staff. 

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