(112c) The Right Stuff – Purposeful Improvement of PHA Leadership and Study Outcomes

Process Hazard Analysis (PHA) serves as the “backbone” of process safety programs and the management of risks. Risks can’t be managed until they’ve been identified, and the essential function of PHA is identification of hazards. This makes PHA a critical part of process safety. Yet, thirty years or more into formal process safety, poor quality PHAs are all too often identified – either internally through audits, revalidation processes, and accidents, or externally through compliance inspections. Deficient or poor quality PHAs are at times produced by process industry internal personnel, and also by external consultants contracted. This leaves considerable room for improvement in PHA leadership, and how industry goes about developing and ensuring it. Highly effective PHA leadership and study outcomes do not happen by accident, or "osmosis.”

Purposeful improvement of PHA leadership and study outcomes can be achieved through pursuit and implementation of The Right Stuff. Based upon experiences from over thirty-five years in the process industries, key elements of PHA leadership and study outcome improvement are reviewed, including:

• The Right People (Identifying and Developing)
• The Right Leadership (more than just technical skills)
• The Right Initial Training (purposeful training, course design, lesson plans, learning objectives)
• The Right Environment (policies, procedures, practices, aids, tools)
• The Right Mentoring and Follow Up Training
• The Right Reviews and Evaluations
• The Right Outcomes and Implementation
• The Right Quality and Improvement Program

Through commitment and a purposeful approach, there are significant opportunities for improvement in PHA leadership and study outcomes in the process industries. This won’t happen by chance but is achievable through learning from the past and applying and using The Right Stuff.