(43e) Operational Discipline and Beyond: An Interdisciplinary Approach to Improving Process Safety Management Implementation Through Behavior and Cultural Change

In 2007, US OSHA initiated a Petroleum Refinery Process Safety Management National Emphasis Program.  This was followed in 2009 with a similar program focused on Chemical operations.  These programs developed a series of findings, many of which were results of failure to implement OSHA 1910.119 PSM regulatory requirements.  Many facilities had well documented programs, but there was poor implementation.  In DuPont it was recognized that implementation is an Operational Discipline issue.

Operational Discipline (OD) as defined by DuPont is “the deeply rooted dedication and commitment by every member of an organization to carry out each task, the right way, each time”.  OD is recognized as the key to successful implementation of a Process Safety Management program, turning a paper program into reality.  Typically, companies have addressed OD improvements through behavioral modifications, but while the gains from programs to modify behavior can be substantial, they are difficult to sustain.  Cultural change, while far more difficult to achieve, can produce more sustainable results.  With an interdisciplinary approach, substantial improvements in PSM performance can be both rapid and sustained.  This presentation will discuss the key attributes of operational discipline as well as provide a process to identify specific actions to drive behavior and culture change.  This process is based on 6 Sigma methodology.