(54i) Tier 3 Indicators: Top of Prevention Ranking

Process safety leading indicators are a set of forward-looking metrics that indicate the performance of key work processes, operational discipline, or accident prevention layers (CCPS 2011). These indicators show deficiencies and weaknesses in the process safety management system (API, 2016).

According to CCPS (2011), given the high number of possible indicators and metrics, it may be impractical to collect data for each of the process safety management elements. But, how do you choose the most appropriate indicators for installation aimed? In this work, a database of 470 differents process safety leading indicators was consolidated.

After applying fuzzy method selection and criteria, 44 leading indicators were registered and hierarchized, resulting in four Tier 3 and forty Tier 4 leading indicators for oil terminals and pipelines.

The analysis of the results indicates that the highest triangular fuzzy number value occurred in Tier 3 indicator "Safety systems demands: instrumented safety system performance".

Tier 3 indicators were among the top eight indicators in the hierarchy. This can be justified by the fact that the occurrence of the events monitored by these indicators are very close to the process accident, and therefore the importance of being monitored.