Procedure Excellence: Changing Paradigms to Enable Human Reliability

A multi-year review of process safety event learning data revealed that procedure usability and human factors were leading trends of performance deviations by front-line personnel. These insights prompted an enterprise-wide Agile project to build capability focused on effective written guidance (operating procedures) using science-based tools and advanced error reduction techniques. The Agile approach was critical to gaining stakeholder commitment and establishing a comprehensive procedure integrity lifecycle to drive continuous improvement. We partnered with an external consultant to create a holistic framework applicable to vital process safety roles with an orientation toward operational excellence. Specifically, we will share our preliminary learnings and best practices leveraged from the nuclear industry, including systemic drivers to procedural deviations, the Top 5 error traps in written guidance, human performance modes, and key principles to enable human reliability.