What can the process industries learn from Grenfell?
I have just spent a very sobering two hours reading the Phase 2 report from the Grenfell Tower Inquiry.? I still have a lot more to digest, but I've been struck again by the strong parallels between the findings/recommendations and established process safety management good practice (such as the Energy Institute’s High Level Framework for PSM). I've shared some examples below, and would be interested to hear what also resonates with you.
The latest report is essential reading for everyone within the safety profession. Critically we need to absorb the learning, and use it to positively influence the organisations and individuals we work with.
Leadership and management review
The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea (RBKC) was responsible for overseeing the Tenant Management Organisation (TMO)’s activities, not monitoring its operations on a day-to-day basis, but its oversight of the TMO’s performance was weak and fire safety was not subject to any key performance indicator. The absence of any independent or rigorous scrutiny by RBKC of the TMO’s performance of its health and safety obligations, and in particular its management of fire safety, was a particular weakness. RBKC took little or no account of an independent and highly critical review of fire safety carried out for the TMO in 2009. It did not even know about a further independent and highly critical report produced in 2013 because the TMO had failed to disclose it to RBKC.
Element 1 Leadership, commitment and responsibility
Assurance of the integrity of an organisation’s operations requires visible leadership commitment and accountability at all levels of the organisation. Management shall establish a process safety policy, provide perspective, set process safety performance targets and provide the structure and resources to achieve them.
Element 20 Audit, management review and intervention
Regular review and audit of compliance with the PSM framework is vital to ensure that process safety performance continues to meet the defined targets. Management shall ensure that there is both routine review and independent audit of compliance with each element of the PSM framework requirements.
Technical competency to assess and manage risks
领英推荐
The TMO’s only fire assessor for its entire estate was allowed to drift into that role without any formal selection or procurement process. He had misrepresented his experience and qualifications (some of which he had invented) and was ill-qualified to carry out fire risk assessments on buildings of the size and complexity of Grenfell Tower, let alone to hold the entire TMO portfolio. As a result there was a danger that fire risk assessments would not meet the required standard.
None of those involved in the design of the external wall or the choice of materials acted in accordance with the standards of a reasonably competent person in their position. They were not familiar with or did not understand the relevant provisions of the Building Regulations, Approved Document B or industry guidance.
Element 3 Employee selection, training and competency
Control of operations depends upon having competent people in position. Management shall ensure that existing and new personnel have the required competencies
Communication with stakeholders
From 2011 to 2017 relations between the TMO and many of the residents of Grenfell Tower were increasingly characterised by distrust, dislike, personal antagonism and anger. Some, perhaps many, occupants of the tower regarded the TMO as an uncaring and bullying overlord that belittled and marginalised them, regarded them as a nuisance, or worse, and failed to take their concerns seriously. For its part, the TMO regarded some of the residents as militant troublemakers led on by a handful of vocal activists, whose style they found offensive. The result was a toxic atmosphere fuelled by mistrust on both sides.
?Element 5 Communication with stakeholders
Establishing and maintaining stakeholders’ confidence is a key factor in maintaining an organisation’s licence to operate. In relation to major hazards, management shall identify key stakeholder groups and develop and maintain a good working relationship with them, understanding and addressing their issues and concerns.
?
?
?
Technical Director, Environment, Health & Safety and Sustainabilty
6 个月Insightful article Ashley, thank you for sharing. I find the report somewhat overwhelming and distressing. To the lay person, myself included, however, it just seems incredible that combustible material was used to clad the building: "The choice of combustible materials for the cladding of Grenfell Tower resulted from a series of errors caused by the incompetence of the organisations and individuals involved in the refurbishment".
Professor of Process Safety
6 个月Great summary, Ashley. Outsourcing does not mean abdication of responsibility. When you pass control to others - governance is key.
Chemical manufacturing expert??Chemical Engineer and Engineering Manager ??Extensive Upper tier COMAH experience?? Pharma manufacturing and Facilities Management expert ??
6 个月Good article, thanks. The other interesting perspective is the use, or not of inherent safety. Don't put people in high rise buildings in the first place or if you do have redundant safety systems, why was there only one staircase?
Piper Alpha survivor at One of the 61 Safety Impact Speaker
6 个月One hundred percent Ashley.