Page 14 - Serious Incident Prevention How to Achieve and Sustain Accident-Free Operations in Your Plant or Company

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and other key organizational performance indicators are the key to achiev-
ing and sustaining improved safety results.
My 28-year career with Eastman Chemical Company involved manag-
ing safety-related risks from the perspective of both operations management
positions and as Eastman’s Texas Division Safety Director. During my ca-
reer with Eastman, company honors included winning the Malcolm
Baldrige National Quality award, STAR recognition through OSHA’s
Voluntary Protection Program (VPP), and receipt of the Texas Chemical
Council’s prestigious “Best in Texas” award. The serious incident preven-
tion process model, as presented in this publication, was developed through
the merging of proven performance management principles with sound risk
management practices that include the lessons learned during my nearly
three decades of experience. The eight-element safety management model
has proven effective for all organizational levels—top management through
first-level operating teams. It is a model for operational excellence—a
proactive, team-based approach for sustaining serious incident free opera-
tions.
Managers tend to be energized by a limited number of events—typi-
cally, either by a crisis or by proactive recognition of a significant opportu-
nity. While a crisis emits alarm signals that cannot be ignored, opportunities
are not as easy to detect. The objective of this publication is to clearly com-
municate the significant opportunity for improvement and to provide a sys-
tematic, straightforward approach for development and implementation of
more effective safety management processes. With the catastrophic conse-
quences of serious incidents, initiation of management action is clearly
preferable in the opportunity stage rather than in the crisis stage that ac-
companies the occurrence of an incident. For organizations ready to recog-
nize and act upon opportunity, the chapters that follow provide a vision and
road map for a safer, more prosperous future.
Thomas Burns, PE, CSP
SIP Management Systems, Inc. / Quality Safety Edge
PO Box 3743
Longview, Texas 75606
(903) 238-9360

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