Optimizing emergency shutdown system inspection, testing, and maintenance through the tool design and validation

Area of Science:

• Petrochemical Engineering
• Industrial Safety
• Asset Integrity Management

Background:

• Emergency Shutdown (ESD) systems are critical safety controls in the petrochemical industry.
• Effective inspection, testing, and maintenance (ITM) are vital for ESD system reliability and hazard mitigation.
• Optimizing ITM practices requires a comprehensive understanding of influencing individual and organizational factors.

Purpose of the Study:

• To optimize ITM for ESD systems in Iran's Assaluyeh petrochemical industry using an Asset Integrity Management (AIM) approach.
• To identify and validate individual and organizational factors impacting ITM effectiveness for ESD systems.
• To design and validate a specialized assessment tool for evaluating these factors.

Main Methods:

• Literature review and Fuzzy Delphi method to identify and screen influencing factors.
• Development and validation of an assessment tool focusing on planning, supervision, documentation, communication, training, safety, and technology integration.
• Statistical analysis to verify the tool's reliability and validity.

Main Results:

• Key individual and organizational factors influencing ESD system ITM effectiveness were identified and validated.
• A reliable and valid assessment tool was developed for evaluating these factors.
• The study highlights the importance of targeted interventions in planning, training, and technology adoption.

Conclusions:

• The developed assessment tool provides a robust method for evaluating current ITM practices for ESD systems.
• Implementing findings can lead to significant enhancements in ESD system reliability and overall asset integrity.
• Focusing on human and organizational elements is essential for optimizing safety and operational performance in petrochemical facilities.