Safety management on a refinery maintenance turnaround

Abstract

Programmed maintenance is an essential part of safety management in high risk industriessuch as oil refineries and their life cycle. Maintenance turnaround tasks are diverse and constitutean exceptional universe of risks. In this article we intend to discuss if during maintenance turnaroundsthere is an increase of undesired events and human factor role. Maintenance activities usually representan increase in accidents and incidents frequency. Accidents can have origin in a series of causes amongsthuman factor, being human error the most unpredictable. Considering this, we suggest that effective safetymanagement depends on a comprehensive risk assessment that should integrate an assessment of workersperceived risk. When integrated in a human risk factor management program, it could allow determiningmeasures specifically focused on workers, enhancing their risk perception, hence safe behaviourand aid on diminishing the elevated accident frequency preceded by human failure during maintenanceturnarounds.