Digitization to Transform the Process Security Service Industry

Abhrasnata Das

When it comes to analyzing and reducing safety hazards, paperworks, document-based forms, and spreadsheets have been the industry standard for the past 50 years.To prevent mishaps, manufacturing facilities and industrial enterprises have used static papers as a barrier. As a result, there was a lack of knowledge of continually changing risks, as well as security and safety deficiencies.

These flaws were frequently overlooked until it was too late. However, there has been a lot of buzz in recent years about Industry 4.0, digitalization, and digital twins, and the revolutionary potential these technologies have to increase operational performance and minimize process safety mishaps.

In this article let’s understand how the concept of process security services are changing and also underline the latest trends that will shape the future of process safety services in the future.

Process Safety Digitization

Mandatory training, PSM audits, and PHAs have traditionally required site visits, but with a digital PSM programme, some of these tasks may now be completed remotely. Many processing facilities are limiting who and how many individuals are allowed on their campus as we continue to deal with the fallout from the COVID problem. In compliance with CDC recommendations, digital PSM software allows audits, analyses, and training to take place with little or no face-to-face interaction.

Some facility walkthroughs may be done digitally, with facility managers using video conferencing on a smartphone or tablet to show their engineering colleagues through the building.Overall, switching to a digital PSM platform can mitigate health risks for a facility’s employees and engineering consultants, particularly in this post-pandemic environment.

When it comes to site-specific training, a digital PSM platform can make it simpler for employees to get the training they need while minimizing downtime at your location. Training may be done on demand using online software rather than flying team members across the nation and/or scheduling downtime for teaching. Instead of coming to the location, corporate safety employees may access and analyze documentation from their own offices.

Furthermore, fewer visitors to the location means less distractions, making life easier for owners and facility workers.

Adoption of Safety Control Systems

With the advent of new digital technologies, today the process safety service providers are adopting new technologies and standards to improve process safety system project execution. Some of the key technological changes occurring in the market include a growing use of new I/O technologies, increasing adoption of standards, and increasing use of virtualisation. The overarching goal of these changes is to make process safety systems easier to implement and maintain.

In the days ahead, it is possible that virtualisation technologies will prove to be robust enough for this type of application.More users are now beginning to observe that most safety failures come from field devices connected to the safety system, rather than the safety system logic itself. This understanding is driving more end users to demand safety lifecycle management software functionalities so they can not only operate their plants safer, but also prove it!

Regulators are also getting more involved in the safety lifecycle and becoming more proactive by working with major end users to ensure that they comply with standards and demonstrate understanding of risks and corresponding safeguards to manage/mitigate identified risks before accidents can happen.

Advent of New Operational Practices

Today, a new RBPS management system is being actively adopted by a number of industries to handle process safety risks in all processes involving the manufacturing, use, or handling of hazardous chemicals or energy.

Companies may now utilize the RBPS method to determine which physical locations and phases of the process life cycle should be subject to RBPS, as well as the level of detail to apply in attaining process safety objectives, utilizing the risk-based thinking process.

A risk-based strategy decreases the possibility of allocating excessive resources to lower-risk activities, freeing up resources for tasks that handle higher-risk activities. Design, rectify, or improve process safety management system aspects using RBPS criteria.

What will the future look like?

While initiatives to integrate digital solutions in process operations are gaining traction, important safety considerations must be addressed when digitalization is implemented. Process automation and digitalization, particularly in process monitoring, instrumentation, and control, are increasingly commonplace.

With these advancements, safety concerns have shifted from basic equipment failure to process systems (equipment with electronic systems), monitoring and control systems, data encryption systems, and, most recently, software system failure. With all of the changes in the process safety service industry, it's more important than ever to educate and train the next generation to keep up with the changing landscape. Otherwise, there would be a disconnect between theory and practise, compromising the overall safety of process facilities.

To reinforce the notion of making process safety learning a deliberate decision, proactively translating this obstacle into an educational opportunity and bringing digital process safety challenges into the classroom is critical.