Hazard Identification and Risk Assessment

Hazard Identification and Risk Assessment Oil and gas exploration and production activities have increased tremendously as petroleum has become the backbone of the worlds economy. The industry has expanded significantly throughout the world. As the oil and gas industry enlarges throughout the world, its impacts on lives and environment have been appalling. Numerous spills, fires, toxic emissions, blowouts and personnel injuries have been recorded in recent times in the oil industry. The most recent one is the Macondo disaster with its tragic loss of life, devastating impact on the Gulf Coast and financial loss to the companies involved. Culpable companies have lost billions of dollars due to lawsuits, compensations and oil spill clean-ups. This has led to some oil companies collapsing and others suffering credibility loss in the industry. Concerns about how HSE flaws are killing people, damaging properties, polluting the environment and killing businesses have been raised by stakeholders, workers and the general public. New reforms have been made with regulators making HSE a business case for companies more especially small-to medium- sized companies. Managers of these small to medium companies must have a company policy of achieving environmental and business goals through HSE. Legislation should be made with full compliance by both employers and employees. There should be performance monitoring and continual improvement in these policies. However, the success of whichever process or system in place still hinges on the attitudes and behaviours of people in the company[Health safety Executive, 2011]. This report elaborates on the need to incorporate HSE into business and describes how good HSE management system could be implemented by small- to medium- sized oil businesses. 1.0 Introduction The major aim of employing HSE in business is to take advanced precautions against workplace accidents, environmental impacts as well as financial losses due to accidents and environmental pollutions. A companys attitude towards HSE affects the workforce, surrounding environment and business productivity. The decision to integrate HSE into business is a high level policy direction of a company. Many businesses adopted this tool and have made tremendous gains. It is on this premises that this report seeks to highlight the need for small- to medium- size oil companies to inccorparate HSE into business irrespective of the cost. The report also describes how HSE management systems could be implemented. Small-to medium-sized companies should not see spending money on HSE as expensive add on to companys budget but a profitable investment. These companies should forecast the benefits that could be reaped in future. This analysis will give an opportunity to compare the financial costs involved in the implementation of HSE management systems and benefits reaped after implementation. The method of HSE implementation should be understandable and practical to all the people that are affected by these systems. An important necessity is that, the management systems at all levels must be clearly defined in a written document that is available to all. 2.0 Discussion Small to medium size Oil Companies should integrate HSE into business as bottom-line of business success. Managers must first consider the economic influence that accidents and environmental pollutions have on the business before taking this decision. 2.1 Costs versus Benefit Managers have to analyse how much it will cost the business to introduce HSE management system and the cost of accident or environmental pollution if it occurred. The cost of implementing HSE management systems could be high. Indeed running a good HSE systems come with higher costs. These costs should be seen as investment but not liabilities because the business turns to gain greatly if the objectives of running such systems are achieved. Cost and benefit analysis on the implementation of HSE management systems will always prove that safety is good business [Offshore Contractors Association, 2003] 2.2 Objectives of HSE in Business HSE is incorporated into business with the aim of: A safer working environment Improved morale and motivation amongst workers A healthier working environment Increased performance levels Avoiding civil claims, court fines and litigations Reducing insurance cost Reducing sickness and accidents Reducing impacts to the environment. Improving public image Increasing growth Conforming to standards and regulations in the industry. [OCA, 2003] 2.3 Health, Safety and Environment Management System HSE Management systems ensure that HSE issues are systematically identified, controlled and monitored within the business. 2.4 Policy Proper HSE management require an HSE policy statement, stating the companys commitment to the health and safety of workers as well the environment. Management must demonstrate high commitment to this framework, setting HSE in perspective with business objectives. The policy statement should serve as the foundation for the implementation of the HSE management system. It should be the basis of any HSE decisions and actions. Employers and employees must understand this framework and what is require of them in order to realise the business targets. To make the HSE policy effective, management and employees must be committed to it. The policy statement should outline the obligations and answerability of management and supervisors as well as employees. The policy must be subjected to continual review. HSE program has to be developed to meet the objectives and commitments of the HSE policy. 2.5 Hazards Identification and Risk Assessment To ensure that HSE becomes a business culture, management must develop structures and systems which are intended to control risk based on hazard identification and risk assessment. Anything or practices that have the potential to harm life, health, environment and properties should be identified. Some hazards are easily identifiable because they are common to the industry where as others are not. Managers must involve the employees in the hazards identification because they are the people which are affected directly by these hazards. They should enquire from them which of the machines, equipment, procedures and practices endanger their lives. They should also consult environmental specialists to know which of their actions and operations pose dangers to the environment. Managers should check through workplace accident records to find out which of the companys operations have been causing injuries and fatalities over the years. Identified hazards must be assessed to know the seriousness of each one of them and measures to control these hazards should be decided. Controlling the risks associated with these identified hazards, reduce ill health and accidents at the work place. Managers and employees should continually look for hazards at the workplace because some hazards are only discovered with time such as sicknesses caused by long- term exposure to certain radiations and chemicals. The hazards discovered must be ranked as being High, Medium or Low to know the best action to take in each case. 2.6 Risk Management and Implementation Measures have to be adopted to get rid of hazards or minimize them. For example if risk involves hazardous chemicals, it should be replaced with an alternative chemical less harmful. In other cases, the use of alternative work methods, design improvements, change of process can eliminate the risk. Management should involve employees in the entire process of risk management. They should ask workers of any possible solution before it is implemented. They should check that, the measures taking do not cause any new unforeseen hazards. 2.7 Measuring performance The degree of success of the HSE management systems should be established. Management should evaluate the systems to know if the objectives of implementation is being realised. Performance measuring would help management to collect and analyse information about flaws in the HSE management systems. Injuries and accidents should be investigated thoroughly to know their cause. Measures should be made to prevent such accidents and injuries from occurring again. Management should make sure there is regular check on safety equipment to make sure all these are functioning well. If a flaw is detected in any of the safety equipment, it should be repaired or replaced with a new one. 2.8 Reviewing performance and auditing Auditing gives management the opportunity to collect information on the efficiency, effectiveness and reliability of the HSE management system. Auditing enable management to ensure that companys policy is being carried out and the desired impact is being made. There should be regular auditing to assess the systems to know the level of success chalk with the implementation of the system. Any poor practise uncovered should be dealt with. 3.0 Justification/Benefits of HSE It really makes a good business sense to invest in HSE initiatives because the returns are enormous. HSE initiatives protect business from financial losses linked to safety and environmental problems. Lawsuits or fines emanating from accidents are avoided. Such cost can impose an enormous burden on the business. For example, HSE mismanagement led to the death of 15 workers and 108 people in the march 2005, Texas City refinery blast. The CBSs,2007 investigation report highlighted safety culture, regulatory oversight, process safety metrics and human factor as the main cause of the disaster. The report also states that Cost cutting and failure to invest in the 1990s by Amoco and then BP left the Texas City refinery vulnerable to a catastrophe [National Wildlife Federations report, 2010] Many businesses which suffer major accidents struggle to remain in business and usually end up collapsing or trading their assets off. The Texas Refinery after the blast struggled to come back to operation due to huge financial burden on the company. Eventually, the refinery was sold to Marathon Petroleum Corporation in October 2012. Safety and health of workers yield quality output which translates to higher productivity and profit because lost work time due to sick leaves, absenteeism is significantly reduced. HSE in business increases morale of workers because if workers do not encounter frequent accidents at workplace, it motivates them to give their best output. Contrary, they will adopt a lukewarm attitude towards work if injuries are common in their working environment. Most workers would move to other companies because they feel unsafe. Company may lose competent workers and will impact negatively on productivity. There is also a reputation gain associated with good HSE records leading to business growth. A good reputation invites and retains clients. It makes a company enjoy repeat business from existing clients and also win new contracts ahead of their competitors. 4.0 Conclusion Small to medium sized oil companies in their attempt to grow business to a larger one should make Health, Safety and Environment initiatives, the prime item on their list of initiatives to achieve business goals. They should be concerned with the health and safety of workforce as well as the impacts the business makes on the environment, because the occurrence of a major accident would be detrimental. The financial consequences of an accident coupled with the associated business disruption could force a heavy burden on the company. Some larger companies have suffered this in the past and could not survive. If any smaller company thinks, integrating and managing HSE systems in business is expensive, let them try accidents. Small to medium sized oil companies should know that prevention of accidents and pollutions is not only better but cheaper than cure. WORD COUNT: 1,820 References ALLAN, J.H., 1999. Health and Safety at Work. Fifth edition. Leicestershire: IOSH and IOSH Services Limited. WATERHOUSE P.,2002. Health and safety: Risk Management. second edition. Leicestershire: IOSH Services Limited. OFFSHORE CONTRACTING ASSOCIATION, 2003. Guidance Notes of Good Contracting Practice- HSE Guidance for SMEs.[online].Aberdeen: OCA. Available from: http:/www.ocainternet.com/publications/HSEguidanceforSMEs.pdf [Accessed 14 November 2012]. GREENSTREET, B., 2004. The development of case studies that demonstrate the business benefit of effective management of occupational health and safety: Research report 249,.[online]. Reading: Health Safety Executive. Available from: http:/www.hse.gov.uk/research/rrpdf/rr249.pdf [Accessed 12th November 2012] CHEMICAL SAFETY BOARD, 2007. Investigation Report-refinery explosion and fire.Reportno.2005-04-I-TX. [online]. Texas: CSBAvailable from:http:/www.csb.gov/assets/documents/CSBFinalReportBP.pdf. [Assessed 10th November 2012]. NATIONAL WILDLIFE FEDRATION, 2010. Assault on America: A Decade of Petroleum Company Disaster, Pollution and Profit. [online]. US: NWF Available from: http:/www.motherjones.com/files/NWF_OilSpillsExplosions_pages.pdf [Accessed 19 November 2012]. HEALTH SAFETY EXECUTIVE, 2011. Huntsman Petrochemical.[online] UK: HSE. Available from:http:/www.hse.gov.uk/business/casestudy/huntsman.htm [Accessed 20 November 2012]. HEALTH SAFETY AND EXECUTIVE, 2011. Health and Safety made simple- The basics for your business. [online]. UK:HSE.  Available from:http:/www.hse.gov.uk/simple-health-safety/ [Accessed 30 October 2012]. MARATHON PETROLEUM CORPORATION, 2012. Marathon Petroleum to purchase BPs Texas City Refinery [online] Ohio:MPC.  Available from:http://www.marathonpetroleum.com/News/Press_Releases/Press_Release/?id=1742579[Accessed 2nd November 2012]

Vodka on Sunday :: essays research papers

Den umulige generation A new study from Berlingske Tidende with 300 Danish managers shows that the new generation has too high expectations and expects to become managing director without even having the experience. 78% of the Danish managers think that the young employees under 30 years are more demanding than others and they do not even want to work overtime. The managing director Erik Sà ¸ndergaard says that there are no connections between the young employees’ effort and the ambition. Sà ¸ndergaard’s solution is that the new employees should know about the job through trainee-posts. Young people are spoiled and it is the parents’ fault. They give them everything they need. And then the young people have never had any confrontations. And when both parts in a relationship want to have a career it is almost impossible. Another managing director Peter Grà ¸nlund sees this development as a positive thing. He thinks that the young employees want higher challenges. And they do not want to do the same thing for a long time. Now there are also a balance between work and private life. This new progress is healthy, but it puts the management under a lot of pressure. The demanding generation has not only got high expectations considering the job alone, they also want friends, a great family and hobbies which are more important than work. Half of the young people in the research would say no to do overtime at work if they had a private arrangement. Money does not even seem to be the biggest deal. They think the companies should hire more employees instead of expecting them to do overtime. This new challenge will take a lot of convincing to do for the politicians, because the generation does not think they owe anything to the society. Vodka on Sunday (An Irish short story) In Fiona Gartland’s short story â€Å"Vodka on Sunday† we experience a family with a faà §ade that they have been living with their entire life together. In this story we see how something you have done in your past can haunt you in generations, and that it can never be disguised or forgotten. â€Å"Vodka on Sunday† takes place in a family of high rank where the father enjoys football on Sundays and the wife prefers to stay at home appreciating a nice drink. The frame of the home with the crystal lamp gives us an impression of a wealthy family.

High School and Basic Education Essay

According to the K to 12 DepEd Primer (2011), â€Å"K-12 means â€Å"Kindergarten and the 12 years of elementary and secondary education. † Kindergarten points to the 5-year old child who undertakes the standardized curriculum for preschoolers. Elementary education refers to 6 years of primary school (Grades 1-6) while secondary education means four years of junior high school (Grades 7-10 or HS Year 1-4). In addition to this, two years are now allotted for senior high school (Grades 11-12 or HS Year 5-6). Prof. Lorina Calingasan of the College of Education in UP Diliman explains that â€Å"K-12 means extending basic education by two years, so instead of having a high school graduate at 16 (years old), we will have high school graduate at 18. † The DepEd discussion paper (2010) on the enhanced K-12 basic education program explains that this new setup â€Å"seeks to provide a quality 12-year basic education program that each Filipino is entitled to†. Furthermore, the purpose is not simply to add 2 more years of education â€Å"but more importantly to enhance the basic education curriculum†. What is the rationale for this program? There is an urgent need to enhance the quality of basic education in our country as seen in the education outcomes of Filipino students and the comparative disadvantage of the Philippines with regard to other countries. The following data would support this explanation: At present, the Philippines is the only country in Asia and among the three remaining countries in the world that uses a 10-year basic education cycle. According to a presentation made by the South East Asian Ministers of Education Organization (SEAMEO-INNOTECH) on Additional Years in Philippine Basic Education (2010), the comparative data on duration of Basic and Pre-University Education in Asia shows that the Philippines allots 10 years not just for the basic education cycle but also for the pre-university education while all the other countries have either 11 or 12 years in their basic education cycle. Achievement scores highlight our students’ poor performance in national examinations. The National Achievement Test (NAT) results for grade 6 in SY 2009-2010 showed only a 69. 21% passing rate while the NAT results for high school is at a low 46. 38%. Moreover, international tests results in 2003 Trends in International Mathematics and Science study (TIMSS) show that the Philippines ranked 34th out of 38 countries in HS Math and 43rd out of 46 countries in HS II Science. Moreover, the Philippines ranked the lowest in 2008 even with only the science high schools joining the Advanced Mathematics category. Some reasons why not disagree with K- 12 education plan in the Philippines First if K- 12 will be implemented, students will be able to get sufficient instructional time to do subject- related tasks which makes them more prepared and well- trained on that subject area. On the other hand, if we remain on the old system, Filipino students would continually get low achievement scores. For instance, international test results revealed that we often come at the tail end in the exams compared to other countries. Second reason why we should support K- 12 is that the graduates of this program will be more prepared to enter the labor force. As we all noticed, high school graduates of the current curriculum are not yet employable for the reason that they are not yet competent and well – equipped with the skills needed in the workplaces. In addition, most high school graduates are not yet reaching the legal age of 18. With the new curriculum, senior high school students can choose a field that they are good at and that they are interested in. As a result, they will be equipped with the skills needed for a specific job even without a college degree. At the age of 18, the age when they graduate from high school, they will be employable and competitive already. Thus, adding up to the nation’s manpower. Finally, with K- 12, Filipino graduates will be automatically recognized as professionals abroad because we are following the international education standard as practiced by all nations. There will be no need to study again and spend more money in order to qualify to their standards. With this, Filipino professionals who aspire to work abroad will not find a hard time in getting jobs in line with their chosen field and will be able to help their families more in the Philippines as well as the country’s economy with their remittances, property buying, and creation of businesses. Filipinos are known to be competitive in the international community. While this may be true, our current education system hinders us in becoming more competitive among other countries. The K- 12 education plan offers a great solution to that problem. However, it is undeniable that there seems to be problems arising as we implement the program such as lack of government budget, classrooms and school supplies as well as the teachers. But, if we focus on the long- term effect of K- 12, we can conclude that it is very beneficial to us Filipinos. Therefore, we must have the strong will in supporting K- 12 Educational Plan for the betterment of our education system and economy. Remember, if we want change in our society, we must start it with our education system. Definition of Terms Curriculum refers to the lateral integration of school-based subjects to meet the qualifications demanded by industry. South East Asian Ministers of Education Organization (SEAMEO) is a chartered international organization that aims to promote cooperation among Southeast Asian nations through education, science and culture. It operates through specialized regional centers, three of which are hosted by the Philippine government and include the Regional Center for Educational Innovation and Technology (INNOTECH). National Achievement Test (NAT) is an annual examination given to both Grade ninth and tenth students in the Philippines. The students’ knowledge and mastery over the subjects Mathematics, Science, Filipino, and Araling Panlipunan is measured using a multiple choice type test. The examination is administered by the Department of Education’s National Educational Testing and Research Center (NETRC). Trends in International Mathematics and Science study (TIMSS) provides reliable and timely data on the mathematics and science achievement of U. S. 4th- and 8th-grade students compared to that of students in other countries. Methodology Living this modern world we gather this information by conducting research through internet. We read all the articles that describe k – 12 basic educations. By the help of this modern technology we determine how and why k – 12 basic education help Filipinos to be employed and reduces poverty in our country. Summary of Findings World of K -12 K – 12 Basic Education Program is adding 2 years from K – 10 Basic. Education Program of our country. K – 12 are divided from kindergarten, elementary education (grade 1 – 6), secondary education or junior high school (grade 7 – 10 or HS year 1 – 4 ), and additional 2 years which refers to senior high school (grade 11 – 12 or HS year 5 – 6 ). After 12 years of basic education graduates of this curriculum are prepared to belong to the labor force of the Philippines. Also K – 12 graduates are recognized as professionals abroad because we are now following to the international education standard are practice by all nation. Reference Velasco P. T. (2012). A Primer on the New K-12 Philippine Education Curriculum.

To What Extent Were the Aims of Reconstruction Achieved by...

To what extent were the aims of reconstruction achieved by 1877? The following essay will analyze the economic, social and political successes and failures of the reconstruction period, after the United States’ civil war. In the presidential elections of 1860, Republicans led by Abraham Lincoln opposed the idea of slavery into United States territories. Although Lincoln had won the elections, by March 4, 1861, seven cotton plantation-based slave states formed the Confederacy. Lincoln’s first movements insisted that republicans would not initiate civil war, leading eight remaining slave states to reject immediate calls for secession. There was an intention to prevent war, but a peace conference failed, and there were no arrangements†¦show more content†¦They were four and a half million of them; they were a force to be reckoned with It was not only that their leaders, such as Frederick Douglas was energetic and articulate, nor that they had many powerful white friends among the abolitionists. They had won their freedom merito riously and by their own efforts. As a result of actions of reconstruction, there where new blacks who enrolled in the US army, and black leaders started arising in different states, which ratified the success. Also the south had to accept the rules of the US constitution, and this meant that they had to accept the 13th amendment which made slavery illegal in the southern states. Therefore the legal basis for continuing slavery was removed. Southern states were also forced to write new state constitutions, which would next be ratified by the voters and under which elections to the congress could be held in the autumn. In this way reconstruction was successful as the power of the planters was now lowered, thanks to the new 13th amendment, they were not able to use a slavery system any more, in that way cotton plantation became much more unprofitable and in this way dependence of the south on cotton was also reduced, as now blacks had a wage. Finally Afro-Americans were now free by law, which was also one of the reconstruction aims Moreover blacks as citizens also received rights, they could legally marry, sue or be sued, testify against whites, own land, get paid for work,Show MoreRelatedDebate over if the Reconstruction Era was Failure Essay1222 Words   |  5 Pagesto the union’ knowing that they were agreeing to the abolishment of slavery under the Thirteenth Amendment; which abolished slavery, Fourteenth Amendment; that stated all persons born in the states were American citizens and finally the Fifteenth Amendment which highlighted that the a citizen’s right to vote should not be denied, thus achieving one of the aims of Reconstruction. 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