Our industry’s Senior Leaders gathered in Perth in June to consider Process Safety as an area of increasing focus when it comes to the health, safety and wellbeing of our frontline workforce. Process Safety performance starts - and stops - with leadership.
No matter where you work in the industry, what sector, what part of the supply chain, understanding process safety is essential. This forum was convened to explore the critical role that leadership plays in preventing serious incidents and fatalities across the entire industry.
Senior Leaders were welcomed by our brilliant MC, Kim Pullon (Process Safety Leader & Fellow Engineer, Safety Solutions), who commenced with a question the audience, “What does good Process Safety Leadership look like”, with the results – not surprisingly – centring around leadership behaviours.
Danny Woodall (Director of Operations, Chevron Australia and Co-Chair (Operators) WA/NT Safety Leaders Group) opened the event proper with his opening address, closing with another audience poll – this time, asking for feedback on what the Industry Safety Forum should look like into the future.
Kim handed over to our Keynote speaker, Trish Kerin (Director, Lead like Kerin) with her presentation, It’s Not Impossible That It’s Possible. She considered one of the biggest challenges in process safety: because the likelihood of major incidents is so low, it is easy to get caught up in the frequency illusion and dismiss the possibility of an event.
By approaching process safety with an open and curious mindset, asking questions and being seeking to learn, we can remain open to consider that when it comes to process safety events ‘it’s not impossible that it’s possible’.
Trish closed with a challenge to the audience:
- How can you use process safety discussions to understand your vulnerabilities?
- What questions can you ask to seek to learn?
- How can you use question to seek to teach?
- And finally, to remember – it’s not impossible that it’s possible
Sue McCarrey (CEO, NOPSEMA) stepped up for her presentation, The Regulators Perspective by considering emerging trends that are set to revolutionise process safety management with the intent to lead to safer, more efficient, and sustainable operations:
- Artificial intelligence (AI)
- Machine learning
- Digital twins
- Data analytics
She then considered key industry risks and concerns (including aging assets), NOPSEMA’s priorities for process safety, their role in supporting our industry and their expectations for Leaders in this space. Sue then opened the floor for any questions.
A brilliant panel discussion followed, 'What Good Looks Like – A Frontline Perspective', facilitated by Daniella Antonucci (Health and Safety, Woodside), with Health Safety and Environment Representatives (HSERs), Ryan Pillar (Monadelphous), Joseph Aparis (INPEX), Tayla Ryan (Shell), Neil Toms (MODEC Management Services) and Tim Hall (Woodside). This session provided Senior Leaders frontline HSER feedback from the morning HSER Forum, and to hear directly from the HSERs about issues currently directly impacting their role, their views (and those of their HSER colleagues) on what good process safety leadership looks like on the ground — and what it doesn’t.
Following a short break, Claire Ross (ABU Process Safety Manager, Chevron Australia) took to the stage for her interactive session ‘Designing Your Process Safety Leadership Toolbox’, designed to get Leaders to reflect on the ideas shared so far during the day, and collaborate with table-peers to identify the tools, actions, and mindsets needed to lead Process Safety effectively. Clair ensured delegates walked away with practical ideas and a personal commitment to put into action.
Deborah Peach (Executive General Manager, Cleanaway) closed the event with some insightful, observant and thoughtful take-aways from the day including that the event met its’ objective of ensuring delegates understand the role of leadership in preventing serious incidents and driving process safety performance, identifed practical actions to strengthen safety leadership within their own teams and organisations.
We are Stronger and Safer Together.