As process safety practices and guidelines continue to grow and mature, greater emphasis is being placed on the selection of competent auditors. More and more companies see the value of conducting high quality process safety audits to uncover possible gaps or deficiencies in their programs. But how do companies assure the competency of potential auditors, regardless of whether they are internal or 3^rd party individuals?

Given the current circumstances surrounding the Covid-19 pandemic, face-to-face meetings may not be possible for upcoming process hazard analyses (PHAs) and other team-based studies at your facility. However, when it comes to the performance of process-safety-related compliance activities, regulators expect that companies will exert their best efforts to conduct studies on schedule. Increasingly, we are being asked by our clients about the practicality of remotely facilitating PHA studies.

With more companies instituting competency management programs, greater scrutiny is being placed on the selection of PHA/LOPA facilitators, regardless of whether they are third-party or internal resources. As companies see the value of conducting high quality PHA studies, more emphasis is being placed on finding a facilitator who is thoroughly competent to perform a top notch study. But how do companies assure the competency of potential PHA/LOPA facilitators? Simply finding someone who has some knowledge of the process being reviewed isn’t enough. Neither is a reference check or two. 

Every three years, companies in the process industries must perform a compliance audit for their Process Safety Management (PSM) systems and Risk Management Programs (RMP). Many companies turn to third parties for assistance in conducting their PSM / RMP compliance audits in order to gain an outside perspective regarding implementation of PSM and RMP practices at their facility. However, companies often focus on the wrong factors in making a decision on selecting a third-party auditor. 

One of the most important aspects of a sound PSM program is having a high-quality process hazard analysis (PHA) completed for your covered processes. Many companies turn to third parties for assistance in leading and facilitating their PHAs due to the specialized nature of facilitating PHAs. However, companies may not consider the most important factors when selecting a third-party PHA facilitator.