interactive CV

chronological

Andy Brazier's CV

Full list of projects

Having completed 60% of the design for a major new plant, a review of the three dimensional model of the plant was carried out. This was attended by representatives of the design contractor, construction contractor, client and future operator. Andy's role was to provide specialist human factors engineering input, advising on potential conflicts between the proposed plant layout and human factors good practice; and suggesting feasible solutions. Shell's Design and Engineering Practice (DEP) on human factors engineering was used throughout this project, and in fact this was one of the first major projects where this had been the case.

During a previous piece of work Andy commented that the client lacked a robust system for procedures, training and competence. As a result he was invited to return to site to develop a detailed plan of how to proceed. Andy propossed that a full list of operational tasks ranked according to criticality would be the best way to start and proceeded to develop this with site personnel. Using a modest number of assessment criteria, Andy was able to create a spreadsheet that automated the criticality ranking and also suggested the optimum solution for managing risks through use of detailed procedures, job aids, on the job training, more formal method of training and competency assessment. As a result the client had a very good idea of exactly what they needed to do to develop an effective system, and was able to demonstrate an approach based on process risk and human factors principles.

One of the conclusions from the inquiry into the Buncefield oil storage depot explosions and fire was that organisations must have effective shift handover arrangements. Andy was asked to review arrangements at two of the client's sites to determine if they were suitable and sufficient. He was provided with copies of logs, handover procedures and audit findings; and had informal discussions with personnel. Comparing with available guidance he concluded that the existing system were too informal and ad hoc, and so needed improving. However, he recognised that no problems were identified with the way handovers were actually carried out in practice, and so was able to recommend that the action required was to largely formalise existing arrangements rather than generate a new system.

Three offshore gas platforms had been designed and were in the early stages of construction. Previously, during Front End Engineering Design (FEED) a preliminary human factors engineering analysis had been carried out using Shell's Design and Engineering Practices (DEP). Andy was asked to carry out a human factors review at the end of detailed design. This involved a three day workshop attended by representatives of the design contractors and the future operating company during which the key systems and critical tasks were identified and analysed. Andy's report confirmed adherence to the DEP and other good practice; and recommended a number of actions to improve the design.

Following a major incident on an offshore platform the client identified a number of human errors that had occurred during evacuation, escape and rescue. Andy was asked to carry out a human factors analysis of the systems in place, taking into account the events that occurred during this incident. He visited the platform in order to observe arrangements and talk to key personnel. He then completed a task and error analysis. From this Andy made a number of recommendations for improving procedures, training and equipment arrangements.

The client was carrying out Front End Engineering Design (FEED) for a decarbonised fuel power station. The plant would reform natural gas to create hydrogen and carbon dioxide, which would be reinjected into depleted gas wells to achieve sequestration. Being a radically new concept, the client wanted to ensure all good practices were followed throughout the design, including human factors. Andy was given the role of identifying key aspects of the plants future operation. He identified the critical tasks, analysed them and specified requirements for plant design, control systems, user interfaces, procedures and training. The project contributed to the client's development of an internal human engineering standard and was nominated for a corporate award for safety innovation.

The client was in the process of building a liquefied natural gas (LNG) storage facility. As part of its development of a safety report under the COMAH regulations, a human Hazop was carried out. This followed the principles of Hazop, applied to key human activities using a modified set of key words. Because of his knowledge of human factors and LNG facilities he was asked to participate in the Hazop.

The client was building a new facility, which was to include a new control room. Andy was asked to comment on the engineering contractor's design. He identified a number of deficiencies and was able to advise on how current good practices could be incorporated. He was subsequently asked to provide more detailed advice on the operator interfaces in the control room. He conducted a task analysis workshop with the future operators of the plant. From this he was able to specify requirements for overview and detailed graphics; including task and scenario based displays where appropriate. As well as using the analyses carried out by Andy in the design of their user interfaces, the operators continued to carry out additional task analyses using the same method as they found it a very valuable exercise in reviewing the plant design and considering how they were to operate the plant in the future.

The client was planning a significant organisational change. Referring to the HSE's staffing assessment methodology, but tailoring it to the client's specific needs, Andy considered the plans and employees' views. From this he was able to identify that there was nothing fundamentally wrong with the objectives, but that some of the arrangements for implementing the change needed to be reviewed.

As part of a major plant design, Andy's client was required to carry out an alarm review. Andy advised the control, process and operations engineers on the project of current good practices for process alarms, particularly regarding prioritisation, and assisted in the initial review. They commented that this would result in an alarm system that was quite different to those they had experienced in the past but quickly understood the logic and started to see the benefits. The end result was a relatively small number of high prority alarms, with more medium and low priorities, and a significant number assigned to 'journal.' This compared to an initial allocation where the vast majority of alarms were to be assigned high priority, which would have inevitably resulted in a high workload and distraction for operators. Although a significant undertaking, the project proved that an alarm review was achievable and manageable.

The client was planning to significantly increase the quantity of highly flammable material being stored on site. This would make it a Top Tier establishment under the COMAH regulations. Andy's role was to specify requirements for developing the company's safety management system required to demonstrate major hazard risks were as low as reasonably practicable. This involved discussions with the Competent Authority and analysis of the company's activities. Andy developed a specification that identified what systems and procedures the client needed to develop in order to satisfy the requirements of COMAH. This specification was written in a way that could be included in the COMAH safety report as a description of how the company manages its major hazard risks.

This was a small but rapidly expanding company. They recognised that they needed a safety management system, but wanted to ensure it was fit for purpose. Andy carried out a number of risk assessments of their activities and collated key findings into a simple, user friendly system. The result was a management manual and separate staff handbook. The client was very impressed with how concise and 'to the point' the documents were.

The client had experienced an incident that caused significant plant upset and had the potential to be a COMAH (major hazard) accident. Andy was asked to investigate how the incident had been responded to by the plants affected and the wider site, and to evaluate whether the emergency management systems were adequate for the nature of hazards present. Talking to key people involved and reviewing logs from the incident, Andy developed a comprehensive timeline of the incident; and assessed the communications and decision making processes that had been employed. From this he identified a number of apparent shortcomings. He then compared the existing emergency management system and procedures with documented good practices from HSE and others and was able to identify the root causes of weaknesses in the system, particularly regarding command and control. He recommended that the existing system could be restructured and simplified, and that this would significantly improve the way it works in practice.

An employee of the client had attended a previous course. On this basis Andy was asked to deliver a similar course in house to bring the site up to speed with the requirements of human factors and how it applies to COMAH. Feedback from the course was very favourable and has resulted in further work.

Andy was seconded to the pre-operations team during the final design and construction phases of a new gas terminal. Andy's role was to facilitate task analysis and risk assessment, and to use the results to specify plant and interface design, procedural and competence requirements. This was a significant contribution to the preparation of the COMAH safety report and development of safe systems of work. Andy has provided ongoing support to the project, and this has demonstrated that human factors best practices can be incorporated into a project with minimal extra time and cost over 'traditional' approaches.

The site had recently undergone extensive modification. This included addition of a new control console in the existing control room. The client recognised that the design of the console had not received sufficient attention, and that the physical ergonomics were not ideal. Andy was asked to evaluate whether process safety had also been compromised through the design. The conclusion was that current best practice had not been followed, and that this meant risks were not as low as reasonably practicable. Andy then used the results of this study to influence the design of a new control room, to be constructed in approximately two years time. He was able to get the principles of ISO 11064 incorporated into the project, including end user participation.

Andy was asked to return to the platform approximately one year after his initial review, to evaluate subsequent changes. He found that a number of his previous recommendations had been implemented, and had been received favourably by both operators and management. Andy to identified some further opportunities to improve, challenging some custom and practice that could potentially introduce risk. He was able to make a number of recommendations to further improve the control room that would ultimately contribute to safely reducing manning levels.

The client had recognised that in certain circumstance that procedures are a key risk control measure. As part of preparation for COMAH it was necessary to demonstrate that the actual procedures in place were covering all the requirements to minimise the likelihood of major accidents and to ensure mitigation. Due his previous involvement in procedures at the site, Andy was asked to review the current situation. Working to a tight timescale, Andy directed an internal audit of procedures and COMAH carried out by the client's personnel. He then visited every department to carry out his own 'sample' audit to act as a cross reference. This combined approach meant Andy had information to demonstrate that whilst minimum requirements were being achieved, there was an underlying problem that meant the link between procedures and COMAH was not being made in an effective manner. As a result he was able to recommend a change of emphasis in the way tasks were analysed that would have multiple benefits of focussing procedures onto major hazards and improving the understanding of people who use the procedures.

Thanks to his general knowledge of oil refining activities, Andy was asked to assist in a project for setting emissions benchmark figures for new plant. This involved him searching literature to identify best available techniques for reducing emissions based on energy use and developing simple equations for calculating emissions from process throughput. Working to a tight time-scale he was able to develop benchmarks as required, but also pointing out that they were based on scarce data, which ultimately calls into question the validity of the proposed approach. The results from this work are being used to inform the DTI on administering the EU ETS.

The client was completing the definition phase for a project to develop a gas storage facility using salt caverns. An ARM study was required to demonstrate the proposed plant arrangements would be suitable for the planned operating and commercial activity. Andy led the project with other consultants carrying out the modelling and analysis. He was required to communicate closely with the client to ensure the data used was appropriate and the results were appropriate to their needs. Andy was able to use his knowledge of the gas industry to interpret the modelling results and developing practical recommendations for achieving a reliable plant. He was also able to comment on human and managerial factors that would ultimately affect reliability once the plant was operational

The site was piloting a change from a traditional ‘functional organisation’ to a ‘process oriented organisation’ incorporating self-managed teams. The objective of the change was to achieve a step change improvement in production performance, but being a COMAH top tier establishment the client had recognised that it could have safety implications. Andy was asked to carry out an organisational risk assessment to highlight potential pitfalls and recommend risk control measures. Working to a tight timescale, Andy was able to use his knowledge regarding team work and supervision to focus on key areas of concern. Interviewing members of the operating teams and facilitating a workshop with members of the change management team he developed a full list of potential threats, which he presented as an objective review of the plans. A number of risks were identified and Andy proposed practical solutions for each. He was able to demonstrate that plans for implementation had to go well beyond the notional 'go live' date, because the new organisation would take some considerable time to develop.

The client had an existing management system that was overly bureaucratic and complex, given the modest risks associated with their business. Andy advised how the system could be slimmed down by focussing on significant risks and setting the objective of selling health and safety to managers and staff. He facilitated the development of a policy statement, safety organisation and risk control measures.

The client had experienced an incident that should have been predicted and prevented as a result of risk assessment carried out for COMAH. Andy was asked to investigate how the risk assessment process had failed. From talking to key personnel and reviewing related documents, Andy was able to develop a root cause 'why tree.' From this he recognised that the incident had been predicted but the mindset of people at the site meant they focussed on only part of the problem and hence did not develop a full solution. This was further affected because assessments had been carried out at a generic level, and specific areas with higher risks had not been identified . Also, changes had occurred in the way areas of the site were being used and because the management of change processes had not worked as intended, there had been no prompt to revisit the original risk assessments. Andy was able to make recommendations about how to improve the underlying processes and specific applications of risk assessment and management of change. The objective being to not just prevent the same incident occurring, but to have a wide ranging impact on how risks are managed.

The original arrangement on the offshore complex included two control rooms. The client had recently changed this to have the two operators in the same room. Andy was required to evaluate the impact of this change and to determine whether it would be possible for one operator to operate the whole complex. This involved a visit offshore and a two day workshop with personnel. The HSE staffing methodology was used as the basis for the evaluation. Andy's conclusions were that the completed changes were largely satisfactory, but that further changes to alarm systems and layout of the control room were required before any down manning could be considered to ensure the lone operator was not overly distracted be events.

A Waste Authority was planning to tender waste disposal operations under a Private Finance Initiative (PFI). The legal firm carrying out due diligence for the authority had sub-contracted out the environmental aspects. Andy managed a team of consultants to carry out this environmental due diligence audit and co-orientated the report. Working to a tight timetable on a high profile project, this involved auditing 31 waste collection, transfer and recovery sites. The report highlighted potential environmental liabilities, plus some significant health and safety observations.

The client was the engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contractor for a liquefied natural gas (LNG) import, storage and regassification facility being built in Spain. Andy's role was to review the engineering design in order to identify credible loss of containment events and to evaluate the potential consequences. This involved him working with the design team, examining piping and instrument diagrams (P&IDs) and reviewing plant and equipment specifications. His analysis was used to determine the accidental loads that the plant had to be able to withstand so that escalation did not occur. It needed to be presented in a way that the designers could understand and their client would accept.

Operation of the client's major hazard site includes a significant number of actions performed from a central control room. Over the years the plant being operated has changed, new control equipment had been installed and the control room had been generally rearranged with little control. Andy was asked to evaluate the ergonomics. Andy's study involved observation, discussion and task analysis. His conclusion was that the basic physical environment (heating, lighting etc.) was adequate, but that there were significant concerns about how various control screens and communications are arranged. Andy made a number of suggestions for rearranging the current equipment to make improvements in the short term, and advised that more wide ranging improvements will be required in the future.

The client had recognised that the operating procedures for the site had become out of date and that rewriting them in their current style was unlikely to represent current best practice. Andy was asked to assist in implementing an improved approach to procedures. Working with the site, Andy developed the principle of an operators' manual. This would provide the basis for operator training and contain all the necessary procedures, job aids and other documents to be used by operators. The idea being that only information relevant to the operators was included so that it would always be easy to find what was needed.

Humber Chemical Focus has over 30 COMAH sites within its membership. They had recognised that increasing more focus was being put on human factors. Andy was invited to develop and deliver a two day course that introduced the basics of human factors and how it applies to risk assessment, incident investigation and development of safety report. 12 people attended, and feedback was very favourable.

Following an organisational change on the site, Andy was asked to review its success, and to identify aspects that had been less successful and/or required further improvement. This involved a number of discussion meetings with operating teams across the site, plus with plant managers and technical support staff. His report identified that the changes had been implemented without increasing or introducing additional risks. However, some of the objectives of the changes had not yet been realised, and would require further management intervention. Andy's report included recommendations for further improvements.

The client was concerned that they were experiencing frequent incidents where human error was a cause. However, they did not understand why those errors were occurring and so did not know what to do to prevent them. Andy led a small team in assisting the client in analysing past incidents and suggesting preventative strategies. This required him to train his colleagues in the techniques to be used. The project started by assessing a selection of past incidents in order to identify if there were any recurrent themes. As well as his in depth knowledge of human factors, Andy able to provide a systematic approach to this assessment. From this, a number of error prone tasks were selected for further analysis. The error prone tasks were assessed using the ‘Human Factors Assessment of safety critical tasks’ methodology described in HSE report OTO 99:092. During workshops attended by site personnel, error prone tasks were assessed using Hierarchical Task Analysis (HTA) and Predictive Human Error Analysis (PHEA). From this, error reduction strategies were proposed.

The client was the design contractor for a large Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) facility to be located in Northern Norway. Following on from the Quantified Risk Assessment of the plant, which Andy was involved in, this project involved assessing the likely consequences of fire and explosion events that may occur. It was necessary to be able to demonstrate that the plant design would mean that it would withstand any of these events that had a frequency above a specified threshold. These were known as the 'Design Accident Loads.' The analysis was used to confirm that appropriate design standards had been used, and that the provision of passive and active fire protection, and emergency shutdown systems were adequate. Andy developed the method for carrying out this analysis, and wrote the report.

This project was partly funded by the Carbon Trust and was a pilot from their carbon management programme. The main objective for the project was to learn about how best to address the behavioural aspects of implementing Carbon Management so that interventions intended to reduce carbon emissions were successful. Through interviews and discussions at all levels in the organisation; Andy and colleagues developed a comprehensive change management plan, with specific actions for the short, medium and longer term. Also, Andy developed a framework for a Change Management 'diagnostic' that would allow companies to assess their current culture with regard to Carbon Management, and determine where they want to be and how this can be achieved. The plan and diagnostic were commended for the ease with which they were understood and the assistance they gave to companies implementing Carbon Management.

The Energy Institute (formerly the Institute of Petroleum) had identified that the staffing assessment methodology (CRR 348/2001) developed by Entec for the Health and Safety Executive was a very valuable tool, but that some companies were not using it because they perceived it to be too difficult to learn and use. Also, the Institute had received feedback from its members saying that they did not feel the methodology was suitable for automated plant. Working closely with the Institute's human factors working party, Andy developed a 'User Guide' that explained the practical aspects of conducting an assessment using the methodology. As well as explanations about the underlying principles and terminology used, the guide provided practical advice and forms that could be used to collect information during assessment workshops. Also, it explained how companies should use the methodology in managing organisational change, including the assessment of risks associated with existing staffing arrangements and the impact of proposed changes. An extension to the methodology was developed to provide users with a method of assessing the impact to the operator of implementing technological change. The report and associated material is freely available from the Energy Institute's website.

An organisational change was planned so that operating and engineering departments would be realigned to improve flexibility and protect against future staff turnover. The client recognised that organisational change can introduce risk, and that they may need to be able to demonstrate to the Health and Safety Executive that those risks had been assessed and subsequently managed. Working closely with management and staff, Andy clarified the nature of the changes being planned and the intended impacts. Using HSE guidance CHIS7 regarding managing organisational change, as well as the more general health and safety information included in HSE guidance HSG65, Andy identified potential hazards and ranked them according to risk. These included organisation culture, stress and communication. The client’s implementation plan was reviewed to determine how well it addressed the risks, and recommendations were made to improve specific aspects. Andy presented his report to management, who used it develop their plan for implementing and monitoring the changes.

The client was installing modern DCS computer control technology in an old control room. This was a temporary measure, whilst a new control room was built, but could last up to two years. Andy visited the control room to observe activities, discuss the operators’ views and consider options to improve ergonomics given the significant constraints caused by reusing an existing room. Reference was made to HSE guidance and ISO 11064. The report discussed concerns about workstation layout, which put the two control room operators at some distance apart. Suggestions were made about how the layout could be changed to assist in teamwork. Operators had said they would need assistance in the control room at times of high demand, yet there were no spare workstations, and even answering the phone for the operators would be difficult. Options to allow such support were proposed. Some existing, wall mounted instruments and controls were located some distance from the new workstations, and the report stated that these needed to be moved as a priority. Also, it was noted that either operator in the control room could silence and accept all the alarms, and there was a significant possibility that alarms could be missed. Suggestions were made to improve the arrangement. Some of these were implemented immediately. Others were used to inform the design of the new control room.

The client was planning to change from an 8 hour to 12 hour shift pattern. Also, the number of shift teams was being reduced from six to five, which resulted in employee reductions, and required changes to the way absence (e.g. sickness and holidays) was covered. This project was an evaluation of the proposed changes, including collecting views and comments from the operators being affected. Andy evaluated the planned changes to confirm the new arrangements would be acceptable from a health and safety point of view, and to provide advice about how the changes should be managed. The HSE Fatigue Index was used to evaluate the proposed new pattern. During the project, control room operators raised concerns about mental fatigue from the increased time they would be in the control room on each shift. Some other operators had physically demanding tasks and were concerned that the longer shifts would impact on their work and result in injury and physical fatigue. There was also a general concern about an ageing workforce, and how this affected shift work. The report included a qualitative assessment of the risks and advice about how they could be controlled. Advice was provided regarding human physical capabilities, nutritional requirements and how to avoid physiological fatigue.

The project involved developing cost curves to show abatement efficiency vs. cost for techniques available for industry to reduce releases of Sulphur-oxide compounds. Andy's role was to collect the data for the refining, steel and quarrying sectors, that fed into the wider project. This included identifying options for abatement and gathering cost and efficiency data. Andy reviewed BREF and BAT notes and talked to industry experts.

Safe and Healthy Working is a service aimed at small and medium sized enterprises to improve occupational health performance as a contribution to the overall health of the Scottish population. This project was a cohort study of awareness and understanding of occupational health, before and one year after the introduction of the service. The study involved telephone and postal surveys, site visits and focus groups. Andy's role was project manager and quality review of the output. Although not actively involved in the research, he made a significant contribution to the completion of the report and overall coordination

The site in question is one of the client' major assets. It has its own emergency team to provide emergency response. In order to improve arrangements and reduce costs the client was looking to make some changes in the way the team was organised. Andy was asked to carry out a qualitative risk assessment of the planned changes and to advise whether the proposal was sensible. Also, to advise on how it should be implemented. Working with a junior colleague, Andy discussed the key issues with all those likely to be affected by the changes. From this the main potential risk factors were identified and evaluated. The conclusion from the project was that the changes could go ahead if certain activities were carried out when managing the change.

This project took place at an established manufacturing site that was adding an additional process unit to improve quantities of high value products being produced. A workshop was organised for operating staff to learn about the new unit. This included a day to learn start-up and shutdown procedures. Andy suggested that, rather than a class- room lecture, a more interactive approach was possible. Using a graphical task analysis technique (hierarchical task analysis), Andy facilitated the group in developing their own start-up and shutdown procedures. The participants found that, although they knew very little about how to operate the new unit they were able, using their operating experience, process descriptions and drawings, to work out how tasks would be performed. This meant they achieved a much higher level of understanding of the new plant and how it was to be operated.

The site had recently become a COMAH establishment. This created the requirement for a formal permit-to-work system. Being a very small and simple operation, the client did not have the resources to develop, operate or maintain a complex system. Andy was asked to develop a system that was compliant with relevant regulations and guidance, but practical for the operations taking place and staffing levels present on the site. Andy developed a two-part permit-to-work system. The first part was used during the planning stage of a job to analyse the potential risks and specify the necessary controls. The second was used to control the work on the days it was being carried out. The client felt this was a very practical solution.

This project took place at an established manufacturing site that was adding an additional process unit to improve quantities of high value products being produced. Andy was asked to assess the additional workload this would create and to determine whether it was acceptable. Using the HSE staffing assessment methodology (CRR348/2001) and working with operating and project personnel, he facilitated a three day workshop in which potential hazardous scenarios were evaluated. Andy produced an assessment report that demonstrated that the high degree of automation being implemented in the new project meant that the additional workload for field and control room operators would be tolerable. However, it also highlighted that some existing arrangements were less satisfactory, and recommendations were made about how incidents were responded to. In particular, arrangements were required so that control room operators would receive useful assistance from others during an incident. Also, it was discovered that in some circumstances a recovery to normal operation may not be possible, and it would be better to make decisions early to shutdown the plant.

The Health and Safety Executive had recognised that many organisations had changed their team structures (e.g. downsizing, multi-skilling, self-managed teams), and this had affected the way supervision was being delivered. This project examined how these changes could affect health and safety, and developed a method that organisations can use to assess their supervisory arrangements and make improvements. Andy managed the project, and had a major role carrying out site visits, developing the methodology and writing the research report. He was assisted by a small team of consultants assisted performed literature searches and carried out some of the site visits. The practicality and value of the methodology was demonstrated in a series of site trials with eight process companies in the UK. The report was published as Research Report RR292.

The client was in the process of commissioning a 750 MW combined heat and power (CHP) power station that was to supply electricity to the national grid and steam to nearby industrial facilities. Andy reviewed the newly developed safety management system to advise on whether it was fit for the needs of the operating plant and compliant with the Health and Safety Executive's guidance (HSG 65) and the Occupational Health and Safety Specification (OHSAS 18001). Andy’s review confirmed the system was largely compliant, but that it was in danger of being unnecessarily bureaucratic. He made a number of recommendations to simplify the system by ensuring the true nature of hazards and risks were reflected by the system and its associated procedures.

The client was planning to combine four control rooms on the site, into one. The knock-on effect of this was that support engineers would no longer be located in the same building as the process operators, but centrally some 200 metres away. Andy carried out a qualitative assessment of the potential risks associated with this move on the basis that it was a significant organisational change that would affect the way individuals and different groups would interact and communicate. The people most affected were involved via focus groups and interviews. The assessment was used to advise the client about how to manage the change to minimise the risk.

The client was planning to change from a 8-hour to 12-hour shift pattern. The main driver for this was that they were having problems arranging cover for holidays, sickness etc. This had resulted in frequent working of double shifts (i.e. 16 hours). Andy made extensive use of fatigue research documented in HSE Contract Research Report 254/1999, and the working time directive and UK regulations. Communication was key element in this project and research about shift handover described in HSE offshore report OTO 96003 was used.

This project involved the use of the 'Work Positive' methodology published by NHS Health Scotland to assess the risks to health of the client's staff from Stress. It involved a postal questionnaire and series of focus groups. The subsequent report identified the areas where stress was the greatest concern, and suggested methods to reduce the risk. Although not actively involved in the assessment, Andy made a significant contribution to the analysis of the results and completion of the report.

This project was funded by WRAP. The client had developed a process for manufacturing a water treatment media from recycled glass. However, for it to be used for drinking water supplies, the regulator required stringent tests. Andy assisted a colleague, who was addressing wider ranging issues with the project, by developing a method of assessing the potential risks of using the new treatment media. Working with the client, this was used to demonstrate that, whilst risks did exist, they were comparable or less than those associated with more traditional media (e.g. sand). Given that the new media had been shown to have very good performance in treating water, the risk assessment was an important element in making the case to the regulator.

The client was the design contractor for a large Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) facility to be located in Northern Norway. As part of the contract the client was required to provide an 'emergency preparedness report' that defined equipment and procedural requirements, that was to be used by the Operator to develop emergency systems for the facility. Andy developed the emergency preparedness report for the client. This involved reviewing the Operator's specifications and the plant design and risk assessments. Andy advised the client on the minimum requirements, and practical considerations given likely manning levels and environmental conditions (note the facility was to be operated in northern Norway). He attended meetings with the client and Operator to confirm the necessary arrangements.

The client was the design contractor for a large Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) facility to be located in Northern Norway. The project was a full Quantified Risk Assessment of the design to identify any points of weakness and demonstrate that personal and societal risks were acceptable to the Operator and Norwegian regulator. Andy's role in the project was to calculate the predicted frequency of loss of containment, fire and explosion events. For pipework and fittings, a formula derived from the HSE offshore hydrocarbon release data, modified for LNG use, was used to determine leak probabilities. For other items (e.g. ship loading arms, tank foundation heaters) Andy used industry databases and developed event and fault trees for the analysis. The results from the QRA were used to modify the design in a number of key areas to reduce risks.

A very large sewage drying facility was located on the site. Problems with continual leaks had resulted in high levels of dust being experienced in the process buildings. The staff were concerned about the potential affects to their health, but little action had actually been taken to reduce dust levels. Andy's role in this project was to evaluate the risks posed by the dust exposure and communicate those risks to staff and management in a way they would understand so that effective action could be taken. Dust level monitoring was carried out by sub-contractors and an occupational hygiene company was employed to provide some analysis of the results. Andy worked with the staff to elicit their views and concerns, and to determine what practical solutions existed. Tasks were risk assessed (according to potential dust exposure) and those with the highest risk were analysed further. There was a significant cultural element to the situation, where high levels of dust were being tolerated, although everyone know this was a problem. The assessment showed that the risks from dust exposure were unacceptable and had to be reduced. Andy proposed some immediate behavioural changes that would reduce personnel exposure. Also, he advised the company that a wide ranging culture change was necessary to ensure dust releases were no longer tolerated, and when they did occur, dealt with efficiently and effectively. Andy presented the report to an action group tasked with addressing the problem, who accepted the findings and recognised the need to urgent action.

The site has three operating departments. Significant organisational changes had occurred over recent years, although none were planned in the short term. The client was interested to find out what they could learn from applying the HSE staffing assessment methodology (CRR 348/2001). An initial assessment was carried out at one of the process plants. It was decided that the greatest value would be achieved by involving as many operators as possible. Therefore, assessment workshops were held with each of the shift teams. Andy co-ordinated a team of consultants to carry out the assessments and compile the report. The client found the findings were a real insight. The key issues identified in these studies related to operator communications, training and development and management of change. Some of these were site-wide, whilst others were more local. The company felt the assessment method and use of objective third parties provided information about the site that they would not have discovered in other ways.

The client had recognised that the way they were managing changes on the site did not guarantee sufficient control, and it was not possible to demonstrate after the event how changes had been managed. Andy, working with a colleague, assessed how changes were identified, assessed and implemented for process plant, procedures, materials and organisation. From this he was able to conclude that the same underlying process was present in all cases, but that this was not reflected in the existing procedures. He also identified that other systems played a part, especially permit-to-work where modifications to process plant were involved. From the assessment carried out, Andy developed an 'overarching change management policy' that documented the stages to be followed in implementing all types of change on site. This also formed the basis for specific procedures for different types of change and integrated other systems and procedures, including permit-to-work.

Following requests from staff, the company were considering a change from 8 hour to 12 hours shift patterns. Andy evaluated the proposed patterns using the HSE's fatigue index and other guidance, including the work time regulations. From this he identified some of the options being considered could result in people working four or more night shifts in a row, and that this may create unnecessary health and safety concerns. As well as fatigue issues, some significant knock-on benefits were expected through improved communication between shifts (less handovers) and with maintenance teams (more likely that jobs would start and finish during the same operations shift). Using HSE research regarding shift handover (HSE offshore report OTO 96003), safety of driving at work (HSE Research Report 020) and his own experiences, Andy presented the potential full impacts of planned changes. Andy discussed the planned changes with the staff likely to be affected. This highlighted some differences of opinion, but a general willingness to give it a go. From the information collected, Andy was able to advise regarding the potential problems with changing the shift and how these could be avoided. Andy has subsequently returned to the site and found that the new shift pattern has been a great success, with staff noticing "radical improvements" in their health, wellbeing and happiness.

The client was interested to learn more about practical, human factors techniques. Andy ran a two day workshop with a group of site personnel, assisted by a junior colleague. On the first day a mini-staffing assessment was carried out using the HSE methodology (CRR 348/2001). On the second day some critical tasks were analysed using Hierarchical Task Analysis. A report was written of the findings from the workshop, especially regarding control room operations and the impact of change.

The client had recently completed their COMAH report in which they had recognised that human factors were not well catered for. They wanted a review of their current approach and advice about where they should focus their efforts. Andy audited the COMAH report and safety management system against the requirements of the COMAH regulations and standard HSE guidance (e.g. HSG 48). His report highlighted that their current safety management system was not suitable for a straightforward integration of human factors. Therefore, he advised that the system itself needed a thorough review and upgrade, and that this would provide the opportunity to improve provision of human factors, both in the written form and in practice.

Andy assisted a colleague in conducting a HAZOP of a modification to a hydrocarbon processing plant. Using PHA Works HAZOP software, Andy acted as HAZOP secretary, whilst also being able to contribute more widely using his plant and consulting experience.

The HSE were concerned that new technology was allowing companies to build their control rooms further from the plant they were operating than was ever possible in the past. This research project was required to review literature that would give some idea of the potential risks associated with such changes. Also to survey companies to find out whether they were implementing more remote operations, how they were managing the change and their experiences. Also to visit some to gain further insight into the issues. With assistance from colleagues, Andy designed questionnaires and carried out a survey. He also made direct contact with companies and carried out visits. The report provided and insight into the factors associated with remote operation of process plant, including the potential to impact on safety. Also, the issues to be considered when moving, changing or building new a control room. The report was published as Contract Research Report CRR02432.

Andy provided long term support over six years to this site in the implementation of the procedures and competence development methodology. This aimed to achieve a culture change in the way procedures were used and perceived. The basis for this was that procedures became 'user centred' and improved in quality. Also, that training and competency systems were implemented to compliment the procedures. Andy's role was very varied. Much was 'hands-on' with process operators, supervisors and management. He also provided wide ranging technical support. The result was a significant improvement in the site's culture, and reported safety benefits. The approach has become the way the site deals with all its procedures, training and competence issues.

This research project was carried out on behalf of the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) to assess the impact of the Control of Major Accident Hazards (COMAH) regulations had had on major accident hazard safety, and industries perception of the regulations and implementation. Andy managed the project, which involved a postal questionnaire and a number of site visits and interviews. The results of the research were used to inform the HSE on how the safety report regime can be improved. Findings have shown that COMAH has resulted in significant changes to the way safety of major hazards is managed, but this comes at a significant cost. The results were published as Research Report RR092.

The client was planning some organisational changes that would affect the operating shifts. Andy was involved in assessing the potential impact of the changes. The basis of the assessment was the HSE Staffing Assessment Methodology (CRR348/2001). The ability of plant personnel to detect, diagnose and respond to incidents was examined using a number of accident scenarios. Organisational factors were assessed to ensure existing arrangements were sustainable, and discussions covered more fundamental and wide-ranging issues. The greatest concern was the impact of a new shift pattern and introduction of an on-call system. The operators perceived that there would be great upheaval for themselves.

Plans were in place to reduce staffing levels at the site. Andy assisted other consultants in a project to assess the planned changes using the HSE staffing assessment methodology (CRR 348/2001). The output from the project was used to advise the management on how to manage the changes proposed to their staffing arrangements. In this case reduced manpower meant that a change in operating philosophy was required as multi-tasking during plant upsets would no longer be an option.

The client was making preparations to become a COMAH lower tier establishment. They had recognised that an onsite emergency plan would be required. Working with site personnel and extracting data from hazard and consequence assessments, Andy developed the new site emergency plan. This presented a clear and simple set of actions in a format that was accessible to employees and others likely to be on site. This was accompanied by a set of detailed action plans that provided additional information regarding specific major hazard scenarios for use by on-site and external emergency services. The plan was more comprehensive, yet far simpler than the existing plans

Based on established systems and techniques, Andy developed, directed and presented a course to the client's personnel about how to develop procedures using task analysis as the basis. The course included extensive workshop and hands-on practice. It also used real-life examples so that at the end of the course the client had a number of new procedures ready for use. The client adopted the approach presented in the course for all their critical procedures. The resulting system formed a significant part of their preparations for COMAH.

The client’s permit-to-work system had become out of date. They wanted to update it to make it as efficient as possible, and to improve safety. The key requirement was to ensure practical and reliable methods were incorporated into planning work to be performed under permit. Andy facilitated the updating of the system. He liaised with all key stakeholders, including contractors, redesigned the permits and facilitated a number of technical sessions where specific types of task were assessed to determine the best way of dealing with them through the permit-to-work system. Once the system details had been agreed, Andy updated the client's procedures that accompanied the system. Finally, he organised the training for site personnel to learn about the new system.

The client had recognised that the traditional ways of training process operators were becoming less suitable for smaller teams and more complex plant and equipment. A new system was required that, whilst keeping a large element of on-the-job training, was structured and manageable. Also, the system had to be able to demonstrate that training had taken place and necessary levels of performance had been achieved. Andy worked closely with site personnel to establish how training was organised and delivered, and how it needed to be improved. This identified that better training plans were required, that went into far more detail on specific tasks, especially those with potential health and safety implications. Also, that on-the-job training needed to be assessed, after the event by objective individuals, trained in performing such assessment. The resultant system identified generic and plant specific training needs for all operators. Training requirements were divided into modules that grouped related skills and tasks. Individuals trained in assessing for NVQ schemes were allocated the role of assessing the completion of each module. Once the system was agreed, Andy developed a simple software solution, using Microsoft Excel macros, that generated individual training plans. The training system, including the software was adopted as the training programme for all operators across the site

The client had had a set of safety rules for the site for many years. Over time these had been updated and adapted to a point where they were unwieldy, often unhelpful and in some cases simply wrong. The client wanted an updated set of safety rules that were simple, precise and unambiguous. Andy led a team to develop a new set of safety rules. This involved an in-depth assessment of the factors that made rules effective in influencing behaviour so that people acted safely. The result was a hierarchical system that ensured people only needed to read and understand the rules that applied to their job, task or location where they were working. Andy facilitated the site’s Senior Supervisors to generate the rules. In some cases this required advice on wording of rules. In other cases Andy was required to collect technical information and facilitate debate between task 'experts.' On completion and acceptance of the new set of rules, Andy organised training for all site personnel, including contractors. Over 1000 people in total. He developed the training materials that was used, organised the speakers, ensured a venue was available and sessions were publicised.

The client was aware that their procedures for dealing with major process upsets did not support the operators very well. A group of operators, the plant manager and a member of technical support were convened for three days to review the procedures. Andy facilitated the group, using Hierarchical Task Analysis as the basis for review. By assessing the response to process upsets systematically, Andy was able to demonstrate that in most cases a similar series of actions were taken. This was not apparent from the existing procedures. The result from this project was a much smaller set of job aids that had the added advantage of being easier to use, whilst being far more powerful in supporting the operators. The operators also felt that the analysis that had been carried out, and the job aids that were produced had helped them in gaining a better understanding of how best to respond to process upsets.

Over the years the client's emergency plan and procedures had become very large and complicated. They recognised that this was having a negative impact on usability, and wanted it to be simplified. Working closely with the site’s emergency response team, including their manager, Andy and a junior colleague used task analysis to understand how the plan functioned in practice, and compared this with the existing procedures. From this he was able to break the plan down into a number of key activities and develop job aids for each. The activities were then mapped onto personnel and other resource requirements to ensure underlying systems were in place. This addressed personnel movements and communications requirements. The resulting emergency plan was much smaller and simpler than the previous one. This was acknowledged as a major improvement.

Following work carried out at another of the client's sites, Andy was asked to visit this site to introduce them to the tools and techniques being used. He developed the course and presented with assistance from one of the client's staff who was experienced in the approach. The course achieved immediate success with some particular safety concerns being addressed. The site is now implementing the system.

Andy developed a one day course for the client's safety advisors. The topic related to human factors in incident investigation and dealt with how human errors occur and how their causes can be identified and prevented. Andy directed and presented the course, which included extensive workshop and discussion sessions. During the course it was recognised that the same incidents continued to recur because the human causes were not being identified, and hence they could not be eliminated. Some of these accidents had very serious potential consequences. The feedback from the attendees included "useful and informative - set the scene for a new and fresh approach" and "interesting, well presented and I‘m sure will prove extremely useful in the future."

This project involved reviewing the extensive literature on communication and distilling it to produce a comprehensive yet simple generic communication model. This was applied to maintenance activities to identify the potential contribution to error. The project resulted in a methodology for identifying potential communication errors and their consequences during maintenance activities. Andy's role was to provide information related to his experience of communication in industrial operations.

Andy assisted in the development and presentation of a series of courses to the client's personnel. The course material included real life examples from the client, which was incorporated into some standard training material. Topics covered included human factors, task and error analysis and incident investigation. In total, over 50 of the client's personnel attended one or more of the courses.

This project involved analysing human error types (e.g. slips, mistakes and violations) and comparing them to maintenance tasks performed in the nuclear industry. From this it was possible to identify which types of error were most likely for different types of task. Andy's role was to review incident reports provided by the client and nuclear maintenance procedures. The project resulted in a tool for predicting errors likely to occur during routine maintenance activities.

Prior to starting a procedure improvement project, a questionnaire survey had been carried out to determine to what extent there was a procedures culture at the site. Approximately 3 years later Andy carried out a repeat survey to determine the impact of the ongoing project. Although based on the original questionnaire, Andy and a colleague were required to update it to reflect the current circumstances. Andy then coordinated distribution and collection of questionnaires, analysed the results and compiled a report. The survey showed some significant cultural changes had taken place, with the result being that the use of procedures had changed for the better. It was particularly interesting to note that process operators had become far more positive about the role of procedures in their job.

The HSE commissioned this research to develop a method that companies could use to address human factors in their offshore operations. The result was a process that assisted in developing lists of tasks, ranking their risk, assessing them in more detail to identify error potential and developing error prevention strategies. Building on existing ideas and using established techniques, Andy worked with representatives from the offshore industry to develop the method. The report was published as Offshore Technology Report OTO 99:092. Andy subsequently presented the methodology at an offshore conference.

The intention was that process operators would write their own procedures. They were to use Hierarchical Task Analysis as the basis so that the procedures were well structured, and to assist in individuals making a contribution based on their experience. Andy and a junior colleague trained eight process operators in the analysis technique, who acted facilitators for the whole site. This training involved a simple course, followed up by a long term programme of coaching. The result was that the facilitators became very familiar with the technique, and a large number of process operators were involved in analyses across the site.

Andy was involved in this project to identify the causes of operators' errors during plant disturbances using task analysis to document how different teams and individuals handled these situations. The project resulted in modifications to the computer control interfaces that ensured the operators had quick and easy access to the information they needed to formulate the correct response to disturbances, and the development of some simple job aids. The project also identified some deficiencies in training, which meant operators did not fully understand the process they were controlling.

The client had recognised that their culture was one where procedures were rarely used. A significant cause of this was that the procedures were written by technical experts, and so viewed as unhelpful by the operators who were supposed to use them. The client wanted to try a human factors approach to procedure development. An outline of a methodology had been developed. Andy carried out a pilot application of the method at process plant. Working very closely with operators he gained a deep understanding of how they perceived the role of procedures and collected their comments about possible improvements. Andy spent some considerable time with every shift in the control room, capturing task methods. He then developed a number of examples on how the procedures could be presented as simple job aids. This work resulted in an update to the methodology, that was subsequently implemented on a large scale across the whole site.

Andy worked with control room operators using task analysis to identify best practices for key, safety critical activities. The result was an inventory of the tasks performed, identifying those of greatest potential risk. Where deemed appropriate and useful job aids and guides for operator training were developed.

As part of his PhD studies, Andy conducted a study of human factors at an offshore production platform. Based on a number of visits to the platform during which discussions were carried out with personnel from different departments and functions, he was able to collect real life examples, data and information for use in his thesis, whilst also assisting the company in improving their understanding of the issues.

As part of his PhD studies, Andy worked with staff at a nuclear power station to identify how human errors contributed to incidents and how more could be learnt about their causes and prevention. One approach involved a change to the incident report form being used by the site. This resulted in some very useful data for Andy's thesis, and gave the company a further insight into human factors at their site.

Whilst studying for his PhD, Andy took the opportunity to work with a consultancy company for a short time in the development of a technique for predicting and preventing human errors. Andy visited a client's site a number of times, working with personnel to understand what really happens in the manufacturing process and what errors occur. Andy was able to contribute the development of the methodology, whilst gaining experience of industry that proved very useful in the completion of his PhD.

As part of his Chemical Engineering degree, Andy spent 13 months working at an oil refinery. His duties were as expected for a junior engineer, including routine monitoring and reporting, and some minor project work. During this time he completed his degree thesis related to catalytic cracking units, using a great deal of information and expertise from the site.