This paper explored the barrier system (e.g. controls) performance in the genesis of the 2005 BP Texas City disaster. Not much to say – the images say enough. Some extracts: · As per image 1, several organisational factors or management delivery system were central in the poor barrier system performance · They propose many of these factors… Continue reading Barrier / control system failures in the BP Texas City disaster & organisational factors
Tag: bp texas city
Thinking About Process Safety Indicators
This well-cited paper from Hopkins (2007) discusses some of the inconsistencies that existed at the time (and likely does still) about process safety indicators, and the definitions and uses of other indicators like leading and lagging. This paper sparked a number of interested follow-up papers from other authors – I’ll cover some of these soon.… Continue reading Thinking About Process Safety Indicators
The Use and Abuse of “Culture”
This well-known paper from Hopkins (found in several forms, book chapters, articles, presentations) critically challenges some core assumptions of safety culture. In short, directly quoting the paper: (1) Culture is a characteristic of a group, not an individual, and talk of culture must always specify the relevant group (2) Organisations have it within their power… Continue reading The Use and Abuse of “Culture”
SafetyInsights.org 