Bridging Safety Codes and Reliability for Long-Term Asset Performance

Links Between Reliability and Safety Codes

In any industrial setting, effective asset management and reliability are based on the foundation that value is a balance of cost, risk, and performance. As a society and as individuals, we fully expect that our assets and operations run safely. Safety practices must consider the health and safety of workers and the community at large. In hazardous industrial sectors, these safety practices include process safety management.

Reliability is built on balancing cost, risk, and performance – but safety codes provide the framework that makes that balance sustainable.

Many of these safety practices are rooted in the applicable jurisdictional Legislation, Regulations, and Safety Codes, which provide a framework for safe operations, risk mitigation, and specific consideration for workers, the community, and the environment.

As reliability specialists, we need to be fully aware of the relevant safety codes for our workplaces and ensure that they are incorporated into the recommended maintenance and reliability programs.

What Are Safety Codes? Why Do They Matter?

Safety codes are sets of guidelines and regulations that set the standards and protocols required for the safe design, construction, operation, and maintenance of equipment, physical assets, and facilities.

Safety codes are generally developed by bodies with jurisdictional authorities, such as the International Standards Organization (ISO), and provincial, state, or national authorities for pressure equipment or fire protection. Some examples that may be familiar to readers are ISO 45001, which is an international standard for occupational health and safety management systems.

In hazardous industrial environments such as oil & gas production and refining or chemical production, process safety management (PSM) provides a framework for managing the risks associated with these substances to prevent fires, explosions, and accidental releases.

Throughout the asset lifecycle, from conception to reclamation, safety codes apply to every physical asset, from manufacturing equipment to electrical systems to pressure vessels and pipelines. These safety codes guide how to design, construct, operate, and maintain assets to minimize the risks of unexpected failures, incidents, or environmental release.

They also provide a structured framework for identifying hazards, assessing and mitigating risks, and implementing control measures such as safe work practices and equipment maintenance programs.

For reliability specialists, safety codes are an essential part of developing maintenance programs, including predictive and preventive maintenance activities, inspections, and testing protocols.  Safety codes inform the maintenance schedules and procedures, as well as establish the baseline for what is considered an acceptable condition.

An example that comes to mind is the testing frequency for pressure safety valves (PSV). In reliability terms, we can’t tell by looking at the PSV whether it will pop in the event of an overpressure situation, so we need to perform a failure finding task (FFT), in this case, a ‘pop test’, to give us statistical confidence that it will work if it is needed.

Safety Codes as a Tool to Prevent Incidents

One of the outcomes of applying safety codes at all stages of the asset lifecycle is their role to help prevent incidents, reduce injuries, and minimize the likelihood and consequences of equipment failures.

Safety codes encourage asset managers, engineers, and reliability specialists to consider risks and appropriate risk prevention and mitigation from the initial stages of capital planning and early engineering design, right through equipment selection, installation, operation, and maintenance.

Many industry sector-specific or equipment class-specific safety codes also provide guidance on equipment installation practices, hazard analysis, and in-service inspection and testing. These activities are all designed to prevent unsafe conditions before they occur or detect them before they escalate.

Safety codes transform maintenance from reactive firefighting into proactive risk prevention.

Another example is seen in the inspection and maintenance of pipelines and pressure vessels.  Regular inspection for corrosion, wall thickness, and operation within its design parameters (e.g., pressure, temperature, fluid composition, etc.) informs asset health condition evaluations.

Consideration of the asset health relative to the safety code recommended parameters gives reliability practitioners guidance to know whether the equipment is operating within safe limits to minimize the likelihood of leaks or explosions.

Proactive measures can prevent the need for costly repairs from reactive fixes, potential remediation costs from environmental releases, and extend the lifespan of assets. For those readers with a background in reliability-centered maintenance and equipment failure patterns, this will sound familiar and be recognized in the PF curve.

Additionally, safety code application in areas such as fire suppression systems or electrical installations guides reliability practitioners to establish maintenance programs that comply with these strict safety regulations.

These are designed to ensure that deluge systems and critical equipment perform reliably without compromising the safety of workers, the public, or the community at large, and that environmental releases are avoided.  

Operational Risks and Reducing Downtime

Non-compliance with safety codes can lead to significant risks for people, operations, and financial penalties. When safety codes are ignored, overlooked, or incorrectly applied, the risk of incidents increases, which can lead to personal injury, equipment breakdown, production stoppage, facility shutdowns, and potential financial and reputational penalties for non-compliance.

Reliability practitioners who incorporate safety codes into equipment maintenance programs can help prevent costly downtime by early identification of potential hazards before they escalate.

Safety inspection protocols built around the relevant safety codes allow for early detection of wear and tear, leaks, corrosion, erosion, structural damage, and seized safety devices (e.g., pressure safety valves, pressure relief valves, switches, etc.), which could lead to serious failures if not promptly addressed.

Regular adherence and compliance with safety codes are risk mitigation strategies that support proactive maintenance programs, reducing downtime and increasing equipment availability.   

Compliance with safety codes also supports operations to run smoothly and efficiently, with greater confidence in the integrity of the protective devices, equipment, and production systems by knowing that they meet industry standards. This typically translates into more reliable operations, higher productivity, and less unscheduled downtime.

Legal Compliance

Legal compliance with safety codes is not optional. In the heavy industrial sector, it is mandated by law. Governments and jurisdictional regulatory bodies have established these safety codes to provide assurance that operations do not jeopardize workers’ or public health and safety, or the environment.

There are typically severe consequences for violation of safety codes, including penalties, fines, stopping production, and even closure of a facility.

Compliance isn’t a checkbox – it’s a shield against legal, financial, and reputational damage.

Asset managers and reliability practitioners should stay current with the latest safety codes, being sure to reconfirm that the latest versions are in use. Failure to comply can lead to legal challenges, regulatory scrutiny across all locations of an organization (not just the one in breach), and a poor reputation for the organization.

Paying substantial fines and financial penalties also diverts dollars away from other operational improvements and may leave the organization vulnerable to financial shocks.

By adherence to safety codes, organizations not only meet their legal obligations but also foster a culture of safety and compliance. This enhances the organization’s reputation with employees, contractors, customers, regulators, investors, and other stakeholders.

Enhancing Organizational Culture  

Safety codes are more than mere compliance. They also foster a culture of personal and process safety within the workplace. When reliability practitioners visibly incorporate safety codes within the recommended maintenance programs, this signals to employees that safety is a top organizational priority.

This commitment can build trust and improve morale among workers, knowing that their personal safety has been considered and that the equipment meets process safety standards.

When safety codes are woven into daily routines, they evolve from rules into culture.

A strong safety culture and adherence to safety codes also mitigate risk by reducing the likelihood of human error. Clear guidelines, structured procedures, and protocols enable workers to understand what is expected of them, how to perform related PM and PdM activities, and how to interpret the results.

This minimizes confusion, miscommunication, and avoids the dreaded ‘I’ll check into that later’ that never seems to happen. When the importance of safety codes becomes part of the expectation and culture of ‘how things are done around here’, safety becomes integrated into the everyday operational workflow.

In addition to the process safety aspects of safety codes, workplaces with an enhanced understanding and adherence to safety codes tend to have fewer workplace injuries. This is nothing but positive for individual workers and the organization as a whole.

Why Safety Codes Define Sustainable Operations

Fundamentally, the integration between reliability and safety codes is vital to the success of organizations. Not only do safety codes help prevent incidents and downtime, but they also ensure legal compliance, reduce operational risks, and enhance the organizational safety culture.  

Taking this one step further, adherence to safety codes means fewer incidents, fewer injuries, and fewer costly breakdowns, resulting in assets and equipment that continue to perform over the long term. In this way, safety codes incorporated into reliability practices encourage operational continuity, minimize financial losses, and support organizational sustainability.

For reliability practitioners, incorporating safety codes into our work is not just a matter of compliance. It is about creating a resilient, sustainable, and safe operating environment for our workers and the community at large. These are the foundations for safe, reliable, and profitable operations.