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Conduct of Operations

Day-to-day operating discipline — shift handover, alarm response, abnormal-situation management

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Strategic context

What this element is — and why it matters

Conduct of Operations is the daily operating discipline that converts the formal PSM system into actual safe operation — how shift teams hand over, how operators respond to alarms, how abnormal situations are managed, how unit walks are conducted, how communication discipline is sustained between control-room and field. The Naval Reactors model — discipline of formal communication, repeat-back protocol, integrity in reporting — is the canonical reference. Texas City and Buncefield both included Conduct-of-Operations findings.

Individual significance for organisations

Conduct of Operations is where management-system intention becomes operating-floor reality. Sites with strong COO discipline catch precursor events before they escalate; sites without it have the same precursors but miss them. The element is also the most operator-engaged — investing in COO sends a strong signal that the organisation respects operating discipline.

Contribution to Risk Based Process Safety (RBPS)

Conduct of Operations is the operational embodiment of every Pillar 3 element. It activates Operating Procedures (Element 8), enforces Safe Work Practices (Element 9), integrates with Asset Integrity (Element 10) through IOW response, and channels Workforce Involvement (Element 4) through shift discipline. Element 15 is also a strong leading indicator for Culture (Element 1) maturity.

Key requirements

What compliant execution looks like

Formal shift handover with documented checklist

Operator response to alarm per EEMUA 191 / ISA 18.2 priority

Abnormal situation management programme (ASM Consortium)

Field operator walk-down discipline

Three-way communication discipline (Naval Reactors model)

Operating envelope adherence and IOW response

Implementation methodology

How we implement this element

A focused 6-step methodology calibrated to deliver conduct of operations as a working capability — not a documented compliance artefact.

Operating Discipline Audit

Observe current shift practice — handover, alarm response, walk-downs, communication; benchmark against CCPS / ASM / Naval Reactors model.

Shift Handover Standardisation

Build formal handover checklist — process status, ongoing PTW, alarm patterns, MOC in progress, abnormal-situation history; signoff required.

Alarm Response Discipline

Align with EEMUA 191 / ISA 18.2 priority response time; specify operator action per priority; integrate with HMI per ISA 101.01.

ASM Programme Adoption

Adopt Abnormal Situation Management framework — situation awareness, decision support, escalation paths; align with operator workload analysis.

Communication Discipline

Three-way communication protocol — instruction / repeat-back / confirmation; phonetic alphabet for critical readings; integrate with shift culture.

Operating Envelope Discipline

IOW response per API RP 584; operator authority to act within envelope; engineering escalation for excursion.

Implementation flow

Element-implementation flow chart

Decision-gated workflow showing the actual sequence of activities — from initiation through steady-state operation — with key decision points highlighted.

Start

Shift change or unit walk-down initiated

Formal Handover Checklist

Process status, PTW, alarm patterns, MOC, abnormal-situation history

Handover Signoff

Outgoing and incoming operator countersign

Alarm Received

DCS HMI alerts operator per EEMUA / ISA priority

Priority Recognition

Operator identifies priority level and required response time

Response per Procedure

Three-way communication; action per ASM framework

Decision

IOW Excursion?

Decision gate

Operator Authority Action

Within-envelope corrective action

Engineering Escalation

Out-of-envelope — engineering review triggered

Abnormal-Situation Library Updated

Lesson captured for future shift training

Walk-Down Discipline

Operator field walk per shift schedule

Deliverables

What we produce

Operating discipline audit and gap report
Standardised shift handover checklist
Alarm response procedure per priority
ASM programme charter
Three-way communication training and protocol
IOW response procedure and operator authority matrix

Common pitfalls

Where execution fails

Shift handover done verbally — no documented signoff
Operator alarm response not aligned to priority
Walk-downs skipped during high-workload periods
Communication informal — no repeat-back discipline

Implement this element

Talk to us about implementing Conduct of Operations

We can scope this element implementation against your facility, regulatory context, and existing management-system maturity — and integrate it with the other Risk Based Process Safety (RBPS) elements you already operate.

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