Following my wealth of experience and knowledge in the area of risk management and Process safety engineering, to understand and comprehend RAGAGEP and its attendant value in process safety management, it is crucial to set a good foundation.
First on the list of the foundational terms is “Process”. A process entails a series of activities performed to achieve a vital end goal, product or service. These activities embedded in a process focuses on the design, operation, control, and optimization of chemical, physical, and biological processes. At this point, the process is said to be engineered, hence the term “process engineering”.
Process safety focuses on the application of engineering and design principles, safe operating practices, proper preventing controls, and safe optimization of chemical, physical, biological, etc. processes that have the potential to cause harm by uncontrollably releasing hazardous materials or energy. (e.g. release of hazardous materials, (loss of containment), the uncontrollable release of energy, (explosion, fire).
The management of Process Safety consists of the interlocking functions of creating corporate policy and organizing, planning, controlling, and directing an organization’s resources in order to achieve the objectives of that policy. Managers have the responsibility to make decisions to accomplish corporate policy objectives i.e achieve process safety as it also is a set of values, assumptions, concepts, and practices that form a structure for supporting the management and integrity of hazardous operating systems and processes by applying good design principles, engineering and operational practices.
Also Read: What Is RAGAGEP And Why Does It Matter
RAGAGEP
As initially mentioned, the success of an engineered process is greatly dependent on its safe operation without causing any form of harm to both personnel, the installed equipment, and the entire environment. One of the best ways to ensure operability safety as required in this context, is to follow through, adapt and comply with some “Recognized And Generally Accepted Good Engineering Practices”.
RAGAGEP is the basis for engineering, operation, or maintenance activities, and these bases are founded on established codes, standards, published technical reports, similar documents, and recommended practices.
Some good examples of RAGAGEP include but are not limited to:
- Widely adopted codes
Certain consensus standards have been widely adopted by federal, state, or municipal jurisdictions. For example, many state and municipal buildings and other codes incorporate or adopt codes such as the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 101 Life Safety and NFPA 70 National Electric codes. - Consensus documents
Certain organizations like the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) follow the American National Standards Institute’s (ANSI) Essential Requirements: Due process requirements for American National Standards (Essential Requirements) when developing consensus standards and recommended practices. Under the ANSI and similar requirements, these organizations must demonstrate that they have diverse and broadly representative committee memberships. Examples of consensus documents include the ASME B31.3 Process Piping Code and the International Institute of Ammonia Refrigeration’s (IIAR) ANSI/IIAR 2-2008 — Equipment, Design, and Installation of Closed-Circuit Ammonia Mechanical Refrigerating Systems. Such consensus documents are widely used as sources of RAGAGEP by those knowledgeable in the industry. - Non-consensus documents
Some industries develop non-consensus engineering documents using processes not conforming to ANSI’s Essential Requirements. Where applicable, the practices described in these documents can be widely accepted as good practices. For example, the Chlorine Institute’s (CI) “pamphlets” focus on chlorine and sodium hypochlorite (bleach) safety and are used by some companies handling these materials. Note that OSHA also recognizes applicable manufacturer’s recommendations as to potential sources of RAGAGEP. - Internal standards
The preamble to the PSM standard recognizes that employers may develop internal standards for use within their facilities. The preamble states, in relevant part:
Also Read: What is FMEA Failure Modes and Effects Analysis Process Explained
The phrase suggested by rulemaking participants: “recognized and generally accepted good engineering practices” is consistent with OSHA’s intent. The Agency also believes that this phrase would include appropriate internal standards of a facility. Internally developed standards must still represent recognized and generally accepted good engineering practices.
Conclusively, from the standpoint of value proposition, RAGAGEP actively holds the best interests of process safety at heart even to the point of provision of both normative and informative requirements which when followed ensures safe operations as the codes, standards, and accepted practices enforced by RAGAGEP strictly consists of documented and recorded knowledge base, experience and lessons learned from past projects, activities, and operations. The importance of RAGAEP thus cuts across protecting human lives (Personnel), securing equipment and assets (economic condition), and finally ensuring compliance to statutory requirements, resulting in the reduction in all forms of risks both economically and legally.
By Damilola Apiriola
HSE and Process Safety Exec @ Safety Consultants and Solution Providers Limited
Also Read:
- CONSTRUCTABILITY REVIEW AS A QUALITY PROCESS IN THE DELIVERY OF SAFETY AND SECURITY ENGINEERING SOLUTIONS
- SIL AND QRA SAFETY REVIEWS PROCESS
- CONSTRUCTABILITY STUDY AS A PROJECT QUALITY ASSURANCE PROCESS IN SAFETY AND SECURITY ENGINEERING
