Monument Chemical LLC
The facility utilizes an integrated web-based “situation hub” software for crisis communication. The facility also aids in facilitating mutual aid tabletop and site drills with the Ft. Knox Fire Dept. and the facility Emergency Response Team. They also par participate in Local Emergency Planning Committee (LEPC) meetings and conduct on-site drills with the local fire department.
The utilization of both the “situation hub” and facilitating tabletop and site drills are important factors in ensuring safety at a facility. This software allows for efficient crisis communication and coordination among staff, emergency responders, and the community. Tabletop exercises and drills provide practice and preparation for potential emergencies. Partnering with local fire departments and emergency responders ensures a coordinated response in the event of an emergency, reducing the risk of injury or harm to individuals at the facility.
Monument Chemical Baytown, LLC
The facility believes the foundation of a successful, safe career with their company is new employee training. They have a robust, new employee onboarding program in place and HSSE training is a central component of it. New hires are required to complete their HSSE training in the first week of their employment followed by site-specific training and facility orientation in their respective areas which includes shadowing experienced employees. A training coordinator manages training and provides each department with the current qualifications for each employee. With the help of our Sequence of Training Guides and an understanding of current qualifications, the training coordinator and the department leader develop realistic projections on specific IPT (In Plant Training) modules, Demonstration of Skills, and TRBs (Training Review Board) each employee will need to complete. This includes new certifications and re-certifications. Training is only complete after a successful review by a training review board, which consists of Department leaders. While an employee is in training, any procedure/checklist, or any other documents they fill out must be verified by a trainer or a designee. The trainer or designee will sign or initial next to the trainee every time until the trainee is fully qualified. For example, a Critical Checklist requires initials for each step; the trainer or designee must initial and or sign next to the trainee. Under no circumstance will any employee sign for one another. Each employee must sign or initial on their own. Supervisors must ensure this requirement is being followed at all times. A trainee will be able to perform tasks alone only once signed off and confirmed to be competent in a specific task by a supervisor. Training at our facility does not stop after new-employee training is complete; rather, it is ongoing and comprehensive. Employees are considered qualified for their role when they have completed all required training and are up to date on any required recurrent training. New employees must be qualified and have successfully passed their Training Review Board (TRB) before filling a shift assignment without oversight of their work. The maximum time between refresher training is three years, and employees may request more frequent training than specified. All employees will also be trained on OSHA, EPA, ISO, and facility-specific safety training each year.
Effective onboarding programs help new employees understand company policies, procedures, and culture, while HSSE training promotes safety consciousness, risk awareness and incident prevention. Training programs such as the one described above provide employees with the necessary skills and knowledge to operate safely in their roles, improving overall job performance and reducing the likelihood of accidents and injuries. Having a strong foundation in safety training and thorough onboarding, employees can confidently carry out their duties, contributing to a positive and safe work culture.
Monument Chemical Houston, LLC
The facility reports, documents (in an electronic tool), and discusses incidents every weekday. Using the electronic tool, they trend leading and lagging indicators. Some examples of lagging indicators are the number of reported Incidents, Lost time injury frequency rate, Investigation action items, and compliance exceedances. Leading Indicator examples: Near misses, Right to life audits (Safe work Permits, Hot Work, Confined Space and Lock out tag out), Safety Huddles, and Meetings. Using this data, allows us to identify areas of improvement and focus on the higher-risk activities. The goal is to prevent the recurrence of the same incidents. All incidents and suggestions are open to all in our electronic tool and can be accessed by all employees. Employees can follow and track the status of Incidents, the status of corrective/preventive actions from any workspace (Audits, Meetings, Incidents, RCIs, PHA’s, etc.), and suggestions to name a few.
The above practice of reporting, documenting, and discussing incidents daily with the aid of an electronic toll is important in building a strong safety culture as it helps in identifying potential hazards and risks in the workplace. Trending leading indicators can provide an opportunity to proactively identify areas of improvement in safety procedures, which can help prevent incidents from occurring. Overall, the above promotes a culture of continual improvement and safety awareness.
Monument Chemical Bayport, LLC
The facility has an annual hose inspection cycle. Before use each hose must be checked for current inspection. When a hose is found to be expired, it is taken to the test area where it will be tested and then placed back in service once the testing process is complete. The site uses odd and even year quarterly color codes to identify when a group of hoses are due for inspection. For example, an even year 1st quarter hose (Green) will be in service until the next year 1st quarter (odd year) when it will be taken out of service, tested, and put back in service with a Blue band. Hoses shall not be used after the last day of the inspection due date, which is the last day of the month one year from the inspection month. Every hose must also be inspected for external damage before use. If any repairable damage is noted, the hose is to be placed in the test staging area. Gaskets must be checked before each use and pins installed to secure the ears on cam locks. A leak test is also conducted to ensure no leaks/drips are present before starting any transfer.
The above demonstrates a commitment to safety and helps to prevent accidents and injuries. Taking a hose out of service when it is found to be expired and testing it before placing it back in service also reinforces the importance of safety procedures. Overall, these measures contribute to building a strong safety culture by prioritizing safety and promoting awareness and accountability among employees.