(32cc) Increasing Human Reliability with Walk the Line By Electronic Checklist

The Walk the Line (WTL) program is a process safety initiative designed to prevent incorrect line openings and misalignments in industrial settings like refineries and petrochemical plants. Its key objective is to enhance human reliability and operational discipline, minimizing the risk of inadvertent process deviations. This practice, along with the integration of electronic checklists and photo-based verification usage this approach to ensure accurate alignment and to reduce human errors during process operations. The focus is to minimize the common issues of human error, such as slips in attention, lapses in following procedures, and mistakes due to misinterpretation of operational conditions.

Human Reliability and Error Reduction

Human error plays a significant role in process safety incidents. Whether through attention slips, omission of critical steps, or incorrect diagnoses of process conditions, even well-trained personnel like pilots or astronauts can make mistakes. In the context of process operations, errors often stem from inadequate control of energy, leading to unsafe process alignments, accidental releases, and breaches of operational limits. The application of electronic checklists, coupled with visual confirmation at each step, provides a robust solution to mitigate these risks.

By embedding human factors into operational tasks, the goal is to create an operational environment that aligns with natural human behaviors, reducing the need for workers to significantly adapt to complex tasks. This human-centered approach to safety ensures that the operational tasks are inherently less prone to errors, consequently lowering the risk of process safety incidents and environmental hazards. Therefore, electronic tools are pivotal in reinforcing safety protocols and operational readiness by providing a standardized process for task execution.

Process Safety and Operational Discipline

A key aspect of preventing process safety incidents is ensuring that process conditions are safe before introducing energy or materials. The WTL program emphasizes continuous verification of operational readiness through reviews that confirm the proper alignment of equipment, the restoration of safety safeguards, the functionality of purge valves, and the integrity of the containment system. These checks are particularly critical when restarting equipment after maintenance, transferring materials, or commissioning new systems.

Operational discipline is further reinforced through electronic checklists, which enable operators to systematically verify that all steps have been followed correctly. This verification process includes not only written records but also photo documentation of critical stages, such as ensuring that all necessary components are present, valves are in the correct positions, and equipment is ready for use. This visual confirmation minimizes the likelihood of overlooking key details that could lead to unsafe conditions or equipment failures.

The Role of Electronic Checklist in Enhancing Reliability

The Electronic tool plays a central role in the WTL program by providing a structured, step-by-step approach to process safety checks. At each stage of an operational task, operators are required to take photos that document the current state of the equipment or process, ensuring that all steps are completed before proceeding. This method reduces the chance of human error by:

• Preventing Slips: Operators are less likely to overlook critical steps or make mistakes due to distractions, as the checklist prompts them to verify and document each stage visually.
• Preventing Lapses: The electronic system ensures that no steps are omitted, as operators must follow the checklist in sequence. The requirement for photo documentation further ensures that each task has been completed correctly.
• Preventing Mistakes: By requiring photo evidence of each step, the system helps avoid misinterpretations or incorrect diagnoses of process conditions. The use of an additional observer, as part of the "four eyes" principle for higher-risk operations, adds another layer of verification to ensure that operational tasks are followed correctly.

Operational Readiness Reviews (ORR)

Operational Readiness Reviews are crucial for ensuring that equipment is safe to use before it is put into operation. These reviews involve confirming the alignment of equipment, verifying that all safeguards are in place, and checking that all components are functioning correctly. In simpler cases, a single operator can conduct the review using an electronic checklist. For more complex or higher-risk situations, the "four eyes" principle requires a second operator to verify that all conditions are met.

Examples of scenarios where ORRs are essential include:

• Starting a process pump after routine maintenance or switching to a backup pump.
• Transferring materials between tanks or other process equipment.
• Introducing materials into a pipeline that has been out of service for maintenance.
• Commissioning new equipment after modifications, which must be covered by pre-startup safety reviews and management of change (MOC) procedures.

In each of these cases, it is vital to confirm that the equipment is fully prepared for operation before reintroducing energy or materials. Key questions to ask include:

• Are all components present and correctly installed?
• Are all valves in the correct position?
• Is the equipment ready for use, and has nothing changed since the last operation?

By following the WTL approach and leveraging electronic checklists, operators can ensure that they consistently meet these requirements, minimizing the risk of process safety incidents.

Conclusion

Human reliability in process safety can be significantly enhanced by electronic checklists and photo-based verification systems. By addressing common human errors — slips, lapses, and mistakes — this approach ensures that operational tasks are completed consistently and correctly. The structured nature of electronic checklists, combined with the operational discipline enforced through WTL principles, helps operators maintain control over energy and process alignment, ultimately reducing the risk of safety incidents and improving overall process safety in industrial environments.