LDAR Safety is ALWAYS a Priority

How often should LDAR Technicians stop and think about safety during their monitoring activities?

Historically, this has been a matter of wishful, hopeful thinking. Or, more often, it has been a moment of agonizing awareness AFTER an accident has happened:

The good news is that by placing a powerful computer in the Technician’s hand (for monitoring and MOC activities), you have created the opportunity to have a real influence on their safety. With properly designed software you can, literally, reach into the flow of the Technician’s work process and trigger a safety awareness moment—whenever you want to and as frequently as you feel necessary.

Imagine that every 90 minutes, the screen on the handheld informs the Technician that it is time to stop and think about safety. They’re asked to identify any specific hazards and/or report any issue that might require research or resolution. You can establish the frequency of these safety moments, create a framework for the Technician’s thought process and provide the means for recording the results.
You can use a screen like the one on the right and at the same time, you can further simplify it. Use a dropdown list that describes what the Technician is doing!
(There’s no reason to make a nuisance out of yourself!)

A textbox is also useful and allows the Technician to describe what she sees AND indicate the presence of any safety condition that needs to be resolved:

• A loose gate at the top of a ladder
• A dangerous puddle in a critical place
• Tall grass during snake-hunting season

As important as having these features available, you should also be able to review these reports and close the feedback loop with the Technicians at the end of the day or during your next safety meeting.

Software, running on these new, powerful handhelds can make that possible.

Or you can just keep hoping, wishing and, unfortunately, regretting.