Chrome International SA (CISA) has implemented IntelliPERMIT at its chemical plant in Newcastle to clarify and standardise safe working procedures, to formalise isolation procedures for critical equipment, and to boost overall safety on the plant.
The Newcastle plant produces chrome chemicals from chrome ore mined in Rustenburg. The main applications of sodium dichromate and chrome trioxide (also known as chromic acid) are the production of leather tanning salts and chrome pigments.
The production process involves hazardous chemicals that require stringent safety regulations to protect workers and the environment.
IntelliPERMIT™ is an automated Permit to Work solution developed and patented by process manufacturing software specialist ApplyIT, and forms part of the ApplyIT Operations Suite of safety, health, environment and quality (SHE-Q) and plant operations solutions. IntelliPERMIT controls the process by which permits to work within an operating plant are prepared, authorised, issued and managed.
IntelliPERMIT replaced a paper-based system that had not been specifically designed for CISA’s chemical environment.
“We had inherited an existing permit system that was originally designed for use on a hydrocarbon plant. While its general safety precautions were applicable, the rules were not specific to the needs and requirements of our plant,” says Barry Visagie, area manager at CISA.
“We also needed maintenance software that was tailored to the plant. The ApplyIT Operations Suite covered both these requirements, giving us the ability to control procedures and make them plant specific.”
Implementation of IntelliPERMIT began in May 2006. The project included a full review of hazards and safe working procedures in each area of the plant as well as formalising specific isolation procedures for critical equipment.
“IntelliPERMIT allowed us to set up specific rules and precautions for our different permit types and the different areas on our plant as well as managing our entire process from initiating a permit, through to final sign off,” says Visagie.
The use of fingerprint scanning for biometric identification of permit signatories ensures that all parties are qualified and authorised to work on each specific job.
“Scanning fingerprints when signing on and off a job is quick, simple and convenient. It caters for users with low literacy levels and ensures that accurate information is recorded on the permit,” says Visagie.
Improved access to accurate information has been one of the most significant advantages enabled by IntelliPERMIT at CISA.
“The system regulates the entire permit process and provides full transparency of work conducted on the plant. At any time we can see the number of jobs open, where people are busy and exactly what they’re working on. Getting this sort of detail in the past was a time-consuming process that involved physically going to the plant office to track down the information in the permit book,” says Visagie.
Ease of use of the system and efficiency improvements meant that IntelliPERMIT was adopted rapidly by operations and maintenance staff alike, with over 1000 permits being issued in the system during the first 3 months after go-live.
Gavin Halse, managing director at ApplyIT, says that the inherent flexibility of the system was a key factor in the success of the project..
“When the operations team realised just how effective IntelliPERMIT was for its processes, CISA extended their plans to include excavation permits, electrical sub-station permits and various other uses specifically suited to their requirements.”
Halse says that once CISA completes the implementation of OptiRUN™, ApplyIT’s maintenance management system this will be fully integrated with the permit system, and will enable closer communications between the maintenance and operations sections of the plant to further enhance efficiencies.