Changing the Electrical Safety Culture at a Large Industrial Plant in the Middle East Region

Industries other than oil and gas in the Middle-East region have grown quickly over the last decades to meet the increase in demand of emerging local and international markets at competitive prices. Upgrades and modifications to these industrial processes under different international standards leads to situations in which heterogeneous and fragmented electrical systems are installed and operated without having proper electrical safety programs in place. Electrical hazards associated with high and low voltage systems are not fully understood, calculated, and mitigated for all personnel. This paper describes the process of implementing an electrical safety program for a large industrial plant in the Middle East region and cultural challenges faced in its implementation and that of similar regional industrial manufacturers. An approach to gap assessment, targeted hazard mitigation programs, electrical safety program development, and training of personnel is provided. This approach was used with the goal of establishing good foundations, capabilities, and processes to address electrical risk and sustain continuous improvement. The implementation of an Electrical Safety Program that pro-actively manages and mitigates arc flash and shock hazards and puts in place a corporate independent governance structure that includes electrical workers from different sites and production areas is described. In an effort to tackle the cultural and behavioral challenges in an established industry in a region where electrical safety has recently emerged as a serious industrial risk, the Electrical Safety Program developed integrates intensive trainings and communications to drive change in modus operandi.