CULTURE OF CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT

IMPROVING EHSS PERFORMANCE

The SABIC Operations Management System (OMS) is a key performance driver, providing clear principles, unified standards, and guidance necessary to develop consistent systems and procedures at every SABIC site.

During 2021, we also conducted two audits to measure SHEM/OMS effectiveness for the SABIC Safety, Health & Environment Management Standards. Through this process, we aimed to identify improvement in key areas such as the development of a methodology for a periodic assessment of risk management effectiveness; improvement of SHEMS implementation, including identification of key upgrades to SHEMS procedures; and identification of capability needs in SHEMS leadership roles, with associated training needs and approaches. In 2021, 21 SHEM elements and sub-elements were updated through our subject-matter experts.

TRACKING EHSS PERFORMANCE

To drive continuous improvement in EHSS, we track performance metrics across our facilities and over a comprehensive range of incident types, including accidental releases to the environment, process-safety events, occupational health and safety injuries, illnesses, and security incidents. We ensure that our EHSS Process Safety Management Systems are up to date with international best practices and standards, and we utilize IT enablers and digitization to obtain better quality EHSS performance data.

This year, to align with the International Process Safety Standard API-754, our Process Safety team revised our incident management procedure SHEM-10. This revision will provide more visibility on Process Safety, which along with Occupational Safety, is among the main contributors to the SABIC’s EHSS Incident Rate.

ENABLING EHSS INFORMATION

The global rollout of eSHEM Phase II continued successfully in 2021 for several modules, enabling improved identification, aggregation, and communication of key EHSS information. Furthermore, a new project was initiated to create a smart database that includes all global EHSS resources, with intelligent search capability. Using resources more effectively will enhance collaboration and visibility, provide quicker and easier access to functional support, create opportunities for personal growth and development, enable faster and better access to resources for assessments and audits, provide cross-site assignments to create learning opportunities and enhance effectiveness of EHSS networks.

GLOBAL KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS AND MATURITY INDEX

In 2020, we developed and introduced EHSS Maturity, a performance monitoring system that uses existing KPIs to generate Maturity Indexes for SABIC. We also created a guidance manual to complement this system and drive safety best practices across SABIC. The Index comprises a set of relevant leading and lagging indicators, which has helped in driving process safety performance on SABIC sites, further improving visibility, and developing improvement remedies. All in all, our global EHSS KPIs in 2021 were 9% better than they were in 2020.

EHSS FACTS AND FIGURES FOR 2021

SITE TECHNICAL TRAINING

• Over 77 site visits were conducted for SUWP (Start Up Work Process)/LOTO (Lock-Out, Tag-Out) and technical assessments of KSA sites
• The LOTO and Work Permit (WP) training comprised over 6,900 end-user trainings
• A total of 541 management cadre were trained for new WP/LOTO

CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT

• 43 EHSS videos
• 36 recommended practices
• Over 480 lessons learned

DIGITIZATION ENABLEMENT

• Completed the e-SAFER processes
• Over SAR 352 million (US$ 93.9 million) in cost optimizations made possible through Chemicals and Additives Handling Stream
• Made progress in IT enhancement projects
• Improved incident reporting and investigation procedures
• Enabled e-reporting of EHSS maturity
• Approval for electronic Management of Change (e-MOC) System Upgrade
• Enhanced Crisis Management (CM) Phase 3

EHSS ENGAGEMENTS

• Engaged with Corporate Human Resources and Sustainability Department for developing an EHSS policy for small-sized facilities in Saudi Arabia
• Participation in the activities of the Gulf Petrochemicals and Chemicals Association (GPCA) and a member of its committees
• Developed the design of a confined space simulator
• Review and influence High Commission of Industrial Security (HCIS) SAF-13 (KSA) related to Work Permit (WP) and Personnel Protective Equipment (PPE)
• Completed the digital SUWP piloting forms and process design
• Conducted the Job Safety Analysis (JSA) development and implementation quality assessment
• Provided i-MEA support for America sites
• Played a leading role in organizing the technical aspects of a safety campaign
• Developed specialized High Pressure Wash Jetting (HPWJ) procedures for Saudi Arabia
• Provided EHSS networks support to set objectives and tasks
• 10 Health & Safety and PMR streams achieved from our synergy with Aramco