The Hidden Dangers of Disconnected Systems
You invest in process safety tools, but are they truly protecting you? Many companies rely on a collection of powerful, yet disconnected, software modules. While each individual tool offers strong capabilities for specific tasks, the real power lies in their seamless integration. At Kenexis, we see time and again how fragmented approaches lead to critical inconsistencies and hidden risks.
We recently conducted a review for a site using both Open-PHA® Safeguards and Vertigo™ IPFs. This site had a substantial number of active IPFs (2097), including 869 SIL 1 and 97 SIL 2 functions. Yet, despite these numbers, we uncovered alarming inconsistencies:
- 300 SIL-rated functions were completely missing from their PHAs. That’s a significant blind spot, leaving critical safeguards unaddressed in your hazard analyses.
- 98 instances where the PHA took SIL 1 credit, but the SIS documentation showed “No SIL.” Are you taking credit for protection that doesn’t actually exist?
- 2 instances where the PHA took SIL 2 credit, but the SIS documentation showed “No SIL.” This is even more concerning for your highest-risk scenarios.
- 16 instances where a Safety Instrumented Function (SIF) was rated SIL 2, but the PHA only took SIL 1 or no credit. This could mean you’re underestimating your safeguards or creating unnecessary complexity.
- 60 instances where a SIF was rated SIL 1, but the PHA took no credit. This might indicate missed opportunities for optimizing your safety layers.
These aren’t just minor data entry errors. They represent systemic weaknesses that can have severe consequences for your operations and personnel.
Our Kenexis Integrated Safety Suite isn’t just a set of tools; it’s a unified platform designed to eliminate the dangerous gaps that can arise when your safety data isn’t talking to itself.
