Safety

The main objective of the activities conducted and to be planned from 2009 to 2012 remains the reduction of the frequency and severity of accidents, as well as the prevention and mitigation of the risks associated with the processes in place.

For that purpose, three are the areas of intervention: promotion of safety culture (with a focus on process safety), innovative applications of risk analysis and reduction methodologies, and interventions on the critical sectors (such as contractors).

In the Exploration&Production sector, contractor injury frequency and severity rates showed an improvement, respectively of 37% and 27%.

For the Gas & Power sector, the frequency of injuries of employees was 3.88 in 2009,  with a 27% improvement compared with the previous year.

The Refining & Marketing sector, following two years of constant improvements, is the only one with opposite results (+13% in the rate of injuries of employees and +20% for contractors) and specific measures have been adopted in order to reduce the injury frequency rate in the two refineries responsible for the performance decline.

In the last two years, 10 petrochemical production sites have reached the goal of “one year without injuries‘.

The year 2009 registered 8 fatalities.

Interview with Guido Montanari – Head of Safety

Can you explain how Eni evaluates risks related to the safety of people and of production  sites?

I'd like to start by defining what we mean by risk: risk is a mathematical quantity linked to an intuitive concept, that of danger, which in turn can result from the actions of people, things and the environment; risk, therefore, is the product of the relationship between the probability of a hazardous event and the magnitude of its consequences.
Risk analysis, meanwhile, is the discipline that provides methods, techniques and measurement tools to identify the dangers, their probability of occurrence and the gravity of their consequences.
A fundamental element in the analysis is, therefore, the identification of hazards, which can be done by experts with sophisticated systems, but which is substantially more effective with the proactive input of experienced, aware and attentive workers who can help technicians with information and experience.
Today at Eni risk analysis is a widely used tool, not only for demonstrating within the framework of an integrated HSE management system that all necessary measures have been implemented for risk management purposes, but also to check the effectiveness of design and the organization of work.
Risk analysis is carried out not only in conformity with current legislation and international standards; for every new plant safety risk analysis is an essential part of all the design stages; for the plants already in operation, it is carried out at any significant process or equipment modification.
In addition, in order to update and harmonise at the highest possible level the risk analysis methodologies and techniques, a discipline that has in Saipem Snamprogetti a centre of excellence, important documents and manuals, such as the recent Eni Technical Handbooks of Risk Analysis are developed by risk analysis experts.
Risk analysis, consequently, makes it possible to put in place initiatives for the reduction of risk i.e. of all those plant or operational improvements that can reduce the probability of a hazardous event occurring as well as its consequences.

Can you give us a practical example of how all this works at Eni?

Take, for example, a hydrocarbon fractionation column at one of our sites. Inside the column products reach very high temperatures and if they were released outside they would constitute a serious danger for people in the vicinity and for the surrounding environment. Therefore, in order to minimize the risks associated with this hazard, Eni does whatever derives from the application of the best techniques and practices.
First of all, the column has been designed, built, tested, installed and started up according to Eni's technical standards, which are in line with international standards. The contractors that have carried out these operations have been rigorously selected and are constantly monitored during work. Inside the column there are instruments that constantly detect various parameters, such as pressure and temperature, and report them to a control room where trained technicians are able to spot any anomalies in the functioning of the plant. The column is equipped with mechanical and instrument safety devices designed to intervene in case of deviation from safe operating conditions. The correct functioning of measurement and safety devices as well as of their reliability are monitored and safety critical instruments are submitted to a plan of routine and procedured checks. Safety management system is regularly audited both internally and by the relevant control authorities.
In this case the application of risk analysis contributes to establish the column construction standards, the instrumentation reliability level, the type and frequency of calibrations and inspections, all aimed at reducing both the probability of a hazardous event (prevention) and of its consequences to acceptable levels (mitigation); though the case illustrated is not exhaustive, it gives an idea of the constant commitment of our technical staff to ensure that hazards inherent in our plants do not become a threat to safety.
For us, what has been described here is a daily work tool and a distinctive characteristic of belonging to a community that includes ourselves, the others and the environment.  
The high level of technical competence in managing industrial risks by the hundreds of employees involved in the design and operations ensures to thousands of other workers and stakeholders economic wellbeing, improved living conditions and a safe return home.

Training is a fundamental lever for the consolidation of a culture that considers safety as a primary value on which to invest in the pursuit of continuous improvement.

In compliance with the legislative decree 81/0, in cooperation with Eni Corporate University and the ISPESL (Istituto Superiore per la Prevenzione e la Sicurezza del Lavoro) Eni has created an online training course for those who work in the company's offices and at corporate headquarters.

The course is part of a broader, flexible and interactive multimedia training programme and allows participants to access, from their work station to the online course and to progress in line with their learning rhythm.

The training course consists of a number of modules and lasts for a total of 3 hours. At the end of each module, participants can take a test to verify their progress. Over the whole of the course a tutor is available to provide support for anyone who has difficulty or requires further information.