SIMOPS: Safety Management During Commissioning and Startup

Safety Management During Commissioning and Startup: Challenges and Solutions

Commissioning and startup (CSU) is one of the most complex and risky stages in the construction of industrial facilities. During this period, builders, installers, and equipment adjustment specialists work simultaneously on the same site. Such an overlap of tasks creates new threats for which personnel are often unprepared. In his presentation, Damir Talipov, Head of the HSE Department at RENERA-Enertek, analyzes the concept of SIMOPS (Simultaneous Operations) and shares practical experience in safety management during the pre-commissioning and commissioning stages.

Why Commissioning Requires a Special Approach to Safety

The speaker notes that by the time systems and subsystems testing begins, a number of specific problems arise:

• Incorrect planning. Occupational safety issues are often left without due attention when drawing up work schedules.
• Blurred areas of responsibility. Builders hand over the facility to the commissioning organization or the customer, which leads to disputes about the boundaries of responsibility and control over premises and equipment.
• Emergence of new risks. Dynamic testing, energization, and comprehensive testing create threats that did not exist during the construction and installation phase (depressurization of pipelines, electric shock, release of chemicals).
• Tight deadlines. Delays in previous construction stages often lead to a reduction in the time allotted for commissioning, which provokes haste and mistakes.
• Different levels of safety culture. Large facilities employ contractors from different countries and regions, with different mentalities and understanding of HSE requirements.

Key Steps for Safe SIMOPS Execution

To minimize risks during simultaneous operations, the speaker proposes a structured approach consisting of several stages:

1. Preparation and Planning

It is necessary to identify all overlapping operations. If they cannot be separated in time, it should be ensured that construction and installation works are completed in accordance with the design and documented. It is important to ensure the phased transfer of zones and systems for commissioning, develop memos on working environments, and approve a notification matrix.

2. Readiness Check (Checklists)

Detailed inspection of each unit and design point with the participation of construction supervision and independent organizations. The use of checklists allows for an objective assessment of the equipment's readiness status for the start of commissioning and prevents emergencies.

3. Visualization and Information

Transition from construction safety signs to operational ones. Placement of memos with information about risks and safety measures when working with specific environments (gas, chemicals). The speaker emphasizes the importance of advance notification (48 hours prior) of all project participants about upcoming tests, indicating the location, time, type of work, and responsible persons.

4. Access Restriction and LOTO Application

To protect personnel not involved in commissioning, fencing of hazardous areas, shielding, and the Lockout-Tagout (LOTO) system are used. In some cases, it is advisable to create special SIMOPS zones with access control (ACS). Equipment lockout (e.g., valves on gas pipelines or electrical rooms) is usually the responsibility of the customer.

What you will learn from this webinar:

• How to organize safe interaction between builders and commissioning engineers on the same site?
• What specific risks arise during pneumatic, hydraulic, and electrical testing?
• How to use checklists to assess the readiness of systems for commissioning?
• How to properly build a notification system about the start of hazardous operations?
• In what cases and by whom should the LOTO system be applied during the construction phase?