In 2012, safety systems specialist Process Safety Solutions (PSS) took a significant step to simplify safety with the introduction of its Process Safety Management Suite (PSMS).
The package, designed to tackle challenges at all stages of a safety systems lifecycle, has since achieved both national and international success with orders forecast to exceed £500,000 in the next six months.
Andrew Thompson, technical manager at PSS, played a pivotal role in the development of the PSMS package and explains more about the motivation behind the development:
Both PSS and its clients recognise the need for robust safety processes at all stages of a system’s lifecycle. When it comes to safety a company cannot just be reactive to the challenges. Its people need to identify and tackle issues before they arise.
“In the development of the PSMS, we have invested significant time identifying the solutions to some of the most common challenges, specific to the oil and gas industry, with emphasis on safety instrumented systems,” says Thompson.
“Having successfully completed a series of trials at our Aberdeen headquarters, the PSMS is proven to assist in the continual support and verification of a safety systems performance.”
The PSMS incorporates a range of software and hardware tools including its Cause and Effect Relationship Software (CERES); Verification and Test of Applications (VESTA); PALLAS (Process Automation Live Logging and Analysis Software); Embedded SOE Collector (E SOE C); Data Extraction Tool (DET); Simulation Dongle (SD) and Project Extractor (PE).
As part of a recently awarded, five-year, multimillion-pound contract with a major oil company, PSS is looking to introduce the PSS CERES software across all of its North Sea sites over the next 12 months: replacing the client’s current cause and effect management tool, CEDA.
Thompson continues: “CERES is a full lifecycle cause and effect management tool for safety systems.
“Comprising numerous components, this tool has been designed by engineers for engineers and provides complete transparency of information at all stages of the system’s lifecycle.
“With a graphical interface, CERES not only allows for the design and modification of data, but displays information in a way that is easy to understand, allowing for the effective development and maintenance of safety system software.
“CERES makes it easy for engineers and verifiers to search, amend, mark up, compare and understand cause and effect data, simplifying the reporting process.
“Most importantly, CERES can pass information directly to VESTA. This provides continuous confirmation that the cause and effect readings are accurate and allows for both on and off site software verification.”
Over the last 12 months, PSS has doubled turnover.
David Green, the company’s managing director, believes this success is a testament to the company’s growing reputation for delivering the highest levels of customer service.
With the company looking to announce a further contract with an oil and gas major in the coming months, he believes the PSMS will support the company to achieve continued success.
Green said: “PSS takes a customer-centric approach to all projects. We look at each client’s individual needs, identify the solution to overcome its challenges and if the solution doesn’t exist, we design it. The PSMS demonstrates this commitment and with plans to employ a further 6-8 staff over the next year, we are confident that as our resource pool grows, so too will our focus on research and development.
“With this focus we aim to maintain our position as a leading provider of safety systems to the international oil and gas sector.”