About the Process Improvement Institute

Expertise of the Process Improvement Institute

Our consultants and instructors are internationally recognized experts in risk assessments, risk management systems, PSM, and loss prevention. They are among the very best in the field because they combine complete theoretical understanding of their topic with the experience that is necessary to discriminate between something that works only in theory and something that works in practice.

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Our instructors have trained over 8000 in PSM-related topics, including over 3900 investigators, 4000+ PHA leaders, 3000 PSM experts and auditors, 1000 procedure writers, and many others on other topics.

Our personnel have led over 400 PHAs (qualitative risk assessments or HAZOPs; most of these were of entire units), over 180 major investigations, and over 50 major PSM and risk based process safety (RBPS) audits. They have developed and implemented effective MOC programs, procedure writing protocols, and hazard review (risk assessment) methodologies. They are among the most experienced PSM experts and instructors in the world. They have served as chair or co-chair of 10 major international conferences on PSM and have authored or co-authored over 25 articles/papers on PSM topics and were co-authors of the following definitive textbooks for AIChE’s Center for Chemical Process Safety (CCPS):

· Independent Protection Layers and Initiating Events, CCPS/AIChE, 2009 [pending] (Mr. Bridges is the main author and Mrs. Tew is a co-author; this will be an essential supplement to the original LOPA book which was co-authored by Mr. Bridges)

· Guidelines for Hazard Evaluation Procedures, CCPS/AIChE, 2008 (3^nd Edition) (this is the definitive text on performing PHAs; Mr. Bridges and Mrs. Tew were co-authors)

· Essential Practices for Managing Reactive Chemicals Hazards, CCPS/AIChE, 2003 (Mr. Norsworthy was a committee member and contributing author)

· Guidelines for Investigating Chemical Process Incidents, 2003 (2^nd Edition) (this is the definitive textbook on investigation; Mr. Bridges was a primary author)

· Guidelines for Analyzing and Managing the Security Vulnerabilities of Fixed Chemical Site, CCPS/AIChE, 2002 (Mr. Norsworthy was a committee member and contributing author)

· Layer of Protection Analysis (LOPA), CCPS/AIChE, 2001 (Mr. Bridges was a primary author; this is the definitive text on semi-quantitative risk assessment)

· Guidelines for Hazard Evaluation Procedures, CCPS/AIChE, 1991 (2^nd Edition) (this is the definitive text on performing PHAs; Mr. Bridges was a contributing author)

And, they have co-authored 6 related standards for the US Department of Energy, as well as authoring or co-authoring the definitive papers on:

How to address human error/factors during PHAs (and HAZOPs)
How to analyze procedure steps for hazards/risks of performing steps incorrectly
How to make your PHAs comply with US OSHA’s PSM requirements
What are the Costs/Benefits of PSM compliance
How to get Near Misses Reported and Investigated
How to write effective operating and maintenance procedures
How to develop trouble-shooting guides from HAZOP tables
How to implement an effective LOPA program
How to perform incident investigations and root cause analyses

A full résumé of each expert is available upon request; and we can provide you with a long list of references (your peers) that use us and can attest to the value of our services.