A structured, phase-wise approach to managing shutdown and turnaround safety using proven PSM, SIMOPS, and PSSR best practices.
Shutdowns and turnarounds (TARs) represent some of the highest-risk periods in industrial operations due to non-routine work, compressed schedules, and workforce surges.
Transient operations such as shutdowns and startups have significantly higher incident rates due to changing process conditions, as identified by AIChE’s Center for Chemical Process Safety (CCPS).
Unlike routine maintenance, TARs involve complete process isolation, equipment opening, and large contractor workforces—introducing compounded operational and safety risks.
OSHA’s Process Safety Management (29 CFR 1910.119) mandates structured hazard controls, including PSSRs, making PSM foundational for shutdown safety.
Effective shutdown safety begins months before execution, with risk-based planning and workforce readiness.
HAZID and HAZOP studies help identify deviations, energy sources, and abnormal scenarios before isolation and equipment opening activities begin.
HSE UK’s HSG253 emphasizes positive isolation, verification, and controlled reinstatement as critical for preventing inadvertent energization.
Pre-qualification ensures contractors meet safety competence standards, while structured HSE inductions align them with site-specific hazards and rules.
Execution-phase controls ensure safety is maintained amid dynamic, high-density work environments.
IOGP frameworks highlight SIMOPS risk from overlapping activities, requiring centralized planning and conflict resolution processes.
Digital PTW systems improve visibility, authorization control, and compliance verification across hundreds of concurrent permits.
Extended work hours increase human error; structured shift handovers and fatigue limits are essential to sustain safe performance.
Certain shutdown tasks demand enhanced controls due to their inherent severity potential.
OSHA standards require atmospheric testing, entry supervision, and pre-planned rescue to prevent fatalities during confined space work.
Temporary enclosures, gas monitoring, and fire watches reduce ignition risks during welding and cutting activities.
CCPS guidance identifies oxygen-deficient atmospheres as a leading cause of shutdown fatalities, necessitating continuous monitoring and access control.
Safe restart is as critical as safe shutdown, ensuring all systems are fit for operation.
OSHA 1910.119 requires PSSRs to confirm construction, procedures, training, and safeguards are complete prior to introducing hazardous materials.
Controlled removal of scaffolding, blinds, and temporary systems prevents latent hazards during startup.
Formal audits and lessons-learned reviews strengthen future TAR planning and institutional safety knowledge.
Proactive metrics provide early warnings before incidents occur.
Balancing productivity with safety interventions helps identify pressure points that could erode safe behaviors.
High near-miss reporting rates correlate with strong safety cultures and reduced serious incidents.
Daily PTW audits verify adherence to isolation, authorization, and task-specific controls.
A zero-incident shutdown or turnaround is not achieved through compliance alone—it requires a fully integrated shutdown safety management system aligned with OSHA PSM, HSE isolation standards, IOGP SIMOPS guidance, and CCPS risk data. By combining strategic planning, disciplined execution, rigorous PSSR, and leading safety indicators, organizations can transform TARs from high-risk events into controlled, predictable operations.
Aura Safety Risk Consultant delivers comprehensive HSE management and engineering consultancy solutions to ensure safety, compliance, and sustainable industrial growth.
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Defines structured health, safety, and environmental controls tailored to construction project needs
Evaluates site safety compliance, identifies gaps, and recommends corrective actions
Manages construction risks through planning, supervision, and continuous safety monitoring
Provides documented safety policies, procedures, and guidelines for construction operations
Supplies trained and competent safety professionals for effective site safety management
Assesses structural integrity, technical systems, and safety compliance of buildings
Enhances safety culture by improving workforce behavior, leadership, and accountability
Implement site safety plans, audits, and training to prevent accidents, ensuring safer construction environments and regulatory compliance.
Shutdowns and turnarounds involve non-routine tasks, temporary configurations, workforce surges, and frequent process state changes. According to AIChE CCPS, accident rates increase significantly during transient operations due to unfamiliar hazards, SIMOPS, and time pressure.
Yes. OSHA’s Process Safety Management standard (29 CFR 1910.119) mandates a Pre-Startup Safety Review for facilities handling hazardous chemicals to verify mechanical integrity, procedures, training, and safeguards before restart.
SIMOPS (Simultaneous Operations) refers to multiple high-risk activities occurring at the same time in close proximity. IOGP identifies SIMOPS as a major risk factor due to task conflicts, shared energy sources, and reduced situational awareness.
Industry data from CCPS shows that isolation failures, confined space entry incidents, hot work ignition, oxygen-deficient atmospheres from nitrogen purging, and human error due to fatigue are leading causes.
LOTO prevents the unintended release of hazardous energy. HSE UK’s HSG253 emphasizes positive isolation, verification, and controlled reinstatement to ensure equipment cannot be energized while work is ongoing.
Digital PTW systems enhance real-time visibility, reduce authorization errors, improve SIMOPS coordination, and allow daily compliance auditing—key controls recommended in complex TAR environments.
Effective leading indicators include permit compliance rates, near-miss reporting trends, hazard observations, fatigue management metrics, and the balance between “time on tool” and safety interventions.
Best practice recommends starting shutdown safety planning 6–12 months in advance, allowing sufficient time for HAZID/HAZOP studies, contractor qualification, isolation planning, and workforce training.
