Stanwell Corporation

Authority to Work Project

Brief:
To implement an effective step by step process to undertake work safely in Stanwell Corporation Ltd.

Background:

The genesis of this major project was a smaller ‘Safety at Work’ (SAW) project led by Thermodyne Technologies. This dealt with high risk activities, electrical safety issues, protocols for working in confined spaces etc. As a result of the successes achieved through the SAW team, Stanwell Corporation’s management increased the brief to one which would precipitate a cultural shift in relation to safe practice across all Stanwell Corporation sites.

Scope:

Under the wider project the existing ‘permit to work’ system is to be replaced with an ‘Authority to Work’ (ATW) system. This is to include isolation processes and integrate:

• planning & preparation for work,
• risk assessment &
• scheduling

 Thermodyne has:

• integrated change management & communication strategies linked to the outcomes of the project. We have lead processes which highlight to staff at all levels the linkages between the in-spirit adoption of ATW principles, the company’s bottom line and the welfare of the individual employees.
• applied knowledge of the business processes required for effective management of operations and maintenance in heavy industry.
• successfully linked with stakeholders at all levels. (Steering committees – ATW & SAW; Project teams; GM Operations & Maintenance; GM Business Services; Health & Safety Systems Manager; all site managers across the entire corporation, business managers, team leaders, technicians & trades personnel). For example, Thermodyne Technologies has been talking in one instance with the GM about a multi-million dollar budget & then the next with a mechanical fitter about how his job will change.

Outcomes:

• The project is bringing about a necessary shift in organizational culture
• It has precipitated significant role changes within the organization.
• The ‘Authority to Work’ system has been implemented as a pilot at one site,
  to be followed by a rollout across all Stanwell sites.