With some of the best safety and risk practitioners in mining, oil and gas exploration and production, rail and power generation, erms undertakes a wide range of project types to support our customers. We are often asked to support our customers projects by developing solutions to operational risk challenges, becoming embedded in their business to manage risk on their behalf, developing and delivering meaningful, engaging and effective training, planning improvements to existing safety and risk management practices, undertaking governance and assurance reviews.
We offer the full range of risk advisory services, including various engineering and risk studies, and our clients regularly report to us that they previously did not realise that erms knew as much about their business and their challenges or had such broad technical competence as we were able to demonstrate on their behalf.
Power Generation
Planned Turbine Survey and Outage
A power generation company required strategic advice and technical services for a planned Turbine Survey and Outage. erms provided advice to the client to manage the strategic aspects of the complex planning required as well as detailed technical assistance in the field during the Outage. The work program included the development of a Work Health and Safety Management Plan, induction preparation and delivery, contractor pre-qualification reviews, developing Confined Space Emergency Rescue Plans and preparing procedures on project-specific safety work. Of particular importance was the provision of advice, support and feedback to the client’s project team members to provide knowledge transfer and assist with their competency development and enhancement. As a result of the program, the Outage was successfully implemented and the client was able to transfer the documentation and processes to respond to the significant/catastrophic failure of another Turbine.
Power Generation Facilities – Safety Management Systems Integration
erms services were sought by a client for the integration of newly acquired power generation facilities which included activities such as:
- reviewing and development risk and safety management documentation
- providing recommendations for risk and safety systems integration
- devising solutions and implementation strategies including for outage planning
- devising supporting site safety initiatives and safety culture integration within and across power generation facilities
- applying the principles of plant safety management to effectively control risks associated with machine/person interfaces
erms provided advice and recommendations to provide for an effective and integrated system that is capable of successfully supporting their safety and business goals.
Power Generation Facility – Permit To Work (PTW) System
The owner of a Power Station were conducting a review of their work authorisation system and sought advice from erms as to whether the proposed solution would resolve a number of long-standing issues.
After undertaking a thorough review, erms advised the client that the solution would not meet their needs and that proceeding with implementation as proposed would create additional problems. The client chose to proceed with the proposed implementation until additional problems were being evidenced during the system roll-out. At this point they suspended all implementation and requested that erms undertake a full remediation of all systems. erms conducted a comprehensive analysis, developing an integrated system for the review and authorisation of all work on site, including activities involving the control and isolation of energy sources. Implementation of the remediated systems included interfacing with other business units to ensure a comprehensive approach was adopted for the culture change required to support the new processes. Integrated training packages were also developed and delivered for all system users. The client now has an effective and integrated system that successfully supports their business objectives.
Power Generation Facility – Confined Space Survey & Risk Assessment
A power generation client was experiencing difficulty maintaining compliance and safe work practices on the site of their power generation facility while managing operations involving confined space entry due to a reliance on an inadequate, outdated and difficult to navigate register.
Recognised as the most capable provider of professional safety services, erms was approached to develop a system that would encompass best practice in safety management while efficiently meeting the demands of a site with over 2,000 confined spaces. Using a collaborative approach, erms personnel conducted an extensive site survey and then developed and implemented a system for sustained efficient management of confined space work that was integrated with existing permit to work and document management systems. Operational personnel are now able to quickly retrieve and review individual assessments containing integrated confined space risk assessments, ventilation and rescue plans. This has significantly improved the quality of their safety preparation and practices.
Safety in Design
An electricity transmission company sought assistance from erms to develop and integrate Safety in Design (SiD) into their existing engineering management systems framework.
The client also requested a project delivery model to allow their business to ensure the compliance of legal safety obligations, as well as support the development and implementation of new technology, construction and maintenance practices for improved workplace. Using the client’s existing Project Management Framework and establishing a comprehensive stakeholder engagement framework, an integrated SiD Process was mapped. Development of the SiD process path, procedures and templates were developed prior to being piloted on a live project and site specific requirements were captured. Rollout of the training modules, aligning the workforce to the aims and objective of the SiD process then took place. With over 300 SiD actions, utilizing new or improved technology, construction, operation and maintenance practices, the project provided reassurance to the client that they were able to comply with legal obligations and mitigate hazards and risks. Together with the detailed procedures templates, process flowchart and modules, the client has a successfully trialed, and user friendly SiD system within their organisation.
Transport & Logistics
Rail Auditing Program
A SA Government Department engaged erms to provide safety assurance services for a major rail infrastructure program of work.
Many of the work scopes included in the program were new to the department and erms was engaged to evaluate the risks of the program, including a major focus on safety management and provide comprehensive and detailed analysis to the department. A two stage approach was adopted beginning with a series of technical safety system audits focussing on each contractor’s approved safety management system. Each contractor’s infield practices were then reviewed and assessed to verify that the approved safety management system was being implemented. A series of very detailed audit reports were provided, outlining positive performance as well as non-conformances and cautionary notes about the safety practices and performances of each major contactor with recommendations for improvement. From these, the department was able to formulate and implement improvement plans to significantly enhance the risk and safety management practices among major contractors across the program and for future programs of work.



