Overview
The term "Barrier" includes existing Safeguards (or IPLs) and Recommendations. This set of features known collectively as, "Barrier Managment" allows organizations to observe how risk changes as Safeguards are bypassed or Recommendations are completed. . .virtually speaking of course.
By implementing this module, your organization will get more out of your existing risk data by increasing its use and relevancy over a longer period of time. How? Your PHA data will stay current with the real world changes to your processing units, assets or equipment enabling you to make better decisions.
Feature Activation
Activating the features
Barrier Management features must be activated by your Customer Success representative. These features can be activated for a single report to pilot its use in your organization, or we can turn these feature on for all reports. Just chat with us and we'll get you going!
Availability on specific reports
Barrier Management activation status, like all modules in Risk Alive can be viewed directly from your organization's Dashboard page. Just look for the icon next to the report to determine if it is active (blue) or inactive (grey).
Fig 1. Report list showing two reports with Active Barrier Management features (blue icons)
Barrier Management Control Center
The Barrier Management control center is where you will change the status of Safeguards and Recommendations from "Inactive Barrier" to "Active Barrier".
Fig 2. Barrier Management Control Center showing Inactive and Active barrier lists.
Inactive Barriers
Inactive Barriers can either be Safeguards which have been defeated or bypassed in your facility or Recommendations which have not yet been fully implemented. Risk Alive does not automatically update when you make real world changes so individuals who are responsible for these changes will need to make updates to Risk Alive.
Active Barriers
Active Barriers can either be in-service Safeguards or Recommendations which have been fully implemented (completed) in your facility. Essentially, these types of barriers are actively reducing risk.
Filtering and Sorting
Lists show barriers in their current status: Inactive and Active. Because the number of barriers can be very long, use the filtering tools locate the specific items you want to manage.
The sort drop down list allows you to sort the list by Criticality, Identifier or Description.
Fig 3. Filter text box allows user to find a specific barrier in a long list of items. Results can be sorted by Criticality, Identifier and Description.
Barrier List
Each barrier "card" in the list includes details such as type (Safeguard or Recommendation), description, criticality, category and number of scenarios impacted.
Fig 4. A single Barrier "card" showing the label ("R1"), type (Safeguard or Recommendation icon) and other relevant information for that specific barrier.
Change a Barrier's Status
The status of any barrier can by changed by clicking on the barrier "card" in the list. By clicking on an Inactive Barrier, you will be changing the status to "Active" and by clicking on an Active Barrier, you will be changing the status to "Inactive".
Once a Barrier's status is changed, it will be moved to the appropriate list.
Fig 5. Window allowing users to change the status of a barrier. This window opens when a barrier "card" in the list is clicked.
From the Activating or Deactivating window, you can quickly view all of the affected scenarios related to the barrier by clicking the "View Scenarios" button. This will open up the Data Viewer in a new tab.
For Recommendations, the Barrier Description field is editable. This is REALLY important. Why? When you change a Recommendation to an Active Barrier, this recommendation is added to the Safeguard Ranking module and the Barrier Description you enter is what will be displayed in that module.
BEST PRACTICE - Always update Recommendation Barrier Descriptions to the desired Safeguard Description you would like to make available to your organization in the Safeguard Ranking module. And don't worry, you won't be changing the description of the Recommendation in the Recommendation Sequencer module.
Barrier Status Indicator
Active Barrier | Inactive Barrier |
 |  |
Safeguards are in-service and are Active layers of protection
Recommendations are completed and are Active layers of protection | Safeguards are defeated or in bypass and are Inactive.
Recommendations have not been completed and are not providing protection. |
Barrier Management Impact on Other Modules
Safeguard Ranking module
Safeguard Ranking is affected when either Safeguards or Recommendations are modified.
When a Safeguard is set to "Inactive", the Safeguard still appears in the Safeguard Ranking module, however, the criticality of that Safeguard is now zero (0). This change will also move the Safeguard down the list towards the bottom with other zero criticality Safeguards. The Safeguard will also be flagged as "Inactive" using the Barrier Management icon.
Fig 6. An Inactive Safeguard shown in Safeguard Ranking module with a criticality value of zero (0) and the Inactive icon (right side)
When a Safeguard is set to "Active", the Safeguard will appear with its original Criticality value and be ordered in the list accordingly.
Fig 7. An Active Safeguard shown in the Safeguard Ranking module with its original criticality value.
Safeguards can also be filtered by their Barrier Management status. Toggle on/off the Active or Inactive buttons to show those Safeguards.
Fig 8. Safeguard Ranking filter tool showing toggles for Barrier Management.
Hazardous Scenario Viewer module
A Barrier Management icon will be used to indicate the status (Active or Inactive) of Safeguards and Recommendations. When changes are made through the Barrier Management control center, all bowties will be updated automatically.
Fig 9. Bowties will display the status of Safeguards and Recommendations by using the Barrier Management icon to indicate "Active" or "Inactive" status.
Recommendation Sequencer module
Changes in the status of Recommendations are reflected in the Recommendation Sequencer module, however, changes to Safeguard status are not.
Each recommendation card in the module will indicate if the Recommendation has been set to "Active". This would indicate that the recommendation has been completed in the real world and is providing risk reduction to the site.
Fig 10. Recommendation card showing the "Active" status of the recommendation.
As recommendations are completed and set to "Active" status, the Recommendation Sequence graph is updated to reflect those changes. Recommendations bars appear green when Recommendations have been set to "Active" giving a visual representation of the risks addressed.
Fig 11. Recommendation Sequencer module showing two (2) recommendations which have been completed and marked "Active".
Interested in learning more? Reach out to us through the in-app chat and we'll be happy to help!