With many years of selling and implementing safe systems of work, we have helped answer many questions from site to reassure and inform people at all levels
The system combines all of the required elements for identifying the work, for risk assessing it, and for controlling it when the work is being carried out. Co-ordination and communication is achieved by making the knowledge of status and what is required next, very obvious to each user. This is accomplished by means of email notification and by visible ‘markers’ on the system, telling each type of user what/that action is required. In this manner, almost seamless alignment of steps can be achieved. Control is of course an axiom of an electronic system. What makes RAP special here is the way in which the control is achieved, with ease of comprehension (via the simple to use GUI) and clarity of purpose (via the ‘signposts’ and workflow).
We can configure existing paper-based permits within the RAP system. However the client may wish to adopt a newer style. This new style better facilitates the identification and mitigation of work place hazards, along with providing improved capability for managing the overall permitting process. With the RAP permit, only the information and detail that pertains to each specific job or task is printed on the issued permit. This allows for enhanced focus on what is truly important to the job being performed.
RAP works by planning jobs very much up-front. So all of the permit details will be put into the system in advance of the work being done. When the permit is needed, wait time for work crews is reduced, thus saving money and making for a much smoother process.
The system administrator will allocate access and permissions to users. Access is via the browser. User credentials are established at log-in with username and password.
The actions you can take will be dependent upon the permissions allocated to you.
Jobs can either be initiated directly in RAP or they can be imported from existing maintenance management systems.
Many screens exist in RAP where users can come to see what is happening in their area. The main plot plan will show all planned work and locations. The permit board lists all on-going work and its status (e.g. Live, On-hold, etc…). In addition, RAP has an extensive reporting system which allows users to create their own individualised reports.
Dependent upon site policy, RAP will allow templates to be created and used for common jobs. All permits are archived and are available for review and re-use for current jobs.
No. RAP is modular and allows users to select which elements they will use. You can for instance choose to use the risk assessment and permit control elements and keep your own isolation system.
We offer a number of courses for Permit Developers, Permit Issuers, Approvers, System Administrator, etc., and a wide variety of individualised computer based learning packages are available. Our experience of carrying out many implementations completed across the globe has found the 'train-the-trainer' approach to be most effective. With this method, RAP personnel train client personnel, who go on to train others at the site. The TTT methodology helps transfer knowledge and develops expertise locally, and helps increase the ownership of and comfort with the system.
The application architecture lends itself to horizontal scaling so for usage in high volume configurations extra servers can be added when required to absorb any additional load. In conditions such as Turnarounds or Projects the 'rules' on the system can be adjusted to reflect circumstances present and use can also be made of RAP’s TAR Module.
Yes, as well as your Maintenance Management System, RAP can connect to a variety of other systems including; Planning & Scheduling, Plant Information, Personnel / Training and many more.
Yes, the RAP Mobile app is resident in on any suitable mobile device and can be taken on the plant even if there is no WiFi or GPS signal. RAP mobile can be used for pre-risk assessment, for checks, gas tests and for sign off on permits and isolations.
There is an extensive isolation module in RAP which incorporates a step-by-step procedure for any type of isolation, including overrides for critical instruments.
Competency is a key element of safety, in ensuring that only those who are confident to create, assess and approve permitted work are allowed to do so. Competence is fully controllable within the administration section of the RAP4 system, ensuring safe maintenance work for all.
For any implementation to run smoothly it is crucial that all areas of the business are fully committed to the project and a strong dedicated team put in place. With a dedicated team put in place at client site a typical timeframe for implementation is 6 months to the start of the pilot.
It is recommended that the train the trainer approach be taken for end-user training. Whereby Yokogawa will train the local trainer and the local trainers then deliver the training in the local language to their users. Should the trainer be present on the project team, there is usually no need for an additional training session as the trainer should already have all the knowledge required to deliver the training to end-users. It is recommended that the trainer be involved at quite a detailed level in the project.
The trainer should have experience delivering training to end-users and usually come from the training department or the service/systems department.
Lessons learned are collated as reports from which actions can then be generated. Within the system, this can be done immediately, at any given time, ensuring immediate safety through actions and communication to mitigate the risk. Of course, this then allows the site to also facilitate continuous improvement.
Contractor Management is a key part of the RAP4 system and is dealt with in the administration function. Here contractors are assigned competence and can be limited in their working capability, as required, to ensure that only those with appropriate competence can carry out certain work, so avoiding potential incidents.
Contractors can be directly involved in the process of risk assessment and the creation of the overall permitted work requirement, so we encourage all our clients to involve them with direct access to relevant parts of the RAP4 digital safe control of work software.
In addition to this, you will always have a real time view of the work the contractors are doing and can drill down to company, individual, work, etc.
From originating in Oil, Gas and Petrochemical, RAP now has clients in Chemicals, Pipelines, Steel, Property Maintenance, Logistics, Ports, Industrial Cities, Buildings Pharmaceutical, Gas distribution networks, Liquified Natural Gas, Biofuels, Cement and more on the way. Watch this space.
It is very easy to add a new language in RAP. We currently have over 26 languages which are always being added to. This language would then be available to you as your core language, or you can access an alternative language through a simple drop-down list. Everything in RAP is translated into mother tongue to ensure continuity of safety for whoever needs it.
The speed at which permits can be issued during turnarounds can have a large effect upon overall performance, with any delays in issuing impacting upon the time taken to get the job done. RAP’s upfront planning capability, its flexible rules and barcode controls greatly enhance this process giving potential for large savings
By using our RAPLink Toolkit, whatever software you have invested in and are using on-site will be able to communicate with our RAP system. This will enable you to install and get RAP up and running with all the benefits it offers with less concern from IT and all Operational teams.
Yes. Contractor information and work tasks can be pulled in from all maintenance management systems, with either 1-way or 2-way communication. The RAP system has been communicating with such systems at client sites for many years, so we have a tried and tested approach.
A RAP4 Implementation project is broken down into several phases, and a system implementer will be assigned to work through each of these phases with you.
To begin there is an initiation and kick off phase, where all information relating to the control of the project is gathered. This is followed by a series of workshops to train, discuss and agree with the project team how the solution should be configured for the business, the result of which is a design document. The main build of the system then happens, which is tested and approved for use by the business before end users are trained and a pilot run at a few areas.
Once the system is running smoothly, it is rolled out to the remaining areas. Throughout this process a project manager will monitor and control the project issuing updated reports.
The RAP4 system considers audits in two main ways:
Every keystroke within the RAP4 system is recorded and a timeline is created that can then be viewed.
In addition, a record is noted against each activity carried out in the event that signatures or actions are required, that also shows in the system
The RAP system allows the user to look at safety barriers that may be installed or removed on a temporary basis, which can include for example interlocks, overrides, relief valves, ESD’s , blinds and the like, and to risk assess the effect of the change, to consider mitigations to reduce risk and to monitor the time period in which the barrier change is in place, all of which can be directly associated with the relevant permits and isolations required to complete the work, so ensuring that not only is the work carried out safely, but that the plant is reconstituted in a safe manner also.
We searched for an application that would be appropriate for the level of risk present on site and that would be easy to use and well accepted by the plant workforce. A system that would deliver additional benefits to standard (paper based) permits and was capable of being used at other parent facilities for ‘best practice’ sharing was targeted. The application we choose after researching all options was RAP.
Project Safety Lead
Large Chemical Facility