Process Safety Support

Sometimes the most effective resource works directly within the existing team.

Smith & Burgess provides engineers and Process Safety professionals who integrate with client organizations during major projects, periods of increased workload, organizational transitions, and temporary resource constraints.

Resources may be assigned on-site or remotely, for a defined number of days each month or for an extended engagement. Roles, responsibilities, reporting relationships, and deliverables are established before the assignment begins.

Some technical challenges do not fit within a single Process Safety element.

Aging recommendations, recurring deficiencies, unclear ownership, complex technical questions, and unresolved cross-functional issues may require independent engineering judgment.

Smith & Burgess evaluates the available technical information, operating conditions, applicable requirements, previous decisions, and organizational constraints. The resulting analysis defines technically sound options, associated risks, required actions, and considerations for resolution.

Every incident provides an opportunity to identify and address weaknesses.

Smith & Burgess conducts and facilitates incident investigations to determine what occurred, identify contributing factors, and establish measures to reduce the likelihood of recurrence.

Investigations may include evidence review, personnel interviews, event sequencing, causal analysis, safeguard evaluation, and review of applicable management systems. Findings address immediate causes as well as underlying technical, organizational, and systemic factors.

Recommendations are tied to the identified causes and documented with sufficient clarity to establish ownership and corrective-action requirements.

Effective Process Safety programs depend on personnel who understand both the requirements and their responsibilities.

Smith & Burgess develops and delivers training and facilitated workshops based on the facility’s processes, programs, workforce needs, and learning objectives. Sessions may address technical concepts, regulatory requirements, program responsibilities, work processes, or identified areas of inconsistent execution.

Training incorporates discussion, operating experience, and facility-relevant examples to strengthen technical understanding across engineering, operations, maintenance, Process Safety, and leadership functions.

The right experience matters as much as additional capacity.

Smith & Burgess consultants bring owner-operator, engineering, consulting, facilitation, and leadership experience to each assignment. This background allows our personnel to understand operating constraints, recognize cross-functional issues, and contribute effectively within existing organizational structures.

Each engagement begins with a defined need, scope, role, level of authority, and expected outcome. Our personnel adapt to established systems and responsibilities rather than introducing unnecessary processes or replacing effective internal practices.

Whether facilitating a study, filling a temporary leadership role, advising on a technical issue, conducting an investigation, or supplementing project resources, Smith & Burgess provides focused expertise aligned with the assignment.