Health & Safety

The health and safety of our employees, communities, and the environment remain our top priority. Our commitment to safety transcends regulatory compliance and industry standards, embedding a culture of vigilance and care into every aspect of our work. From the moment employees join our ranks, they are immersed in a safety-oriented culture that shapes our operations and drives our continuous improvement in health and safety practices.

Safety Record

The fuel and petrochemical industries are unwavering in our pursuit of safety excellence, aiming for zero injuries and incidents across all operations. Our commitment to continuous improvement and rigorous safety protocols has led to consistently low illness and injury rates, setting a high benchmark among manufacturing sectors. With advanced safety technologies, comprehensive employee training, and collaborative industry practices, our safety record remains among the best in the sector, as evidenced by our top rankings in recent federal safety assessments.

Refining and Petrochemical Industries Are the Safest Among U.S. Manufacturers

Data from Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) consistently rank refining and petrochemical manufacturing among the top three of nearly 500 U.S. manufacturing sectors they track. In 2022, petrochemicals ranked first and refining second. In 2023, refining ranked third, though petrochemicals were not tracked.

The OSHA and BLS data track injury and illness rates across U.S. professional and manufacturing sectors. Injury and illness rates in the refining and petrochemical manufacturing industries are lower than in mining, food manufacturing, ship building and paper manufacturing, just to name a few. When sectors beyond manufacturing are included, the refining industry rate is below those in business services, agriculture and air transportation, among many others.

In addition to leading in this safety category, the refining and petrochemical industries have seen tremendous improvements in process safety as well. The data shows that rates of Tier 1 process safety events33 have been cut in half over the last decade.

Process safety is defined by OSHA as the proactive identification, evaluation, and mitigation or prevention of chemical releases that could occur due to failures in processes, procedures, or equipment.

A Tier 1 Process Safety Event (PSE) is defined as the most severe event, involving significant consequences such as injuries, fatalities, major property damage, or community impact.

Incidence Rates of Non-Fatal Injuries or Illnesses Among Manufacturing Sectors

In 2023, petroleum refineries ranked 3rd of 500 manufacturing industries with a TRIR of 0.5

“This record underscores AFPM members commitment to safety, collaboration, and zero incidents. There is nothing more important to our industries than the safety of our people, communities, and the environment around us.”

Lara Swett, AFPM Vice President of Technical and Safety Programs at AFPM

Outstanding Safety Performance

AFPM members routinely outstrip their peers — and other industries — in achieving stellar safety records. These successes reflect the effectiveness of their safety programs, stringent protocols, and the dedication of their workforce, truly demonstrating the priority they put on safe operations.

Chevron Phillips Chemical performed in the top decile in the industry with a Total Recordable Incidence Rate of 0.08.34
Placid Refining became an Occupational Safety and Health Administration Voluntary Protection Program (VPP) Star Site in 2006 and has maintained that status ever since. The VPP program focuses on hazard prevention, worker involvement, training and management commitment. To achieve Star status, sites must demonstrate stellar commitment to health and safety, have incorporated comprehensive health and safety management systems, and must maintain illness and injury rates below the national average for their industry.35
In June 2023, Ketjen’s Amsterdam site marked 1,000 days without a recordable injury. Ketjen’s sites at Bayport and Pasadena received Responsible Care© Facility Safety Awards from the American Chemistry Council (ACC) for significant achievements in employee health and safety performance.36
Phillips 66’s Sweeny Refinery and Rodeo Refinery won the 2023 AFPM Distinguished Safety Award, the industry’s highest safety honor. For the Sweeny Refinery, it was the third year in a row that it won the Distinguished Safety Award — a record achievement.37
In 2024, five Marathon Petroleum drivers received the Million Mile Award for driving one to two million miles without a preventable accident.38

LyondellBasell’s Channelview, Texas site reached 6.2 million safe working hours in 2023; this achievement was the result of an increase in procedure audits and behavior-based observations as well as a focus on human and organizational performance principles.39
In 2023, Cheniere exceeded its corporate safety target, reaching the top decile of industry safety with a 0.10 Total Recordable Incident Rate.40
In 2023, Par Pacific’s Billings, Montana refinery was presented with a safety award for its performance by AFPM. The refinery was selected for an Elite Silver Award, recognizing sites that have attained top 10% industry safety performance in 2023 and have demonstrated excellent program innovation and leadership over time.41

Industry Programs

U.S. refiners and petrochemical manufacturers work collaboratively to learn from each other and share good practices to advance safety across industries. AFPM facilitates this collaboration through a series of safety programs focusing on process safety, occupational safety and training and development.

Advancing Process Safety Programs Advancing Process Safety (APS) is AFPM’s flagship safety program. AFPM developed this groundbreaking program to promote collaboration across industries and to continuously improve process safety through data collection and opportunities to share experiences and knowledge. Created in 2012 to improve process safety at facilities, this voluntary program has grown to include a suite of resources — including virtual reality, webinars and other tools and resources — that encourage the sharing of learnings and information.

AFPM’s Advancing Process Safety Program consists of several programs:

Walk the Line: Employee human performance program directed at operators that provides a toolbox of training materials and learnings to prevent common incidents caused by errors associated with operational discipline.
The Process Safety Regional Networks: Six regional information sharing networks that allow process safety professionals to improve overall safety performance through collaboration at the site and association level.
The Process Safety Site Assessment Program: Independent third-party assessments that help facilities prevent process safety events through rigorous evaluation of written programs and operations.
Hazard Identification/Practice Sharing Subgroup: Develops Hazard Identification and Practice Share documents for broad industry distribution that address common industry hazards and good industry practices.
The Mechanical Integrity Subgroup: Develops resources to help members improve mechanical integrity programs, a key process safety program element.
The Human & Organizational Performance Subgroup: Develops information and tools to improve human performance in operations that aid in reducing the likelihood and consequences of human errors.
Industry Learning & Outreach Subgroup: Industry data analysis that identifies opportunities for improvement for APS and conducts monthly industry webinars.

Occupational Safety Programs AFPM Occupational Safety programs and trainings are geared toward preventing injuries in our facilities. Through incident data collection, we can identify opportunities for industrywide improvement and build tools to address these issues, which are then shared throughout the industries. Our Occupational Safety Regional Networks facilitate information sharing, including lessons learned to improve the overall safety of the industries. Sharing good energy isolation practices has been a significant focus of this program.

Immersive Learning Program The AFPM Immersive Learning Committee provides a forum to share knowledge around the quickly evolving area of immersive learning. This includes highly interactive technologies like virtual and augmented reality to improve performance and safety, while also reducing training time. This group developed the first AFPM virtual reality simulation, a complex training tool replicating the process for lighting a fired heater from a cold start — a key facility operation for which hands-on training with intricate procedures is crucial. This simulation aims to improve and support the retention and comprehension of training by providing the opportunity to “fail safely” by experiencing low frequency, high consequence incidents in a safe, simulated environment.

Sharing Safety Practices Across the Manufacturing Sector Other industries and government partners are taking note of the success of AFPM’s safety programs and are seeking to apply good practices more broadly across the manufacturing sector. During the last year, AFPM has worked with organizations and government partners such as the American Petroleum Institute, the Chemical Safety Board and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) to share learnings derived from these programs.

Operations and Technology

Innovation drives safety in the U.S. fuel and petrochemical industries, where we are continually adopting state-of-the-art technologies to bolster safety practices on process safety, occupational safety and training and development.

Chevron is constantly evaluating new technologies to optimize employee safety, using mobiWAN — an ears-free bone-conduction audio device — to improve two-way communication in high-noise environments and developing the Chevron Environmental Site Assessment Robot (CESAR), a semi-autonomous robot with sensors designed to assess environmental conditions from afar in order to avoid human contact with potential hazards.42
CHS uses tablet-sized acoustic equipment to detect and address potential leaks, utilizing ultrasound to detect otherwise imperceptible leaks in the facility’s infrastructure.43
Employees at Chevron Phillips Chemical’s Borger, Texas facility piloted the Safe Work Interactive Field Technology (SWIFT) e-permitting application during critical job tasks. The electronic system allowed the site to more quickly complete permitting assignments and more fully focus on the job at hand.44

Phillips 66 completed a technology update for all its refining facilities to now use a fully networked personal and portable gas monitoring system. This investment has enabled more sensitive and robust data gathering and provides faster response times.45
Energy Transfer invested $1 million to purchase Optimal Gas Imaging (or FLIR) cameras for use in its gas gathering and processing facilities. The cameras allow employees to identify the exact location of fugitive emissions originating from within processing and compression facilities and are used in addition to regular inspections, thereby providing an additional layer of safety and emissions prevention.46

Employee and Contractor Safety

Safeguarding the well-being of employees and contractors is essential to our operational success. AFPM members are committed to creating a secure work environment through rigorous safety protocols, comprehensive training programs, and stringent oversight.

Phillips 66’s Good Catch program rewards contractors and employees who flag potential safety concerns, and its annual Safety Commitment Cards spark discussions among supervisors and employees about its Principles of Safe Operations and what employees’ commitment to safety means to them.47
Ergon created the Corporate Operational Excellence Department, in part to streamline both process and occupational safety efforts companywide. This team is working with other departments to develop messaging for Target Zero, Ergon’s initiative to encourage employees to be intentional about safety, with an emphasis on ensuring employees feel comfortable exercising their Stop Work Authority when they notice safety issues or hazardous conditions.48
Marathon Petroleum implemented three new safety programs across its refining operations. The Start Safe, Stay Safe program highlights Marathon’s commitment to the safety of its employees, contractors and communities with near- and long-term safety goals that strive for a best-in-class safety culture. The My Name Is On It mentorship program emphasizes a responsibility approach for front-line leaders to hold themselves accountable and keep them committed to the safety of their teams. Safety Leadership with our Business Partners, meanwhile, is a training program to engage employees, contractors and business partners as they learn about leadership, safety skills and safety programs critical to Marathon operations.49
LyondellBasell holds an annual Contractor CEO Safety Conference in Houston, Texas, which shares best practices and presents Bright Star awards to contractor companies with zero recordable injuries.50
ExxonMobil’s safety efforts include its Life Saving Rules & Actions, which employees and contractors collaborate to execute when dealing with routine work that has higher-risk elements. This program is bolstered by ExxonMobil’s recently deployed Start Work Checks, which are designed to aid crew leaders and supervisors in leading detailed, interactive safeguard verification discussions before work with higher-risk elements begins.51

Chevron Phillips Chemical holds an annual Contractor Safety Forum to underscore the pivotal role that contractors play in the reliability and safety of its operations. The forum provides a collaborative space to share experiences, reaffirm commitments to safety and exchange best practices.52
Ketjen’s Bayport facility has begun using a Contractor Management Portal, which houses contractor safety training materials and gives employees increased transparency on contractor performance. Each contractor’s safety performance, their International Suppliers Networld® Rating and contractor evaluations are all reviewed by site contractor management.53
Over half of Valero’s 12 ethanol plants have gone without an employee recordable injury and no Tier 1 Process Safety Events (PSE) over the last two years.54
In 2023, Cenovus’s Minnedosa Ethanol Plant in Manitoba achieved a remarkable safety milestone: the company’s staff and contractors collectively worked one million hours without a recordable injury. This accomplishment reflects the commitment of the entire team to prioritizing safety.55
In 2023 INEOS sites recorded 0.19 injuries per 200,000 hours worked for its employees and contractors combined.56

Emergency Preparedness and Response

We prioritize extensive emergency training and regular drills to ensure that employees and contractors are well-prepared to handle various scenarios, including natural disasters such as hurricanes. Our preparedness programs involve detailed planning, real-time simulation exercises, and coordination with local, state and federal emergency response organizations. By continuously enhancing our readiness, we aim to protect our workforce and minimize the impact of emergencies on our operations and surrounding communities.

Marathon Petroleum’s Corporate Emergency Response Team recently hosted members of the executive leadership team, employees from the Salt Lake City refinery and local agency partners for a simulated emergency response exercise. Marathon teams worked with representatives from eight local, state and federal agencies as well as consultants and contractors to align on objectives and expectations as a way to strengthen Marathon’s response tactics in the event of an actual emergency.57
Ergon Terminaling Inc. in Magnolia, Ohio conducts annual spill drills, where local fire departments and HAZMAT teams come to learn or brush up on their knowledge of the spill containment process and even simulate the procedure based on a scenario developed by Ergon.58
Phillips 66 hosts quarterly trainings for its more than 800 refinery fire brigade members, preparing them to respond to emergencies in conjunction with relevant local, state and/or federal agencies.59
LyondellBasell’s teams at manufacturing sites in the U.S. Gulf Coast train routinely about what to expect and how to prepare for hurricane season. Sites have extensive storm preparedness procedures, which include testing power generators and communication systems, removing or anchoring potential projectiles, placing sandbags in critical low-lying areas such as control rooms, and maintaining contact with local emergency response agencies.60

Plains All American Pipeline held roughly 230 emergency response training exercises involving employees, first responders, response organizations regulators and contractors. These exercises included four large-scale and 21 special training events, providing training to about 1,450 first responders.61
Valero invested in 13 quick-attack vehicles for its domestic sites to bolster its emergency response capabilities. These vehicles are strategically equipped to deliver a rapid and efficient response to potential emergencies, further enhancing Valero’s operations safety protocols and readiness. This investment reflects Valero’s proactive approach to emergency preparedness and its commitment to adopting solutions for environmental protection and safety.62
To strengthen the ability to respond to emergencies, Cenovus offers local municipal fire departments the opportunity to participate in industrial firefighting training. These sessions provide a hands-on experience using real fires, and better prepare the fire departments in the communities where we operate to assist our onsite emergency response teams. In 2023, we worked with Texas A&M University to provide fire training for our Emergency Management Teams from Superior, Lima, Toledo, Lloydminster and Minnedosa.63

Community Safety

AFPM’s commitment to safety extends to their neighboring communities. They work closely with local organizations to enhance community safety through initiatives like providing grants, safety equipment and community education.

CITGO’s Lemont Refinery awarded over $80,000 in first responder grants to Illinois-based agencies in Lemont, Romeoville, Lockport and Will County. The grants will be used for educational and disaster relief purposes, resulting in better-prepared communities.64
Marathon Petroleum provided two first responder grants to the Stockton Police Department and Stockton Fire Department in California, allowing three firefighters to complete tactical medical training and to purchase tactical medical bags, enabling them to assist the police department SWAT team in their duties.65
Phillips 66’s Hartford, Illinois refinery donated $39,000 to the Hartford Fire Department, which they used to purchase new bunker gear — including pants, coats, boots, helmets, Nomex hoods and gloves — for the department’s volunteer firefighters.66
CountryMark conducts more than 40 public awareness meetings each year to educate first responders, Local Emergency Planning Committees, public officials, excavators and students on pipeline safety.67

Flint Hills Resources has donated more than $1.8 million to emergency first responders for training and the purchase of life-saving equipment.68
LyondellBasell donated $100,000 to the Texas A&M Engineering Extension Service to help support a new 40,000-square-foot classroom and office building at the Brayton Training Field and Disaster City, where over 45,000 emergency responders train each year.69
ExxonMobil donated $200,000 in San Patricio County, Texas to secure a fire safety trailer, which local emergency responders use to increase fire safety awareness during community events.70
Monroe Energy has over 70 Volunteer Emergency Response Team members and participates in mutual aid agreements with organizations throughout the Delaware River Corridor while also working with local, county and state emergency response organizations.71