Senior Director - Process Safety

Major Hazard Governance

Establish and maintain an enterprise-wide Major Hazard Risk Management Framework.

Define, implement, and oversee Critical Controls for major hazard exposures including molten metal handling and transfer operations, pipeline integrity and high-voltage electrical systems, gas systems (e.g., natural gas, hydrogen, and compressed gases), pressure systems and stored energy hazards, and confined space entry and other high-risk activities.

Ensure governance and control frameworks are aligned with recognized international standards and industry best practices, including International Council on Mining and Metals (ICMM), Critical Control Management Guidance Center for Chemical Process Safety (CCPS), Risk-Based Process Safety Framework, Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), Process Safety Management (PSM) Principles, and Fatality & Serious Injury Prevention (SIF).

Lead the strategic shift from traditional lagging safety metrics (T-RIFR, LTI-FR) toward Serious Injury and Fatality (SIF) prevention, ensuring the organization prioritizes catastrophic risk exposure and Major Accident Event (MAE) prevention.

• Establish and govern a robust SIF and High Potential (HiPo) Event Framework, including clear definitions, classification criteria, and escalation thresholds.
• Monitor and report barrier health and Critical Control effectiveness by detecting control degradation, monitoring overdue verification activities, and identifying weak signals of operational drift.
• Ensure all High Potential events (Critical Control failures and recurring systemic weaknesses) are reviewed with the Executive Committee, including credible worst-case outcomes and immediate corrective actions.
• Implement and oversee an independent verification program for Life-Saving Rules and Critical Controls, ensuring high-risk controls are tested against defined performance standards and verified through field validation and evidence-based assurance.
• Track through governance dashboards and escalate when non-compliant or ineffective.
• Ensure leadership accountability through SIF performance reviews and barrier assurance reporting.
• Provide board-level visibility of major hazard exposure and Critical Control performance.

Provide governance and oversight of engineering systems that protect against major hazards, including mechanical integrity programs, electrical integrity, arc flash risk controls, and management of change (MOC) governance.

Oversee safe design reviews for new smelter technologies and modifications, ensuring Process Safety requirements are embedded into all capital projects, expansions, and major upgrades from concept through commissioning and operational handover.

Lead the integration of advanced technologies to strengthen Process Safety performance and reduce catastrophic risk exposure.

• Integrate AI-based predictive analytics for early anomaly detection and emerging risk trends.
• Implement real-time monitoring of critical parameters such as temperature, pressure, and gas concentrations.
• Deploy smart sensors for molten metal transport systems and other high-risk equipment.
• Develop digital barrier management and Critical Control verification platforms.
• Automate shutdown and interlock systems to eliminate or minimize human exposure.

Provide quarterly board-level reporting on key Process Safety and Major Hazard indicators, including Tier 1 and Tier 2 Process Safety Events, Critical Control Effectiveness Rate, Barrier Health Index, HiPo trends, mechanical integrity backlog, and risk exposure heat map.

Ensure the board has timely visibility of catastrophic risk exposure, emerging threats, the effectiveness of mitigation measures, and Critical Control performance.

• Authorized to stop or suspend high-risk operations, including molten metal transfer, high-voltage electrical work, gas system activities, confined space entry, and major lifting operations.
• Approve and enforce Critical Control Performance Standards, including verification frequencies, assurance methodologies, and minimum compliance thresholds.
• Require immediate corrective actions and establish risk-based deadlines when major hazard exposure is elevated or Critical Controls are failing.
• Approve or reject MOC outcomes for modifications affecting processes, equipment, technology, procedures, and operating conditions.
• Challenge operational decisions and require revalidation of risk assessments where hazard studies are incomplete, outdated, or poorly scoped.
• Identify residual risk that is not within acceptable limits.

Identify critical factors affecting major hazard risks and operational safety, evaluate alternatives, and establish priorities based on risk exposure.

Anticipate potential outcomes and assess operational consequences, making informed decisions under conditions of uncertainty and elevated risk.

Apply sound engineering…