"Evaluating and improving leadership in process safety"
Ken Turnbull
Position: Senior Consultant
Office: Dandridge, TN
Email: ken@pilko.com
Phone: 865-850-0701
Biography
“When a Board is having trouble with its organization, regardless of the issue, it’s performance they’re concerned about, and performance is people,” says Ken Turnbull. “The BP Texas City explosion was the first time I can remember that top executives of a major corporation were deemed to be doing a poor leadership job in process safety. It takes a very strong company to question its own leadership – this is where a consultant comes in.” Ken is able to fairly evaluate the leadership aspects of process safety because he’s been at that level of Texaco.
Much of Ken’s 32-year career with Texaco was spent with worldwide responsibility for process safety, personnel safety, fire protection and even Texaco’s Quality program. Starting as a research combustion engineer at a lab in NY, Ken moved to Houston in 1979 as a fire protection engineer. He soon toured almost all of Texaco’s facilities worldwide, investigated fires, got trained as a safety engineer, developed the company’s Process Safety Management Program, and moved up the corporate ladder to become manager of corporate safety. He also networked widely across the industry through his work on API (American Petroleum Institute) and NFPA (National Fire Protection Association) committees.
Ken shifted focus when his group was given an edict to sell its services to the operating units. “That really helped me see the value of providing services that people need, rather than overhead they question,” he says.
Named a Texaco Quality ambassador, Ken added to his toolkit in a two-week facilitator’s course: “Quality is not just about improving measurements,” he says, “it’s also about knowing how to work with people in a group dynamic. This has made a real difference in my being able to help the companies I consult with.”
On retirement in 2002, Ken moved to Dandridge, TN, built a home (he is a licensed builder) and started a consulting practice based on teaching and using TapRooT®, a root-cause investigation tool. He now divides his time between teaching classes and investigating incidents, reporting that he’s working harder, traveling more, and having more fun than ever before. “In the past six years, I’ve seen four or five safety incidents per week that people bring to the classes,” Ken says, “so I’ve looked at a lot of human performance issues and helped people take corrective actions. I’ve done investigations for hospitals, mines, power plants, processing plants, you name it. In the final analysis it’s all about people, and people make mistakes in every industry. It’s always interesting!”
Ken’s wife, Wendy Harris, is a nurse practitioner in women’s health. They have four children and one grandchild.
Strengths
- Extensive knowledge of Process Safety Management
- Promoting executive safety behaviors
- Facilitating change
- Networking
- Motivating highly effective workgroup
- Developing personnel
Key Accomplishments:
- Reduced lost time incident rate from .75 to .17 while Safety Manager/Advisor of Texaco.
- Customized a systematic, commercially available, incident investigation methodology that greatly enhanced quality and timeliness of investigations.
- Led/facilitated over 40 investigations, including 3 major refinery and 2 tank explosions.
- Created and implemented an industry benchmark process safety management program.
- Developed risk acceptance criteria and worldwide corporate safety standards for all Texaco operations.
- Implemented behavioral based safety processes adopted by all upstream business units.
- Managed and developed a staff of safety professionals in which 50% have been promoted to management.
- Organized and conducted a safety climate survey of Texaco’s operations providing predictive measurement of loss control performance.
- Authored a paper on fire protection for offshore platforms for United Kingdom Offshore Operator’s Association’s response to the Piper Alpha platform disaster.
- Trained over 1000 people in the use of the TapRooT® Root-Cause Investigation Process.
Professional experience:
2002-Present
As a certified associate instructor for Systems Improvements, Ken teaches both private and public 2-day, 5-day advanced Tap Root® investigator’s, Equifactor® equipment failure, and Executive/Management investigation support courses. He has facilitated TapRooT® investigations in the following industries: mining, nuclear & fossil Fuel power, petroleum, chemical and hospital industries and conducted a safety management system review of the marketing terminal division for an international oil company. He specializes in:
- Leading and facilitating independent root cause investigations using the TapRooT® methodology.
- Conducting safety management system audits.
- Conducting OSHA recordkeeping audits.
- Counseling executive management on ways to demonstrate management commitment.
- Providing proactive safety measurements.
Houston, Texas
1979-2002
Worldwide Upstream EHS Division
1999-2002
EHS Advisor
Provided loss control and risk management advice to executive management and upstream and downstream businesses units. Conducted root-cause incident investigations and performed loss control reviews of new and existing facilities. Developed worldwide standards, and provided input on worldwide industry safety standards and regulations. Represented Texaco on industry safety committees.
Safety and Industrial Hygiene Department
1990-1999
Safety Manager
Developed and facilitated the implementation of Texaco’s Process Safety Management Program. Coordinated worldwide safety programs while managing a 14-member cross-functional safety engineering team which:
- Conducted corporate safety audits.
- Developed and maintained corporate safety standards.
- Facilitated investigations of major incidents.
- Performed loss control & risk management reviews of major projects.
- Tracked worldwide safety legislation and regulation.
- Represented Texaco in trade and industry organizations.
1979-1990
Senior Fire Protection Engineer
Represented Texaco on various API and other industry fire protection task forces. Provided safety and fire protection, loss control and risk management services for all worldwide business units. Pioneered the development of the industry’s and Texaco’s process safety management programs.
Represented Texaco on various API and other industry fire protection task forces. Provided safety and fire protection, loss control and risk management services for all worldwide business units. Pioneered the development of the industry’s and Texaco’s process safety management programs.
Education & Special Training
B.S., Mechanical Engineering, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Worcester, MASpecial training in:
- “Communispond” Senior Executive Skills
- Executive Presentation Skills
- Facilitation Skills
- Employment Law
- Management Development
- Effective Meetings
- Managing Motivation
- Upward Feedback
- Financial Management
- Diversity
Professional Memberships
- Former Board of Advisors member - WPI Center for Firesafety Studies
- Former Chairman API Safety and Fire Protection Subcommittee
- Former Center for Chemical Process Safety Technical Steering Committee Member
- Former committee member NFPA 30 Flammable and Combustible Liquids Code
In This Section
Our Staff
Testimonials
"The people behind the firm make the face of the firm, and Pilko is outstanding."
--Chairman of the Board of Management, Large European Chemical Company
Our Staff
- George Pilko
- Eric Dietert
- Fred Geer
- Martin Bell
- Bill Flis
- Charles M. Rampacek
- Ray Andrews
- Keith Baugher
- David Bell
- John Black
- Martin Brown
- Larry Curcio
- J.T. Dibble
- Helmut Dorr
- Colette Glencross
- Peter Kramer
- Vince Marchesani
- Mary Morahan
- Jackie Musgrove
- Jon Powell
- Greta Raymond
- Ken Turnbull
- Tim Walsh
- Barry Wilson
- Andrew Young
- Pat White
- Debbie King
- Kathy Spiritoso
Testimonials
"The people behind the firm make the face of the firm, and Pilko is outstanding."
--Chairman of the Board of Management, Large European Chemical Company