AM Monday – Silent Guardians

AM Mondays: Silent Guardians

January 26, 2026

RTO safety systems operate quietly in the background—until they are needed. Pressure switches, temperature limits, purge timers, and emergency interlocks are designed to prevent unsafe conditions, but only if they are routinely tested.

Preventive Focus Areas

Safety interlocks should be function-tested on a scheduled basis to confirm correct sequencing during startup, shutdown, and upset conditions. This includes purge cycles, high-temperature cutoffs, fan permissives, and emergency stop circuits. Instrument air failures and power interruptions should also be simulated to confirm fail-safe behavior.

Why It Matters

A safety device that fails silently can create false confidence. During real upset conditions, delayed shutdowns or incomplete purges increase risk to equipment, personnel, and compliance standing.

S&SE Recommendation

Incorporate annual safety logic verification into your PM plan. S&SE recommends documenting all safety tests to support both internal audits and regulatory inspections.

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