Robert L. Smith, CSP, CFEI, CFII

Experience

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  Eastern Kentucky University

  Aug 1989 - May 1990

  Fire Safety Lab Supervisor

  Managed the entire fire safety lab program. Directed and supervised six technicians. Scheduled and performed inspections, tests and maintenance for over 1,500 fire extinguishers on the University's campus. Conducted life safety risk assessments and supported emergency response activities. Provided monthly reports to departmental management regarding the lab's activities.

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  Ashland, Inc. (formerly Ashland Oil, Inc.)

  May 1990 - Aug 2000

  Managed the development and execution of fire protection, loss prevention, occupational and process safety, and risk management programs and monitored their performance at 20 high-risk facilities in California, Colorado, Illinois, Kansas, Louisiana, Missouri, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Texas and West Virginia. Reported to the Corporate SHE Department Manager and directed/supervised 10 personnel with OSHA PSM and EPA RMP implementation, successfully achieving compliance within one year. Controlled a $1.5 million budget, frequently engaged in detailed communications with all levels of senior management including boardroom briefings/presentations, interfaced with local and national regulators, and internal/external stakeholders during outreach efforts. Worked collaboratively, negotiated with and engaged personnel in union and non-union environments.* Reviewed/interpreted regulatory and corporate requirements to determine/document applicability.* Performed offsite consequence analyses, evaluated facility siting, conducted risk assessments and process hazard analyses (PHAs/HAZOP/What If), and tracked status of recommendations.* Developed/implemented management system processes, provided technical information and training.* Influenced and monitored regulations, responded to emergencies and regulatory actions.* Led incident investigations and compliance audits, performed due diligence for acquisitions, coordinated and tracked responses to insurance recommendations, reviewed and assured fixed fire protection systems, supported facility engineering projects, and provided updates to management.* Administered hot work and confined space entry programs corporate-wide, provided training and technical support for over 800 authorized permit issuers.* Technical Advisory Committee member for the Mary Kay O'Connor Process Safety Center.* Presented at Ohio & Texas Chemical Council seminars, authored technical articles and interviewed by "Chemical Week". Show less Provided fire protection and loss prevention SHE risk engineering services to approximately 300 chemical manufacturing, distribution and support locations in 35 states of the USA, Puerto Rico, Canada, Mexico, United Kingdom, Netherlands, Spain and Italy. Reported to the Corporate Loss Prevention Department Manager, frequently engaged in detailed communications with all levels of senior management, and interfaced with local and national regulators. Worked collaboratively, negotiated with and engaged personnel in union and non-union environments.* Extensive risk management experience with identifying, assessing and reducing/controlling SHE loss exposures at exploration and mining sites, refinery and pipeline operations, petrochemical and specialty chemical manufacturing facilities, light and heavy oil terminals, bulk plants, aerosol filling and packaging operations, multi-purpose warehouses, aviation and maritime operations, and corporate facilities (e.g., high-rise office buildings, research and development labs, and computer data centers).* Coordinated and participated in risk engineering activities with commercial insurance carriers (e.g., the Industrial Risk Insurers, Factory Mutual and Travelers), reviewed projects alongside NFPA, FM, API and other HPR standards, and analyzed fire protection systems for hydraulic design and code compliance.* Commissioned new/revamped systems, managed impairments of fire detection and suppression systems, conducted SHE program inspections including occupational safety with industrial hygiene and environmental risks, submitted recommendations for reducing exposures to management, investigated loss incidents and recommended corrective actions to prevent similar occurrences, developed probable maximum loss and maximum foreseeable loss estimates to quantify risk. Show less

  • Senior SHE Engineer

    May 1990 - Aug 2000

  • Insurance/Risk Control Engineer

    May 1990 - Nov 1995
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  Eli Lilly and Company

  Sept 2000 - Oct 2004

  Process Safety Engineering Consultant

  Supported the global implementation and sustainment of process safety and risk management programs (Lilly GIPSM, OSHA PSM, EPA RMP, COMAH and Seveso Directives) at 10 bulk pharmaceutical manufacturing sites in the USA, Puerto Rico, Brazil, Ireland and United Kingdom. Reported to the Corporate SHE Department Manager and led an international network of 50 personnel assigned to process safety teams. Controlled a $2.5 million budget, regularly engaged in planned communications with many levels of senior management, and interfaced with national and international regulators. Provided customers with expert advice to resolve complex technical and managerial safety issues while changing from a compliance to an excellence-based culture.* Reviewed/interpreted regulatory and business requirements to determine/document applicability.* Performed hazard assessments and consequence analyses (PHAST), conducted risk and security vulnerability assessments (SVAs), evaluated facility siting (API RP-752), and tracked status of recommendations.* Established corporate expectations for safety critical operations and verified local implementation.* Investigated incidents, analyzed statistical trends, communicated results and lessons learned.* Influenced and monitored regulations, responded to emergencies and regulatory actions, conducted compliance audits, and presented updates to management.* Provided technical information and conducted process safety boot camps worldwide.* Technical Advisory Committee member for the Mary Kay O'Connor Process Safety Center.* Contributing editor of "Lees' Loss Prevention in the Process Industries, Third Edition: Hazard Identification, Assessment and Control". Show less

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  Saudi Aramco

  Nov 2004 - Dec 2016

  Loss Prevention/SHE Engineering Specialist - Compliance Review Unit Supervisor

  Managed the SHE compliance review and governance function for Saudi Aramco. Reported to the Corporate Loss Prevention Department Manager and directed/supervised 20 full-time degreed engineers, along with other subject matter experts assigned to audit teams. Controlled a $5 million budget, routinely engaged in strategic communications with all levels of senior management and responded tactfully to security/safety directives from the Ministry of the Interior, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, High Commission for Industrial Security. Supported a broad portfolio of critical departments to successfully implement Saudi Aramco’s SHE management system with emphasis on process safety. Provided customers with expert advice to resolve complex technical and managerial safety issues while changing from a prescriptive to performance-based culture.* Led SHE teams conducting over 150 audits throughout the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia at the world’s largest upstream, downstream and support operations, along with mega-project construction sites.* Cited/evaluated findings against relevant corporate SHE and operational excellence expectations, and made revisions as needed for quality, accuracy, clarity and consistency.* Reported audit results, tracked corrective actions, verified completion and updated management.* Developed/maintained corporate audit procedures, protocols, reference materials and scorecards.* Championed integration of the SHE management system with operational excellence.* Performed related duties including annual business, accountability, performance management and SHE action plans, as well as training/coaching high-potential Saudi Arabs for leadership assignments.* Executive board member and program chairman of several professional development conferences for the American Society of Safety Engineers – Middle East Chapter. Show less

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  Cristal

  Feb 2017 - Jul 2018

  Americas'​ SHE Manager & Global Process Safety Director

  Provided strategic direction and oversight for the Cristal Americas sites including pigments, mining, warehouses and offices, to assist them in achieving the “Journey to Zero” goals and objectives, and drive the global Cristal enterprise in Australia, Brazil, China, England, France, Saudi Arabia and the USA to achieve Process Safety Management (PSM) excellence. Reported to the SHE General Manager and supported development of continuous improvement plans for SHE/PSM programs and performance. Interpreted the impacts of changes in regulations and standards and ensured they were reflected in Cristal’s programs. Worked collaboratively, negotiated with and engaged personnel in union and non-union environments.* Stewarded Cristal Americas SHE efforts to attain world class performance by persuading senior leaders, championing change and driving improvement programs across the organization via site SHE resources.* Led the global PSM network, identified strategic opportunities to improve performance, defined a methodology to improve continuously, and drove teams to deliver superior performance in achieving company performance objectives.* Conducted facility visits to assist with SHE/PSM efforts, followed up on the progress of program implementation, performed audits, and supported the locations in the achievement of their objectives.* Led key performance improvement activities such as root cause analysis of incidents, communication of corporate SHE/PSM activities, and execution of action-oriented enhancement programs.* Managed the development, standardization and maintenance of the Cristal global PSM standards for consistent application of uniform performance criteria across all sites.* Supported the personal development of global PSM and Americas SHE personnel.* Monitored regional SHE and global PSM regulations to assess the impact on Cristal operations.* Developed and maintained global systems to manage technical studies to quantify process risk. Show less

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  NASA Goddard Space Flight Center

  Jul 2018 - May 2020

  Senior Safety Engineering Consultant

  Served as an authoritative expert and consultant on facility system safety (FSS) programs and policies. Managed, administered, and coordinated FSS with occupational safety and related programs (e.g., fire protection, process safety, cryogenics, pressure vessels/systems, lasers and radiation) pertaining to controls, hazard evaluation, and regulatory compliance to facilitate operations at Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC), a major NASA space research laboratory including Wallops Flight Facility with over 10,000 civil servants and contractors.* Directed implementation of Federal, NASA and other safety standards relevant to hazardous operations (e.g., MIL-STD-882 and EM 385-1-1) involving GSFC facilities, structures, systems and equipment.* Developed, promoted, and maintained FSS standards, practices, and procedures.* Performed engineering analyses and evaluations of potential occupational and institutional safety regulation deficiencies throughout the acquisition life cycle of facilities.* Directed surveys and investigations to establish baseline data necessary to initiate requirements review.* Reviewed hazardous operations and safety procedures to determine the measurements to be made and methodology to be used to ascertain the degree of potential employee exposure.* Responded to emergencies, supported interim response teams, and investigated incidents/mishaps.* Served as a technical expert, provided advice and direction on occupational and institutional safety matters including workplace health surveys to GSFC Directorates and NASA’s FSS Workgroup.* Established GSFC policies to ensure hazardous operations are properly analyzed with identified risk controls (e.g., Facility Safety Management Plans and Focused Risk Assessments).* Developed, launched and audited compliance with FSS programmatic documents (e.g., GPR 7320.1C). Show less

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  U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)

  May 2020 - now

  Safety & Occupational Health Manager

  Leads and provides technical direction for conducting enforcement investigations of alleged violations of DOE worker safety and health program regulations (i.e., 10 CFR Part 851) involving contractors.* Manages multi-disciplinary teams of DOE subject matter experts for complex technical enforcement investigations to determine compliance with applicable occupational safety and health standards, as well as validity of enforcement actions.* Verifies DOE facilities, programs, projects, and activities are properly analyzed, evaluated, documented, and approved, as well as confirms facilities and systems are operated, maintained, decontaminated, decommissioned, and environmentally restored in a manner that provides adequate safety and occupational health protection in accordance with Federal statutes and DOE orders.* Develops written reports and briefings on the results of investigations from a technical perspective and recommend actions to be exercised.* Prepares technical evaluations for legal sanctions resulting from findings and investigations, technically supports legal activities in this regard, presents results to senior DOE Headquarters and field managers as well as testifies in Court before Hearing Examiners or Administrative Law Judges.* Represents DOE on technical committees and at hearings to present and discuss compliance with 10 CFR Part 851, and promote methods for enhancing the enforcement program and operating procedures. Show less