Iain Mackay, SVP, PSM at Sphera, discusses how overcoming human barriers to digital transformation in the chemical industry can bolster performance and safety.
Post-pandemic, the speed of digitalisation in the chemical industry has accelerated by 56%.
However, many businesses often lack the necessary in-house expertise and skilled workforce to effectively implement and manage new technologies.
Overly manual pen and paper processes have become deeply ingrained. What once served as a lever with experienced personnel to keep high hazard and asset intensive operations running is now impeding the chemical industry’s ability to innovate and grow.
As a result, the industry faces inefficiencies across the board, preventing change, increasing pressure on employees and slowing innovation.
Resistance to digitalisation can largely be caused by those with feet on the ground. Processes that once upheld safety standards are no longer fit for purpose.
But in hazardous chemical businesses, where these methods have worked well for decades, there can be a deep-rooted reluctance to change.
Processes stuck in the past
Resistance to change, driven by high costs and uncertainty around the market’s current digital capabilities, remains one of the biggest barriers to digital transformation in the chemical sector – an industry where safety, stability and regulatory compliance often sit higher on the agenda than innovation.
For many employees, digitalisation is perceived as a disruption to long-standing processes or a threat to job security.
This mindset slows adoption and hinders the integration of technologies that could actually improve safety, efficiency, and performance.
Leadership teams can also be hesitant to modernise. In an environment where even minor disruptions can cause major safety or compliance risks, the fear of downtime, complex change management, or failed implementation can outweigh the perceived benefits of innovation.
But the cost of inaction is growing. Legacy systems and manual processes increase the risk of human error, which can be dangerous in high-hazard environments.
Without access to real-time data and predictive analytics, chemical companies face greater exposure to equipment failure, unplanned downtime and process safety incidents. In an industry where margins and risks are both high, failing to modernise undermines resilience and long-term growth.
Enhanced safety and performance
Digital technologies can provide the clarity and control that manual systems often lack. By implementing tools to manage risk and improve process safety, companies gain a real-time, site-wide view of their activities.
Digital planning tools replace outdated paper-based processes, helping operators visualise tasks more clearly, streamline workflows, and ensure greater consistency across shifts and sites.
To transform successfully, adoption must go beyond the tech itself. It hinges on clear communication and company-wide inclusion. When frontline operators understand how digital systems make their work safer and simpler, resistance is mitigated.
It’s crucial that leadership frames these tools not as replacements for expertise, but as enablers, reducing manual burden and empowering teams to operate with greater efficiency and confidence in high-risk environments.
A holistic solution to process safety management
In an industry where hazards and compliance demands are high, a holistic approach to process safety management is essential. It begins with establishing a robust system of record that consolidates every process, incident, and safety metric into a single dashboard.
This allows organisations to analyse past events, benchmark performance, and track progress against industry standards. With accurate, real-time data readily available, decision-makers can shift from reactive risk responses to proactive strategies that prevent incidents before they happen.
This data-driven insight not only enhances safety but also boosts efficiency and profitability. Real-time knowledge supports predictive maintenance and optimises workflows, minimising downtime and cutting operational costs.
By integrating safety, compliance, and performance into a centralised framework, chemical companies can build a culture of continuous improvement where technology strengthens human expertise and operational resilience.
While implementing the right digital tools for operational risk management can be a complex journey, partnering with the right experts makes it a springboard for safer, more sustainable chemical operations.
