About Me – Simon Walker

I am a Senior Business Leader and chartered chemical engineer with 25+yrs in the UK high hazard COMAH regulated Chemical Industry. I have a wide range of engineering, technical, project, people management and operational experience. I use my transferable leadership skills to develop teams to support forward thinking organisations to “Make a Difference” in everything they do. I have a passion for Sustainability and ensure that it is a core component of my thinking, as a society we strive to reach Net Zero targets.

I set up Walker Frontline Consulting in Nov 2024 as a vehicle to support organisations and individuals in their ongoing journey to process safety, engineering, project and operational excellence.

I have a strong track record of:

  • SHE excellence in a highly regulated environment (high hazard Top Tier COMAH)
  • Creation, development and leadership of high performing project and senior site leadership teams.  
  • Led Industrial Relations/Union/ Collective Agreement discussions. 
  • Capital project portfolio management from concept and definition to delivery/site commissioning.  
  • Design and implementation of business development strategies including, new products, income enhancement, cost reduction and management system improvement programmes across global assets/estate.
  • Structured approach to continuous improvement, troubleshooting and problem-solving using standard tools/techniques across process, technical and quality issues.
  • Leadership of teams responsible for Capital and Decommissioning, SHEQ excellence, capital/revenue budget, people and process.
  • Sharing best practice and celebrating success across national/international internal sites and external organisations.

As a Fellow of the IChemE, I have done all aspects of process engineering from design and concept of chemical plants and chemical processes right through to final installation and commissioning.  I have also been the Design Authority for in house engineering design and standards.  I have led and recruited teams of process engineers as well as wider multi-disciplinary engineering teams and business teams.

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My Services

Process Safety and Process Design

I can help with all aspects of occupational and process safety:

  • Hazard Study Leader
  • Hazard Study Process (HS1-6) Layer of Protection Analysis (LOPA), Functional Safety, Pressure Relief, Trip & Alarm Reviews and Alarm Management, Risk Assessment, Standard Operating Procedures
  • Process Safety Management System development.
  • Process Engineering Design from concept, PFD development through to final P&IDs. 
  • COMAH Report assessment and development

I have dealt with a number of significant high hazard chemicals such as

  • Corrosives – hydrochloric and sulphuric acids (dilute and conc), caustic (sodium hydroxide)
  • Toxic solids, liquids and gases – Lead, Mercury, SO2, PCl3, BF3, Phenol
  • (Highly) Flammable – Ethyl Chloride, Toluene, Xylene, aromatic solvents 

Engineering Services

As a former engineering manager, I have developed, managed and successfully implemented capital and decommissioning plans.  I have covered all aspects of project management and implemented novel models to drive overall program and portfolio delivery (see below – Goldratt Critical Chain Project Management).  I have personally delivered projects in the £20K to £5M category.  As a Site Director, I also had overall accountability for a 5yr/£100M plan.

  • EEUMA guidance documents e.g EEMUA191 Alarm Management.
  • Project Management and Project Engineering
  • Project Portfolio and Program Management
  • Capital and Decommissioning budget management
  • Training and Development of Engineers
  • Engineering Standards/Guidance – e.g. API520. API610, API620/API2000, various HSE guidance documents for design and operation of chemical plant

Continuous Improvement

Continuous improvement is at the heart of process engineering and improving performance of operating plant.  I have helped solve operating problems, develop new business, introduce new products and improve plant capacity for negligible cost.

  • Projects – Critical Chain Project Management.  Improvement techniques to manage and deliver project portfolios
  • Operational Problem-solving techniques such as 5 Whys, Fishbone/Cause & Effect Diagrams bottleneck downtime analysis and OEE, cycle time analysis and other continuous improvement techniques like 5 Whys, 6-sigma/DMAIC, Lean (Waste reduction), root cause analysis, statistical process control (SPC) and value stream mapping.  
  • Maintenance Strategies – Total Productive Maintenance, World Class Maintenance, Failure Modes and Effects Analysis (FMECA), Predictive/Proactive Maintenance
  • Improvement Techniques – Lean Manufacturing (8 Wastes), 6 sigma (DMAIC – Define, Measure, Analyse, Improve & Control)

Endorsements

Widnes Catalyst Museum

Maintenance Review

Nikki Burton – CEO

University of Liverpool

Maintenance Strategy

Director of Estates – David Furnival

EEMUA

Asset Integrity Leadership Certificate; Training Course Development and Delivery

John Lilley – Director of Operations

I offer bespoke engineering consulting services with strategic insight for growth. I look forward to discussing how I can help improve your operations and take you to the next level.

Simon Walker

Get in touch today!

Walker Frontline Consulting

+44 7833 093828

simon@walkerfrontlineconsulting.co.uk