Process Safety Incidents: Causes, Consequences, and Lessons Learned
Process safety incidents (PSIs) are a major contributor to fatalities, injuries, and significant property damage in the chemical and petrochemical industries. The U.S. Chemical Safety Board has reported that between 2006 and 2010, more than 1,000 PSIs were resulting in over 50 deaths and 1,200 injuries at U.S. refineries alone.
There have been many more tragic examples over the years, including the 2005 BP Texas City explosion that killed 15 workers and injured 180 more people.
Process safety incidents are still occurring at an alarming rate. These safety incidents occur during every phase of operations: startup, shutdown, process upsets and malfunctions, maintenance activities (e.g., cleaning), product transfer and handling (e.g., loading/unloading equipment), and emergency response activities (e.g., firefighting).
In this article, let’s look into the causes, consequences and lessons learned from process safety incidents.
Understanding Process Safety Incidents
– Definition of Process Safety Incident
Process safety incidents are “any unplanned event that can cause a release of a hazardous material into the surrounding area outside the boundaries of its intended operation.” The term “incident” is used so that incidents can differentiate from accidents, which have the potential to cause injury or death.
A PSI is any event that results in or has the potential to result in death or serious physical injury, substantial release of a regulated substance, or substantial property damage.
Process safety incidents can also be called process hazards, process accidents, process upsets and other similar terms.
– Common Causes of Process Safety Incidents
The most common causes of process safety incidents are human error, equipment malfunctioning and failure to follow proper procedures. Here is the complete list,
- Lack of management commitment to process safety
- Inadequate training in process safety for employees
- Insufficient process hazard analysis
- Inadequate design and operation of equipment or systems.
- Poor maintenance practices, such as failure to properly maintain equipment or systems.
- Mismanagement of safety hazards, such as not addressing known safety issues at the appropriate time.
- Lack of knowledge and experience in handling hazardous materials
- Lack of proper tools in place
- Human error, such as forgetting to turn off a valve or leaving a pump running.
How to prevent process safety incidents
Implementing the three areas of prevention — risk assessment and management, maintenance of safety systems and equipment, and employee training and education- can reduce the likelihood of process safety incidents.
#1. Risk Assessment and Management
Risk assessment and management is a systematic approach to identifying, evaluating, and controlling risks associated with process hazards. It involves analysing the likelihood and severity of potential process safety incidents and implementing appropriate risk mitigation measures. This can include conducting a hazard analysis, developing safety procedures and guidelines, implementing industry standards or regulations, and ensuring that risk assessments are regularly updated.
#2. Maintenance of Safety Systems and Equipment
Maintenance of safety systems and equipment is another critical step in preventing process safety incidents. Regular maintenance can help detect and prevent equipment failures that can lead to serious accidents.
It is essential to ensure that all safety systems and equipment are in excellent working condition and regularly tested to maintain effectiveness. This includes conducting routine inspections, calibrating and testing emergency equipment such as alarms, sensors, control systems, and relief valves.
Also Read: How to conduct a successful Process Safety Audit
#3. Training and Education for Employees
Ensuring that employees are well-trained in process safety principles is another key component for preventing process safety incidents. Employees who handle hazardous materials or operate complex processes should have proper training and education to understand the potential hazards, how to mitigate them, and how to respond to an emergency.
Provide employees with training and refresher courses on safe operating procedures, emergency response, hazard communication, and monitoring of equipment and machinery to prevent accidents.
How to respond to process safety incidents
● Emergency Response Protocols
When a process safety incident occurs, having well-defined emergency response protocols is essential. These protocols outline the immediate actions that need to be taken to ensure the safety of personnel, mitigate the incident, and minimize its impact.
Read the full article here.
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