Elements of Process Safety

The four pillars and the twenty elements of risk based process safety can be designed and implemented at varying levels of rigor to optimize process safety management, performance, efficiency, and effectiveness.

High Integrity Protective System Design Using a Risk Based Approach

Mar 22, 2010
Robert J. Stack
With the update of the High Integrity Protective System (HIPS) methodology by API in 2007, Dow Chemical updated its internal work process to apply Dow's risk based work processes to HIPS design, application and evaluation. Rather than just focusing on the vessel related consequences of substituting...

Journey towards PSM Excellence

Mar 22, 2010
Ravi Ramaswamy
This paper describes the experience, learning and major challenges in implementing Process Safety Management at Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) India. The Reliance Group, founded by Dhirubhai H. Ambani (1932-2002), is India's largest private sector enterprise, with businesses in the energy and...

How to Evaluate Process Safety Culture

Mar 22, 2010
Jerry Forest
At first glance it may seem that organizational culture is subjective and therefore difficult to measure. Indeed, even the definition of culture falls into the soft side of process safety. This paper will show that an objective approach can be taken to survey and define process safety culture. With...

Property Insurance Company Evaluation of Combustible Dust Hazards

Mar 22, 2010
Henry L. Febo
This paper will discuss some of the key factors that FM Global insurance engineering representatives use in evaluating combustible dust hazards at insured locations. The information is used to develop underwriting information but more importantly, it is the basis for guidance provided for the...

Process Safety in the Face of Significant Change

Mar 22, 2010
Leslie J. May
Development of an effective process safety culture requires employees to look beyond intended performance, to their own nonconscious assumptions about process safety. When firmly in place, effective process safety culture instills an environment where employees differentiate between events which,...

Results of Root Cause Analyses of Spring Operated Pressure Relief Valve Failures

Mar 22, 2010
Julia V. Bukowski
A subset of 44 failed spring operated pressure relief valves (SORV) from a set of over 5600 Process Equipment Reliability Database (PERD) proof tests was subjected to root cause of failure analysis (RCA). This paper reports on the findings of those 44 analyses and includes specific examples of root...

Strategies & Tactics for Mechanical Integrity Budget Battles

Mar 22, 2010
Daniel A. Long
Effective mechanical integrity programs are essential to assure safe operation of plant facilities. The current economic downturn is difficult and most manufacturing companies have experienced headcount reductions, early retirement programs and budget reductions. Companies are concerned with short...

Geographical Societal Risk: A Useful Method for Understanding Societal Risk

Mar 22, 2010
Hans Boot
Dutch legislation on safety and land use planning: Being a densely populated country, the Netherlands has extensive experience using safety regulations in land-use planning. Risk criteria have to be verified in urban development planning. Individual (Locational) Risk (IR) is easy to illustrate...

Lessons Learned from Real World Application of the Bow-Tie Method

Mar 22, 2010
Steve Lewis
The benefits of using bow-tie diagrams for risk management have been realized by organizations world-wide. They provide a readily understandable visualization of the relationships between the causes of business upsets, the escalation of such event to a range of possible outcomes, the controls...

Challenges in Developing and Implementing Safety Risk Tolerance Criteria

Mar 22, 2010
Walter L. Frank
Risk quantification can help in understanding and managing risk. Establishing quantitative risk criteria can be a key component to risk decision-making and many companies use quantitative risk criteria, either formally or informally. The Center for Chemical Process Safety issued its guidance on...

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