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.

An Integrated Toolkit for Addressing Human Factors Issues in Process Safety

Mar 23, 2010
David Embrey
This paper describes an integrated toolset, called the Human Factors Workbench, which addresses the proactive and reactive control of human error in process operations. It is a practical application of the tools described in the CCPS publication: ‘Guidelines for Preventing Human Error in Process...

Complying with OSHA's RNEP, CNEP, and VPP RAGAGEP

Mar 23, 2010
Chad Patschke
The OSHA Refinery National Emphasis Program (NEP) and OSHA Voluntary Protection Program (VPP) PSM Supplement ask specific questions relative to many recognized and generally accepted good engineering practices (RAGAGEP). Many of the same RAGAGEP can be expected in the planned OSHA Chemicals NEP as...

Objective Analysis of PSM Audit Data

Mar 23, 2010
Jerry Forest
In developing systems for Process Safety Management, compliance audits are integral with verification that practices and procedures are developed and are effective for compliance. Data collected during compliance audits is often subjective and findings are descriptive in nature. It is therefore...

Gas Piping and Equipment Commissioning Risks "10 Key Things Everyone Should Know"

Mar 23, 2010
John R. Puskar
There have been a number of devastating incidents related to natural gas piping system and the start-up and commissioning of equipment. It's very rarely that an incident occurs when equipment is at the ready and in some normal operating routine. The vast majority of incidents are directly related...

Materials as Inherent Ignition Sources for Dust Explosions During Spray Drying

Mar 22, 2010
Vincent Van den Hoogenband
During spray drying, a solution is dispersed through a nozzle in small droplets to evaporate the water by means of hot air. In a large number of these processes, organic materials are processed so three out of four factors for dust explosions to occur are already present. The only thing missing for...

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...

Utilizing Integrated Risk Assessment to Maximize Asset Integrity Management

Mar 22, 2010
Steve Soos
The advent of various safety standards like ANSI /ISA 84, IEC 61511, API 14C, API 580 / 581, SAE JA1011, IEC 60330 and PSM guidelines has been a good impetus in improving the availability and reliability of safety systems and processes with an objective to meet the requirements defined by OSHA, EPA...

Practical Issues with Marginally Explosible Dusts - Evaluating the Real Hazard

Mar 22, 2010
Samuel A. Rodgers
A combustible dust can be non-explosible, marginally explosible or severely explosible. With the exception of a few standards with a quantitative perspective (such as NFPA 68), most safety standards and regulations do not differentiate marginally explosible dusts from severely explosible dusts. As...

Modeling Small Releases from Tanks

Mar 22, 2010
Fredrick H. Knack
The methodologies in the chapter on “Dispersion Modeling” in the CCPS book Guidelines for Consequence Analysis of Chemical Releases, provide means for modeling outdoors releases at relatively long distances from a large source. At times it is necessary to model releases at relatively short...

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...

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,...

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...

Consequence Modeling of Chlorine Release

Mar 22, 2010
Prakash Amulakh Shah
This paper describes the Consequence Modeling of Chlorine release from a Chlor Alkali plant as a part of Process Hazard Analysis. The objective was to carry out a Quantitative Risk Assessment Study of the liquid Chlorine storage area of the Chlor Alkali plant and build up in-house capability to...

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