The Cornerstone of process safety excellence. A workforce that is actively involved and an organization that fully supports process safety as a core value will tend to do the right things in the right ways at the right times-even when no one else is looking.
Consequence modeling is used to predict accident effects. Models are used to predict the distance to specified endpoints for representative high-consequence scenarios.
In this RBPS pillar of managing risk, find important information regarding implementing practices to ensure that contract workers can perfom their jobs safely, and that contracted services do not add to or increase facility operational risks. See an Introduction to Contractor Management.
For more in-depth information, see more CCPS' books regarding managing risk.
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.
Board approved January 2021
AIChE believes that all who wish to be a part of the chemical engineering community should have equal opportunity to pursue and achieve success. We work toward a better future for all —through our technical expertise; through how we inspire, engage, retain, and advance future talent; and through how we treat each other within and beyond the profession. Solutions to 21st century problems require innovation and creativity, which are accelerated through diverse teams and by ensuring that spaces are inclusive.
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Members of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers have an obligation to uphold and advance the integrity, honor and dignity of the chemical engineering profession — by pursing their work in an honest and impartial manner; using their knowledge and skills for the enhancement of human welfare; and serving their employers, clients, and the general public with fidelity.
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To guide and inspire chemical engineers everywhere, AIChE is establishing a Center for Ethics, which provides education resources and perspectives on subjects related to ethical practice in the profession.
The Center for Ethics also represents an opportunity for open dialogue among practitioners interested in topics related to ethical practice. Through this dialogue and a shared commitment to the common good, the Center for Ethics will grow and evolve for the betterment of the profession and society.
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Identifying and using relevant process safety metrics over the life of a process is one of four elements in the RBPS pillar of learning from experience. Read more about what is it?, why is it important?, where/when is it done?, who does it?, what is the anticipated work product? and how is it done?. Explore CCPS's common set of company and industry leading and lagging process safety metrics and use the Process Safety Metrics Online Reporting Application which allows companies to benchmark their performance. For more information on process safety performance indicators, including a comprehensive list of metrics for measuring performance and examples as to how they can be successfully applied over both the short and long term, read Guidelines for Process Safety Metrics.
Developing, documenting, and maintaining process knowledge is one of two elements in the RBPS pillar of understanding hazards and risk. Learn more by reading the Introduction to Process Knowledge Management.
Also check out the numerous CCPS Guidelines book's on Understanding Hazards and Risks.
Developing, sustaining, and enhancing the organization’s process safety competency is one of five elements in the RBPS pillar of committing to process safety. Resources in this section relate to what process safety competency means, the attributes of process safety competency, and how organizations might enhance their own competency. Start by reading an Introduction to Process Safety Competency and then explore the resources listed below.
Read CEP Magazine's comprehensive supplement devoted to Energy: Shale Gas supplement in CEP Magazine.
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University of Michigan compiled a report on the imact of shale gas on American manufacturing, in large part focusing on the chemical industry. You can download the report and read background information on it.
Waste valorization is the process of reusing, recycling or composting waste materials and converting them into more useful products including materials, chemicals, fuels or other sources of energy. “Waste-to-energy” aspects are becoming more prominent due to the rapid depletion of natural resources and increase in waste generation. AIChE’s CEI provides excellent resources, from webinars to conferences to journal articles and more, for you to learn more about waste valorization research and industrial applications – see below.
A thorough Hazard Identification and Risk Analysis, or risk, system is the core element in the RBPS pillar of understanding hazards and risk. The chapter describes the meaning of risk for RBPS purposes, the attributes of a risk system, and the steps an organization might take to implement a robust program for identifying hazards and analyzing risk. Introduction to Hazard Identification and Risk Analysis
Information regarding Remote Isolation and Shut Off
For more in-depth information regarding understanding hazards and risk, refer to CCPS' Guidelines.
Routinely reviewing the organization's process safety systems to spur continuous improvement is one of four elements in the RBPS pillar of learning from experience. This chapter describes the meaning of management review, the attributes of a good management review system, and the steps an organization might take to implement management reviews, for more information check out Introduction to Management Review and Continuous Improvement
More information can be found on this topic in CCPS' Guidelines regarding learning from experience.
Ensuring the safe startup of processes over the life of a facility is one of nine elements in the RBPS pillar of managing risk. This chapter describes the management practices for performing pre-startup reviews of (1) new processes, (2) processes that have been shut down for modification, and (3) processes that have been administratively shut down for other reasons. Introduction on Opertional Readiness.
For more in-depth information regarding managing risk, read CCPS' Guidelines concept books.
On February 1, 2003, the Space Shuttle Columbia disintegrated during re-entry into the Earth’s atmosphere, killing all seven crewmembers aboard. After extensive investigation, the Columbia Accident Investigation Board (CAIB) concluded that the organizational safety culture gaps contributed significantly to this loss. Upon review of The CAIB report, the CCPS Technical Steering Committee concluded that the same cultural factors that impacted NASA could also impact on the chemical and petroleumn industries. CCPS invites chemical, petroleum, and other companies to use these materials to evaluate their company's process safety culture and to develop improvement strategies. Learn more by reading the Introduction to Process Safety Culture.
Developing, sustaining, and enhancing the organization's process safety culture is one of elements in the RBPS pillar of committing to process safety. CCPS members invite you to start the journey by reviewing the Building Process Safety Culture Tool Kit and then explore resources listed below to understand the attributes of a sound culture, and how your organization might begin to enhance its own culture.
The foundation of a risk-based approach which will allow an organization to use this information to allocate limited resources in the most effective manner.
Current industry, government and public emphasis on containment of hazardous materials make it essential for each plant to reduce and control accidental releases to the atmosphere. When primary containment measures occasionally fail, safe emergency relief and vent become essential to limit incidents’ impact.
Scroll below to see all content produced by the International Society for Water Solutions (ISWS). ISWS is focused on pressing issues of water access, quality, sustainability, and security.
Learn more about ISWS
Developing, sustaining, and enhancing the organization's incident investigation competency is one of four elements in the RBPS pillar of learning from experience. The characteristics of an effective incident program and how organizations might begin to enhance their own incident investigation process, can be found in this Introduction to Incident Investigation.
More information regarding incident investigation, check out CCPS' Guidelines on learning from experience.
AIChE K-12 leverages the Institute’s vast network of volunteers for enhanced and expanded local impact in K-12 Outreach. Our objective is to increase interest, awareness, and excitement for science and engineering in K-12 students and prepare future engineering students and professionals to creatively solve technical challenges in an ethical, environmentally responsible, and socially conscious way.
Learn more about AIChE K-12.
Companies are constantly looking for effective execution of risk based process safety tasks. Risk management can help a company to better deal with the resultant risks and sustain long-term accident free and profitable operations.
To read more check out this report on Process Safety and Risk Management of Chemical Parks
This chapter concerns the RBPS element that ensures proper development, timely maintenance, and consistent use of operating procedures (procedures) is one of nine elements in the RBPS pillar of managing risk.
Gain further insight on the topic through the Introduction to Operating Procedures.
The importance in the regards of having good relationships with appropriate stakeholders, over the life of a facility is one of the five elements in the RBPS pillar of committing to process safety. Resources in this section describe a process for identifying, engaging, and maintaining good relationships with appropriate external stakeholder groups (outreach); the attributes of an outreach system; and the steps an organization might take to implement outreach. Start by reading an Introduction to Stakeholder Outreach
Safe, optimal production of natural resources, such as oil and gas, from reservoirs and delivering them to downstream entities requires applying chemical engineering fundamentals and principles as well as the 20 elements of Risk Based Process Safety.
Critical evaluation of the RBPS management system is one of four elements in the RBPS pillar of learning from experience. Formal methods for performng periodic RBPS management system audits, which should reduce risk, by proactively identifying and correcting weaknesses in management system design and implementation and more information can be found in Introduction to Auditing.
For more in-depth information on auditing, consult these CCPS Guidelines regarding learning from experience.
Identifying and addressing relevant process safety standards, codes, regulations, and laws over the life of a process is one of the five elements in the RBPS pillar of committing to process safety. Resources in this section describe processes for maintaining adherence to applicable standards, codes, regulations, and laws (standards), the attributes of a standards system, and the steps an organization might take to implement the standards element. Start with reading an Introduction to Compliance with Standards, then explore resources like the Process Safety and Risk Management of Chemical Parks and more below.
Metrics provide direct feedbacks on the workings of RBPS systems, and leading indicators provide early warning signals of ineffective process safety results. Organizations must use their mistakes and those of others as motivation for action and view as opportunities for improvement.
Managing changes to processes over the life of a facility is one of nine elements in the RBPS pillar of managing risk. To read more about the management practices involving (1) the recognition of change situations, (2) the evaluation of hazards, (3) the decision on whether to allow a change to be made, and (4) necessary risk control and follow-up measures, check out the Introduction to Management of Change.
More information regarding management of change can be found in CCPS' Guidelines on managing risk.
Considerations for transportation security, include threat and vulnerability assessments and potential countermeasures. Also includes risk assessment programs for land transport by rail, truck, and pipeline for consequences that may affect the public or the environment. Explore research and resources regarding transportation safety below and by reading this article on Collision Avoidance.
Developing appropriate emergency management and response capabilities is one of nine elements in the RBPS pillar of managing risk. Emergency management must have certain attributes of a risk-based management system, for more information, check out Introduction to Emergency Management.
For more information on this and other topics, read CCPS' Guidelines on managing risk.
Safety instrumentation systems can help companies achieve risk reduction and incident prevention. A safety instrumented system (SIS) takes automated action to keep a plant in a safe state, or to put it into a safe state, when abnormal conditions are present. The SIS may implement a single function or multiple functions to protect against various process hazards in your plant.
Promoting the active involvement of personnel at all levels of the organization is one of the five elements in the RBPS pillar of committing to process safety. Resources in this section addresses the diversity of roles that workers can fulfill in support of process safety management system development, implementation, and enhancement. Start by reading an Introduction to Workforce Involvement and then explore the resources below.
Developing and sustaining high standards in the conduct of operations is one of nine elements in the RBPS pillar of managing risk. The concept of conduct of operations, the attributes of a reliable system for conducting operations, and the steps an organization might take to formalize the conduct of operations can be found in the Introduction to Conduct of Operations.
More information regarding Conduct of Operations can be found in these CCPS Guidelines books regarding managing risk.
One critical aspect of Conduct of Operations is managing the communication interfaces between workers and work groups. Information on Interface Management may be found in this short publication.
Safe design of processes must consider the full spectrum of design and risk management opportunities ranging from reducing potential consequences via Inherently Safer Design (ISD) to reducing risk through process and job design. Since ISD can be robust and reliable, it is a good place to start. Also, check out this article on Remote Isolation and Shut Off.
Asset integrity, the RBPS element that helps ensure the equipment is properly designed, installed in accordance with specifications, and remains fit for use until it is retired, is one of the nine elements in the RBPS pillar of managing risk. In an Introduction to Asset Integrity and Reliability, the attributes of a risk-based management system for ensuring the integrity and reliability of critical equipment and safety systems are described.
For more information on managing risk, read CCPS' Guidelines books.
CCPS' Process Equipment Reliability Database (PERD) is aimed at providing data to help effectively and efficiently implement an asset integrity and reliability program.
Focuses on the process safety of research and development facilities of companies/plants and as well as the research development to advance the practice of process safety.
Human factors and culture plays crucial roles in process safety and creating an organization’s safety culture. Safety culture is defined as how the organization behaves when no one is watching. The responsibility for fostering and sustaining a sound safety culture cascades down through an organization/company.
The RBPS element that helps control hazards associated with maintenance and other nonroutine work is one of nine elements in the RBPS pillar of managing risk. Introduction to Safe Work Practices and Control of Hazardous Energy By Lock-out and Tag-out, provide information on various safe work practices. The importance of communcation between production and maintenance employees ensures positive prevention of all hazardous energy sources causing harm to others. See all publications regarding safe work practice in these CCPS' Guidelines for Managing Risk.
Safe Work Practice ToolAccess CCPS's Safe Work Practices (SWP) tool. It's designed for operations, maintenance and engineering personnel in the process industries (Chemical, petrochemical, electronics, natural gas and others). Go to tool
Most solid materials that can be ignited can form an explosive dust cloud if the particle size of the solid is small enough. Special attention should be pay to identification of accumulation of dust and powders in plants and to specified safe operating procedures for handling powders and dusts.
Training workers and assuring their reliable performance of critical tasks is one of nine elements in the RBPS pillar of managing risk. In this chapter, the context of process safety management systems, the meaning of training, the attributes of a good training system, and the steps an organization might take to implement a robust training program are described. Introduction to Training and Performance Assurance.
For more in-depth information regarding managing risk, please see CCPS' Guidelines.
Prevention of terrorist attacks on plants, theft of chemicals with potential hazards, contamination of chemicals or products, and degradation of infrastructure.
Chemical reactivity hazards still exist even if a plant doesn’t intentionally run chemical reactions. Chemical reactivity hazards can be manifest through:
Materials which become chemically unstable for a variety of reasons, Intended chemical reactions that get out of control for a variety of reasons Unintended chemical reactions that take place due to accidental mixing of chemicals that are normally separateRead Reactive Material Hazards, What You Need to Know, and explore other resources below.
Bioprocessing is a business segment that, like any other, has traditional fiscal risks but then adds unique chemical and biological hazard-based risks related to raw materials involved, product made, process used, waste stream involved and unique end user considerations. Effective process safety management in bioprocess manufacturing is essential to the growth of an already booming segment of global manufacturing.
Below, you can read CEP articles detailing the chemical industries in various countries, see Spanish-language process safety videos, and more.
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