(28c) Applying Inherently Safer Systems – Contra Costa County's Experience

During the 1990's, many process safety accidents occurred in Contra Costa County. Some of the impact of these accidents included the following:

? Six people died and two others were seriously injured in three separate accidents ? Over 20,000 people sought medical attention after one release and over 1,200 went to a medical clinic that was established after another accident ? Millions of dollars in equipment damage and lost production

The community and the County's Board of Supervisors were greatly concerned about the accidents and the trend of the accidents. In January 1999, the County's Board of Supervisors passed the Industrial Safety Ordinance. The ordinance expands on the California Accidental Release Prevention Program and the U. S. EPA's Risk Management Program and includes a requirement that covered facilities consider inherently safer systems.

This paper and presentation will discuss the experience of implementing inherently safer systems in Contra Costa County. This discussion will include the history on why the County's Industrial Safety Ordinance, which includes the requirement for implementing inherently safer systems, was passed; a definition of inherently safer systems and when inherently safer systems are to be applied; the initial problems with implementing inherently safer systems by the covered facilities; clarification of what is meant by inherently safer systems and when to consider inherently safer systems; auditing for inherently safer system implementation and results; examples of when inherently safer systems have been successfully applied; and the impact of the implementation of inherently safer systems.