One of the philosophies that lies behind Process Safety Management (PSM) is that each chemical process is unique. Therefore it is not possible to have a prescriptive standard that tells operating companies what to do. Instead, companies have to identify the unique hazards associated with their facility, and then implement corrective actions based on a risk-ranking methodology.
For most workers in the process and energy industries the biggest hazard that they face is the possibility of injury or death from a source of high energy such as pressure, temperature, toxic chemicals, electricity, moving parts, pneumatic and hydraulic equipment, or falls from heights, often due to failure of the lockout tagout system.
This ebook provides an overview of the principles of safety in design used in the design of process and energy facilities, including chemical plants, oil refineries, offshore oil and gas platforms and pipelines. A description of some of the more important regulatory bodies and standards-setting organizations is also provided.
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Equipment for the process industries often handles corrosive and toxic materials at high temperatures and pressures. Therefore it is vital that this equipment is designed and operated such that it maintains integrity at all times. An unanticipated failure of an equipment item can have catastrophic consequences.
Valves are used to stop or control the flow of fluids in piping. The major categories of valve are:
This ebook describes the topic of process safety maintenance, where the term maintenance refers to repairing equipment that has failed, either totally or partially, and preventive actions taken prior to equipment failure.
Occupational Safety — also known as personal or “hard hat” safety — is concerned with events that result from unsafe acts or conditions, and that generally affect only one person, or a small group. It covers topics such as vessel entry, vehicle movement, protective clothing, working with electricity and tripping hazards.
The management of health issues at industrial facilities falls between environmental and safety management. Unlike safety problems, which can occur instantaneously, health issues generally develop slowly. But health issues are not as long term as environmental compliance and they are largely under the control of facility management.
The design and operation of process plants — no matter how automated they may be — requires input and participation from people at every step. Therefore, it is vital to understand how they interface with equipment and instruments, how and why they make errors, and how systems can be designed to address human failings.
The process industries use, manufacture and transport a very wide range of ‘Highly Hazardous Chemicals’ or HHCs. These materials can be explosive, flammable and toxic — or a combination of these three.
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