This article has moved to the post The Fundamentals of Process Safety Risk.Copyright © Ian Sutton. 2023. All Rights Reserved.
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Safety MomentsSafety Moments are short presentations that illustrate some aspect of personal or process safety. They are often used to start a meeting.They generally fall into one of the following categories:An incident analysis that provides lessons learned;A discussion to do with the principles of process safety management; orAn explanation of equipment design or operation.A list of currently…
The Kletz LegacyOne of the founders of the process safety discipline was Trevor Kletz (1922-2013). Probably his best eulogy is also the simplest, "He saved lives."As we reflect on Trevor's contributions it is clear that one of his greatest gifts was that of telling stories. He wrote extensively on technical topics such as hazards analysis and inherent safety, but he is probably best remembered…
In an earlier Safety Moment we saw that the term ‘Process Safety Management’ (PSM) can become diluted to the point where it loses any meaning. This is unfortunate. The term is not just another way of describing industrial safety — it has a tight and specific significance, as explained in Process Safety Management. The description discusses the three words that make up the term: ‘Process’, ‘Safety…
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) is the last line of defense for keeping a person safe. Every effort should be made to protect the wearer ahead of time. The Irish Health & Safety Authority provides the following precautionary statements with regard to PPE.PPE only protects the wearer.It is ineffective if not working or fitted properly.Theoretical levels of protection are seldom reached in…
Safety Moment #57: Equipment Spacing (Pumps/Fireproofed Pipe Racks) described the layout of pumps in a process or energy facility. Continuing the discussion, this Safety Moment describes some of the issues to be considered with regard to the layout of storage tanks, sometimes referred to as “API Tanks”. (The design and operation of storage tanks is discussed in Safety Moment #73:…
In any performance-based program such as process safety, the work is never finished — there is always room for improvement.In practice, most of the developments in techniques for improving safety analysis are improvements of existing programs or techniques. For example, the hazards analysis technique LOPA (Layers of Protection Analysis) has seen widespread application in recent years. Yet it…
The material in this article to do with risk perception is taken from the book Process Risk and Reliability Management.Risk perception is fundamentally a subjective matter; no matter how hard analysts strive to make the topic objective the fact remains that, as Oscar Wilde (1854-1900) once said, A truth ceases to be a truth as soon as two people perceive it. This observation…
The topic of Management of Change (MOC) is discussed in the following publications:Safety Moment #5: Management of Change — Defining Change andSafety Moment #67: The Most Important PSM Elements - Management of ChangeIn this Safety Moment we look more deeply into the distinction between “In-Kind” and “Not In-Kind” changes.In principle, this distinction is simple. If the replacement for piece of…
Pump seals are a source of leaks in process and energy facilities. Moreover, the discharged liquid will normally be at high pressure, so it can travel a long distance and/or form a spray. Therefore, when laying out a facility it is important to make sure that pumps are located at a safe distance from other equipment and piping. (If the facility is already constructed and in operation it is still…
This Safety Moment has been updated. It is now The Process Safety Professional. Part 9: That Sinking Feeling.
The contents of this Safety Moment have moved to The Process Safety Professional.
The material shown here has been extracted from the ebook 52 Process Safety Moments and in the book Plant Design and Operations. ContentsIntroductionFlammable RangeFlash PointFlammability and Ignition LimitsAutoignition TemperatureFurther InformationIntroductionFor many process and energy facilities, fires and explosions represent the greatest potential for a catastrophic event. Hence it is…