Process Safety Exam 1
Process Knowledge Management
(AICHE Risk Based Process Safety Element): assembly and management of all info needed to perform process safety activities. verification of accuracy of info, confirmation that this info is up to date. Also make info readily available
Workforce involvement
(AICHE Risk Based Process Safety Element): broad involvement of operating and maintenance personnel in process safety activities, to make sure that lessons learned by the people closest to the process are considered and addressed
weather conditions, presence of people, probability of ignition
3 examples of conditional modifiers
T/P (either too high or too low), presence of raw materials, process in particular state of operation
3 examples of enabling conditions
riding a car, mountain climbing, skiing
3 examples of voluntary risk
ALCOA (aluminum company of america)
Paul O'Neill turned around this company by implementing safety program, which promoted good habits throughout the company
storage
Routes and elimination of toxicants: fat tissue, bones, hair, brain
excretion
Routes and elimination of toxicants: kidneys, liver, lungs, skin
detoxification
Routes and elimination of toxicants: liver
fires, chemical, 15
Safety showers: -use for ______ and ______ spills -time: ________ _min
False (no, must work from bottom up)
T/F: Can you achieve a higher level on the hierarchy of safety programs without accomplishing a lower?
False (only flammables!)
T/F: You can store other chemicals besides flammables inside of a flammable storage cabinet
False
T/F: You can store things on top of a flammable storage cabinet
Time Weighted Average
TWA
(NFPA) Standard on Explosion Prevention systems, (ASTM) Standard Test Method for Concentration Limits of Flammability of Chemicals, (API) Selection and Installation of Pressure Relieving Devices in Refineries
What are 3 examples of standards?
(National Fire Protection Agency) Life Safety Code, (American society of mechanical engineers) Boiler and vessel code
What are two examples of a code?
Noise Reduction Ratio
What does NRR stand for?
Permissible Exposure Limit
What does PEL stand for?
Short Term Exposure Limit
What does STEL mean in TLV-STEL?
Threshold Limit Value
What does TLV stand for?
Ceiling Limit
What does the C mean in TLV-C?
Specific Hazard (ie oxidizer, acid, alkali, no water)
What does the bottommost diamond represent on the NFPA diamond?
Health
What does the leftmost diamond mean in the NFPA diamond?
Reactivity/stability
What does the rightmost diamond stand for on the NFPA diamond?
Fire
What does the topmost diamond on the NFPA diamond stand for?
protection layer
What is another name for preventive safeguards?
120
What is the level of noise (in dB) that corresponds to "painful"?
80-100 ft/min
What is the target velocity of a hood (in ft/min)?
highest
When utilizing the risk matrix (people, environment, reputation impact, economic, property), the overall severity is the ________ severity level of the categories
velometer
a device that measures flow
Two and Three gas monitors
a method of measuring volatile concentrations where a hand-held monitor reports gas concentrations
filter unit
a method of measuring volatile concentrations where a unit goes with worker and contains activated charcoal
colorimetric tubes
a method of measuring volatile concentrations, where a reagent reacts with volatiles and changes color
code
a set of rules developed by a team of knowledgeable people. These people are most likely associated with an industrial professional organization.
toxic hazard
likelihood of damage based on exposure. reduced by appropriate techniques
operational readiness
(AICHE Risk Based Process Safety Element): Evaluation of the process before start-up or restart to ensure the process can be safely STARTED.
Contractor Management
(AICHE Risk Based Process Safety Element): Practice to ensure that contract workers can perform their jobs safely, and that contracted services do not add to or increase operational risks
measurement and metrics
(AICHE Risk Based Process Safety Element): STATISTICS; leading and lagging indicator analysis
Asset Integrity and Reliability
(AICHE Risk Based Process Safety Element): activities to ensure that important equipment remains suitable for its intended purpose throughout its service. includes testing, inspection, and preventive maintenance
Operating Procedures
(AICHE Risk Based Process Safety Element): instructions for how to carry out operation safely, explaining the consequences of not following procedure, describing key safeguards, addressing special situations and emergencies
Conduct of Operations
(AICHE Risk Based Process Safety Element): means by which management and operational tasks required for process safety are carried out in a deliberate, faithful and structured manner.
Auditing
(AICHE Risk Based Process Safety Element): periodic CRITICAL REVIEW of process safety management system performance by auditors not assigned to the site to identify gaps in performance and identify improvement opportunities
Emergency Management
(AICHE Risk Based Process Safety Element): plans for possible emergencies that define actions in an EMERGENCY, resources to execute those actions, practice drills, continuous improvement, training or informing
Training and Performance Assurance
(AICHE Risk Based Process Safety Element): practical instruction in job and task requirements and methods for operations and maintenance workers, supervisors, engineers, leaders and process safety professionals.
Safe Work Practices
(AICHE Risk Based Process Safety Element): procedures to safely maintain and repair equipment such as permits-to-work, line breaking, and hot work permits
Incident Investigation
(AICHE Risk Based Process Safety Element): process of reporting, tracking and investigating incidents and near-misses to identify root causes, taking corrective actions, evaluating incident trends and communicating lessons learned.
Management of Change (MOC)
(AICHE Risk Based Process Safety Element): process of reviewing and authorizing proposed changes to facility design, operations, organizations, or activities prior to implementing them; ensuring that process safety info is updated accordingly
Management Review and Continuous Improvement
(AICHE Risk Based Process Safety Element): the practice of managers at all levels of setting process safety expectations and goals with their staff and reviewing performance and progress towards those goals
substitute
(Inherently safer design): a flammable solvent is replaced by a non-flammable solvent
minimize
(Inherently safer design): a plant stores a large quantity of hazardous intermediate chemical to keep the plant operating during upsets. the intermediate storage is eliminated and the process reliability is improved to prevent upsets/downtime
simplify
(Inherently safer design): a valve that requires ten turns to close is replaced by a quarter turn valve
substitute
(Inherently safer design): an alternate reaction pathway is used that involves less hazardous raw materials
moderate
(Inherently safer design): the equipment in a process can with 10 barg, but it is reduced from 10 barg to 8 barg
moderate/simplify
(Inherently safer design): the trays on a distillation column are replaced by structured packing which operates over a wider range of operating conditions
lagging
(lagging/leading): money spent on insurance claims
leading
(lagging/leading): number of near miss incidents
leading
(lagging/leading): number of process alarms that were managed without incident
leading
(lagging/leading): number of reports of unsafe activities in a plant
leading
(lagging/leading): time duration to complete maintenance
lagging
(lagging/leading): visits to first aid
mitigative
(preventive/mitigative): a containment pond is built to collect any liquid runoff from a plant
mitigative
(preventive/mitigative): a containment system is installed to collect the effluent from a relief device
preventive
(preventive/mitigative): a flow limiter is installed on a feed line to a chemical reactor to insure that the reaction rate does not exceed a maximum value
mitigative
(preventive/mitigative): a foam system to reduce evaporation from a pool of leaked hydrocarbon
preventive
(preventive/mitigative): a gas chromatograph is installed to confirm chemical concentrations in a process
mitigative
(preventive/mitigative): a relief device is installed on a chemical reactor to protect the reactor vessel from the damaging effects of high pressure
mitigative
(preventive/mitigative): a safety instrumented system to shut down a process if an unsafe operating condition occurs
mitigative
(preventive/mitigative): all plant operations personnel are given yearly emergency response training
preventive
(preventive/mitigative): an alarm system to notify the operator of out of limits process conditions
mitigative
(preventive/mitigative): an emergency alarm system
mitigative
(preventive/mitigative): covers are placed over pipe flanges to prevent liquid spraying
preventive
(preventive/mitigative): the basic process control system
mitigative
(preventive/mitigative):a dike is built around a storage vessel
YES (they are implemented via OSHA, a gov organization)
Do PEL's have legal authority?
NO
Do TLV's have legal authority?
grounded, 1
Flammable storage cabinets: -Must be ________ to prevent static -Only designed to hold chemicals for ______ hour(s)
False
For chemical spills, the victim needn't remove their clothes to enter shower
Minimize, Substitute, Moderate, Simplify
Four Inherently Safer Design Strategies
1-most dangerous, 4 least dangerous
GHS is essentially the same as the NFPA labelling system except for this change:
(lowest) procedural, active, passive, inherent (most robust)
Hierarchy of Process Risk Management Strategies (4)
inherent
Hierarchy of Process Risk Management Strategies: having a culture of safety
passive (1)
Hierarchy of Process Risk Management Strategies: minimizes the hazard through process and equipment design features that reduce either the frequency or consequence without the active functioning of any device
Procedural (3)
Hierarchy of Process Risk Management Strategies: these are based on an established or official way of doing something. commonly referred to as administrative controls (training, policies, operating procedures)
Active (2)
Hierarchy of Process Risk Management Strategies: these systems are commonly referred to as engineering controls, REQUIRES AN ACTIVE RESPONSE from a device
we need to work harder to prevent exposures
If a chemical has a lower TLV it means that: it is more toxic than a relative chemical with higher TLV OR we need to work harder to prevent exposures
GHS
In 2013 OSHA changed their hazard communication standards to bring them into alignment with this system for classification and labeling of chemicals.
Moderate
Inherently Safer: Use under less hazardous conditions
Minimize
Inherently Safer: reduce hazardous material/energy quantity
Simplify
Inherently Safer: reduce unnecessary complexity to reduce the likelihood of an accident
Substitute
Inherently Safer: replace with a less hazardous material
Yes
Is it possible for some toxicants to have zero thresholds?
NO
Is there a detectable effect at the threshold dose?
4, 30
Minimum flows for: -Eyewash : _______ gpm (gallons per minute) - Shower: _______ gpm
0 is no hazard, 4 is max hazard
On the NFPA diamond, which number corresponds to no hazard and which one corresponds to max hazard?
dermal absorption
entry route for toxicants: skin. Controlled by: protective clothing
probit, causitive
Probit equations: Y is the ________ variables, V is the __________ variable
injection
entry route for toxicants: cuts in skin. Controlled by: protective clothing
inhalation
entry route for toxicants: mouth, nose. Controlled by ventiliation, hoods, PPE
ingestion
entry route for toxicants: mouth, stomach. Controlled by rules on eating, drinking, smoking
industrial hygiene
prevention or reduction of entry of chemical agents, physical agents into organism
toxicity
property related to effect on organism
toxicology
study of entry of toxicants into organism, elimination from organism, effects on organism
odor threshold
the concentration at which most people detect an odor
Inherently Safe Design
the idea of eliminating hazards rather than providing complex safeguard hierarchies around the hazards. AVOIDANCE OF HAZARDS
TLV
the maximum exposure limit to humans for 8 hours a day, 40 hours a week that does not cause any noticeable effect.
PEL
the same thing as a TLV-TWA but implemented by OSHA and has legal authority
lagging, leading
two types of safety metrics
safety metrics
used to measure the effectiveness of a safety program
MIC (methyl isocyanate)
what was the dangerous chemical stored in the Bhopal plant that was extremely toxic to humans?
Hazard Identification and Risk Analysis
(AICHE Risk Based Process Safety Element): identification of process safety hazards and their potential consequences. definition of the risk posed these hazard scenarios. recommendations to reduce or eliminate hazards, reduce potential consequences, reduce frequency of occurrence.
Preventive
(Preventive/Mitigative) Pressure relief system with containment
lagging
(lagging/leading): injuries
leading
(lagging/leading): number of operating procedures updated each year
leading
(lagging/leading): number of workers with overdue training
lagging
(lagging/leading): property damage
leading
(lagging/leading): response time for process safety suggestions
leading
(lagging/leading): work order backlog
True (hazards may be continuously present or may change based on operations)
T/F: It is not possible to list all the potential hazards of a working environment.
False (although they overlap at points)
T/F: Process safety is the same as personal safety
True
T/F: Regulations have legal authority.
False
T/F: Standards have legal authority
lagging
accident statistics are _____ indicators
process safety
a framework for managing the integrity of operating systems and process handling hazardous substances by applying good design principles, engineering and operating practices
societal risk
a group of people exposed to one or more hazards. hazard and group must be carefully defined
risk
a measure of human injury, environmental damage, or economic loss in terms of both the incident likelihood and the magnitude of the loss or injury
incident
an event or series of events, resulting in one or more undesirable consequences, such as harm to people, damage to the environment or asset/business losses.
hazard
an inherent chemical or physical characteristic that has the potential for causing damage to people, property or the environment
accident
an unplanned event or sequence of events that results in an undesirable consequence
Compliance with Standards
(AICHE Risk Based Process Safety Element): Applicable regulations, standards, codes and other requirements issued by national (etc) governments. Interpretation and implementation of said requirements.
Process Safety Competency
(AICHE Risk Based Process Safety Element): Skills and resources that THE COMPANY NEEDS to have in the right places to manage its process hazards. Verification that company collectively has these skills and resources. Application of this info in succession planning and management of organizational change.
Process Safety Culture
(AICHE Risk Based Process Safety Element): a positive environment where employees at all levels are committed to process safety. process safety leaders nurture this process
Stakeholder Outreach
(AICHE Risk Based Process Safety Element): a process for maintaining contact with stakeholder groups, such as community, suppliers of materials, customers, gov agencies, contractors, etc.
lagging
(lagging/leading): fatalities
2
Hierarchy of Safety Programs: Complying to rules and regulations
lagging
loss of primary containment (LOPC) incidents
lagging
(lagging/leading): first aid incidents
1
Hierarchy of Safety Programs: Reacting to accidents as they occur
Preventive
Preventive vs Mitigative: Alarm systems
False
T/F: Codes have legal authority
living in the vicinity of a chemical plant, being hit by a train
2 examples of involuntary risk
hold safety in utmost importance, formally advise employers or clients if negative consequence is perceived
AICHE Engineering Ethics statement (2 points that were mentioned in class)
low, convince, financial losses
Conclusions from statistics: -Chemical industry has a _______ number of fatalities/injuries -The chemical industry has to perform better to _________ the public of their safety. -Incident _____ ______ from chemical plant accidents are huge
no safety program, reacting as incidents occur, complying to rules, management systems, performance monitoring, adapting
Hierarchy of Safety Programs (6 levels, lowest to highest safety)
3
Hierarchy of Safety Programs: Management systems based such as Job Safety Assessment (JSA), lock-out/tag-out etc
0
Hierarchy of Safety Programs: No safety program. Maybe even disdain for safety
4
Hierarchy of Safety Programs: Performance monitoring using statistics to drive continuous improvement
5
Hierarchy of Safety Programs: adapting- safety is a core value of the organization and a primary driver for successful enterprise
risk based process safety
It is difficult to identify hazards for a plant that is being designed and doesn't exist yet. Therefore, we will rely on _________ procedures to help us with this
Preventive
Preventive vs Mitigative: Emergency cooling systems
Preventive
Preventive vs Mitigative: Emergency shutoff valves
Preventive
Preventive vs Mitigative: Grounding and bonding to prevent static accumulation
Preventive
Preventive vs Mitigative: Interlocks
Preventive
Preventive vs Mitigative: Maintenence
Preventive
Preventive vs Mitigative: Operator response to an alarm or process conditions
mitigative
Preventive vs Mitigative: active fire protection, including sprinklers, sprays
Preventive
Preventive vs Mitigative: basic process control system (BPCS)
mitigative
Preventive vs Mitigative: blast resistance control rooms
mitigative
Preventive vs Mitigative: blast walls
mitigative
Preventive vs Mitigative: diking around storage areas/process
mitigative
Preventive vs Mitigative: emergency fire water system
mitigative
Preventive vs Mitigative: emergency power
mitigative
Preventive vs Mitigative: emergency response, including on-site and off-site
mitigative
Preventive vs Mitigative: explosion blow-out panels on process vessels
mitigative
Preventive vs Mitigative: flammable vapor detectors
Preventive
Preventive vs Mitigative: normal testing and inspection
mitigative
Preventive vs Mitigative: passive fire protection including insulation
mitigative
Preventive vs Mitigative: plant and equipment layout and spacing
mitigative
Preventive vs Mitigative: water curtains to disperse vapors
consequence, frequency (such as fires, explosions, and accidental releases of hazardous materials)
Process safety addresses the control and prevention of "high _______, low __________ events"
Myth
Truth/Myth: "Process safety only applies to the petrochemical industry"
Myth (process safety saves money. increased cost of process safety is offset by savings due to fewer accidents)
Truth/Myth: Process safety costs lots of money and has a negative effect on the company's profits
Myth (companies are responsible for the safety of their product throughout its entire lifespan.)
Truth/Myth: Process safety does not include product safety.
lagging
_________ indicators are easier to define and tabulate
safeguards
barriers that are enacted to prevent incident and reduce consequences of said incident
conditional modifiers
conditions that occur after initiation and impact a step in the sequence either before or after the incident has occurred
lagging metrics
data collected after an incident has occurred
leading metrics
data collected before an incident has occurred
regulation
developed by a government. may be based on a code or standard
enabling conditions
do not independently cause the incident, but must be present or active for it to proceed.
leading indicators
indicators that occur before an accident has occurred
standard
more elaborate, explaining in a lot more detail how to meet a code.
individual risk
one person exposed to one or more hazards. usually location dependent
preventive safeguard
prevents an initiating event from proceeding to a defined, undesirable incident. STOPS incident from proceeding
risk is a function of what two variables?
probability (how likely it is to happen), consequence (how bad it is when it does happen)
mitigative safeguards
reduces the consequences after an incident has occurred. May already have consequences as a result of the incident
voluntary risk
risk that is consciously tolerated by someone seeking to obtain the benefits of the activity that poses the risk
involuntary risk
risk that is imposed on someone who does not directly benefit from the activity that poses the risk
safety
strategy for accident prevention- not very well defined
safety culture
the common set of values behaviors, and norms at all levels in a facility or in the wider organization that affect process safety
swiss cheese model
which model describes how incidents can occur despite having multiple safeguards?
Department of Homeland Security- Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism Standards
which regulation establishes risk-based performance standards for the security of chemical facilities
OSHA- Process safety management of highly hazardous materials
which regulation pertains to on-site inventories that contain chemicals in quantities that exceed threshold values?
EPA- Risk Management Programs (RMP)
which regulation pertains to releases of toxic or flammable materials that have off-site impacts.