Assessing the sustainable safety practices based on human behavior factors: an application to Chinese petrochemical industry.

Junqiao Zhang,Qiang Qu,Xue-Bo Chen

doi:10.1007/s11356-022-18909-5

Abstract

Sustainable and safe development is a key issue in petrochemical industry. However, many catastrophic accidents and irreversible environmental pollution have occurred in the petrochemical industry, most of which are caused by human behavior factor. The purpose of this paper is to evaluate and improve the sustainable safety performance of a petrochemical plant from the perspective of human behavior factors. Therefore, this study proposes an extended behavior-based safety (BBS) approach that combines the application of fuzzy analytic hierarchy process (FAHP) and fuzzy comprehensive evaluation (FCE) to assess sustainable safety performance of a petrochemical plant. The results show the importance of human behavior factors, and we should pay attention to the practical application of petrochemical industry. Finally, BBS management can reduce occupational injuries and accidents, which will enhance the sustainable safety development of the petrochemical industry.

Highlights

Many catastrophic accidents and irreversible environmental pollution have occurred in the petrochemical industry, most of which are caused by human factor errors
Review of accident data in recent years shows that fires, combustible dust explosion, petrochemical leakages, factory explosions and suffocations have occurred in the petrochemical industry
Unsafe production in the petrochemical industry may lead to environmental pollution, energy waste, climate change and oil price change, which are regarded as a great threat to sustainable safety development (Sharma et al 2017)

Summary

Introduction

Many catastrophic accidents and irreversible environmental pollution have occurred in the petrochemical industry, most of which are caused by human factor errors. Behavior-based safety (BBS) management is an effective means to improve human factor errors and reduce accidents. This study proposes an extended BBS approach that combines the application of fuzzy analytic hierarchy process (FAHP) and fuzzy comprehensive evaluation (FCE) to assess sustainable safety performance of a petrochemical industry. In order to achieve these sustainable safety development goals, three aspects need to be considered: environment, society and economy (Santoyo-Castelazo and Azapagic, 2014) This is gradually recognized by decision makers and managers, and is reflected in some accident studies. One effective approach used to improve unsafe acts of persons is behavior-based safety (BBS) (Geller 2005; Navidian et al 2015)

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion