How to Select Appropriate Quantitative Safety Risk Criteria-Applications from the Center for Chemical Process Safety (CCPS) Guidelines on Quantitative Safety Risk Criteria

Abstract

Abstract As oil and gas producing and LNG facilities become increasingly complex, the potential for and consequences of a major incident is likely to increase as well. High consequence, low frequency events can best be understood, and therefore managed, through the use of quantitative risk assessment tools. While many risk-based decisions can be made without referring to risk criteria, in those cases where absolute judgments about the tolerability of risk must be made, quantitative risk criteria are essential to the decision-making process. However, establishing a technically sound basis for selecting risk criteria has proven problematic. Worldwide regulatory criteria vary significantly forcing companies to make difficult judgments as to what is an appropriate and defensible risk criteria. The American Institute of Chemical Engineers, Center for Chemical Process Safety has recently published a comprehensive, precedent-setting book titled, "Guidelines for Developing Quantitative Safety Risk Criteria."1 This paper will provide an overview of the new CCPS guidelines and show how many of the obstacles to establishing risk criteria can be addressed.