Process Safety Management Research Articles

The meaning of “should”

AbstractWhen implementing the performance‐based Process Safety Management (PSM) Standard (OSHA 1910.119), industry needs to comply with applicable recognized and generally accepted good engineering practices (RAGAGEP) for their facility. While this may seem like a simple task, determining what is applicable and how it affects the design, construction, inspection/testing, and operations, it can be a significant effort. This paper aims to provide guidance on interpreting the “should” versus “shall” debate, particularly how to deal with “should” provisions, why this matters, and share lessons learned from AcuTech's extensive onsite observations where the impacts of these interpretations are seen in process safety programs.

Lessons from an explosion accident in Linyuan Petrochemical Park of Taiwan: From the perspectives of process safety management

Lessons from an explosion accident in Linyuan Petrochemical Park of Taiwan: From the perspectives of process safety management

Discussion On Safety Management Of Urban Gas Non-Resident Users

with the rapid development of urbanization, the number of non-residential users of gas consumption continues to increase, and the corresponding security wind direction and problems are increasing. By combing the gas safety management process of non-residential users in large-scale urban gas enterprises, embedding the whole life cycle management process, improving the quality of gas safety management of non-residential users, eliminating some potential safety hazards and reducing the accident development rate, at the same time for other enterprises in the same industry to provide reference.

Evaluation Of the Safety Management System of Building Construction Projects: A Case Study of Erbil Governorate.

Any organization linked with construction needs to apply suitable standards, procedures, and structures to support the right acts by all the involved construction structures that are related to health and safety. This paper evaluates the safety management procedure of building construction projects by rating the importance of safety management factors and calculating the average practice. This has been done by conducting a case study of (94) projects constructed during 2013-2023 by designing a questionnaire that represents a successful plan of 49 factors of seven phases for a safety management system. And delivering it to stakeholders who worked on those projects. The results of the study show that the average practice of safety management is 61.27%, which is unacceptable. The typical safety management process falls between 37.54% for initial planning and 79.93% for precautions before scaffold implementation. The results revealed that the shortage in practicing safety management stages is noticeable in all building construction projects, especially for initial planning with a rate of practice of 37.54%, and the use of personal protection equipment with a rate of practice of 47.41%. There is a lack of practicing safety procedures. A team for emergency issues is rarely available in addition to the shortage of first aid centers. There are not enough medications in case of accidents. Also, the workers are not using suitable protection equipment often. There must be an emphasis on the issue of safety management in future construction projects.

A hierarchical multi-parametric programming approach for dynamic risk-based model predictive quality control

In this work, we present a hierarchical batch quality control strategy with real-time process safety management. It features a multi-time-scale decision-making framework augmenting: (i) Risk-aware model predictive controller for short-term set point tracking and dynamic risk control under disturbances; (ii) Control-aware optimizer for long-term quality and safety optimization over the entire batch operation; (iii) Intermediate surrogate model to bridge the timescale gap by readjusting the optimizer operating decisions for the controller. All of the above problems are solved via multi-parametric mixed-integer quadratic programming with a key advantage to generate offline explicit control/optimization laws as affine functions of process and risk variables. This allows for the design of a fit-for-purpose risk management plan prior to real-time implementation, while reducing the need for repetitive online dynamic optimization. A unified process model is used to underpin the consistency of hierarchical operational optimization. The proposed approach offers a flexible strategy to integrate distinct decision-making time scales which can be selected separately tailored to the process-specific need of control, fault prognosis, and end-batch quality control. A T2 batch reactor case study is presented to showcase this approach to systematically address the interactions and trade-offs of multiple decision layers toward improving process efficiency and safety.

Artificial intelligence (AI) and process safety: Some cautionary observations

AbstractArtificial intelligence (AI) has become a vogue topic in the press, and descriptions of its potential impact range from apocalyptic to salvational. Interest in the topic will no doubt stimulate the search for applications to support both the technical and management systems aspects of process safety management. Within our industries, maintaining institutional memory and technical capability is made increasingly challenging by more frequent job movement among younger staff and the loss to the retirement of more senior staff. One would hope that AI could help fill the gaps caused by these factors. However, the author's sampling of current AI capabilities suggests that AI is not yet ready to do so. This paper provides some examples of errors and insufficiencies identified when seeking AI assistance in addressing process safety issues. It also suggests some existing challenges to better “training” of AI to support the needs of the process safety community. It concludes that caution should be applied, especially by less experienced personnel, when seeking AI assistance in addressing process safety–related technical matters.

Integrating process safety management into Canadian wood pellet facilities that generate combustible wood dust

AbstractWood pellets, which are manufactured from sawmill and forest residues, are sold in bulk for biomass power generation or in bags for residential heating. Wood pellet production involves combustible dust, which presents the risk of fires and explosions. Process safety management (PSM) is a framework for preventing and mitigating process‐related incidents. While PSM has historically been integrated within the chemical process industries, there is a need to systematically manage process‐related hazards in other sectors, including wood pellet and wood product manufacturing. However, there is a need to identify an approach to PSM implementation that is reasonable and achievable based on the relative complexity of the production process, as well as onsite resources. The scope of this project was to develop an integration tool for wood pellet production to serve as the foundation for a long‐term strategy and implementation plan led by industry. This research resulted in a PSM integration tool consisting of a PSM survey for gap analysis, self‐assessment worksheets that include numerous PSM best practices, factsheets, and an implementation strategy. Using the CSA Z767 Process Safety Management standard as the basis, the research included the development of a phased approach to integrating PSM elements to help improve feasibility. The selection of PSM element phases was informed by surveys of operations and subject matter experts. This research recognizes that, while PSM is currently mostly voluntary in Canada, some organizations have adopted the CSA Z767 standard into regulations and proactively implementing a PSM framework will position companies well should regulations change.

Process Safety Maturity Assessment Tool

AbstractDue to rapid change from divestitures, acquisitions, and greenfield startups, Albemarle found it challenging to communicate and assess our Process Safety expectations. We decided we needed a tool that would both guide site management through the milestones related to process safety management systems and one that would allow senior management to assess progress. In addition, a tool was needed to challenge existing sites with continuous improvement goals in process safety management. For this reason, one key aspect of the tool is applicability to every site in the company; even though the maturity of the process safety program is diverse.

Review of Hydrogen-Related Accidents: Root Causes, Mitigation Strategies, and Recommendations for secure utilization.

Abstract Hydrogen, acknowledged as a versatile and sustainable energy carrier, is gaining significant attention across industries, becoming a focal point in the pursuit of cleaner energy solutions. However, Ensuring the safe utilization of hydrogen presents inherent challenges, giving rise to a spectrum of related accidents. This study delves into the intricate landscape of hydrogen utilization, acknowledging both its significance and inherent challenges associated with its safety. This comprehensive review examines hydrogen-related accidents from the Hydrogen Incident and Accident Database (HIAD) within a defined timeframe, analyzing causes and evaluating the effectiveness of current mitigation strategies through categorization and assessment of the root causes of hydrogen-related incidents, this review aspired to provide an in-depth understanding of safety issues and also reviewed the effectiveness of current mitigating strategies, employing risk assessment models. A thorough analysis of these incidents uncovered crucial insights, The findings of the review paper illustrate that human factor and management factors were possibly greater causes of hydrogen accidents than other factors, and management factors to be more hazardous than other factors. Through comprehensive literature review, the study aims to offer practical recommendations for refining safety protocols in hydrogen utilization like the implementation of Human Error Assessment and Reduction Technique (HEART) and Human Factor Analysis and Classification System (HFACS) for human factor induced incidents and process safety management (PSM) program for management factor induced incidents. Additionally, specific recommendation for reoccurring incidents based on severity are made to enhance safety protocols, thereby fostering its secure application across diverse industries.

Leading by example: Culture, leadership, and accountability

AbstractProcess safety practices and management systems have been in place for many years and have been widely credited for reductions in major accident risk. However, many organizations today are challenged by inadequate management system performance, resource pressures, and stagnant or declining process safety performance. Systems for managing process safety have not been fully successful in some organizations due to a variety of issues; major, frequent contributors include a lack of senior management commitment and poor safety culture. Senior management commitment and safety culture are inextricably linked, as the quality of an organization's leadership and their commitment will drive or limit the culture. Changes to improve management systems are relatively easy to implement, but extremely difficult to sustain without strong leadership commitment and total line management support. It is not just a case of changing the systems, but also changing the safety culture of the organization. Safety culture tends to be the result of everything that happened or failed to happen and represents the organization's shared values, beliefs, attitudes, and behaviors with respect to safety (occupational safety and process safety). To change the safety culture and sustain the change, leadership must care and explicitly show that they care all of the time. Only then can an organization begin to improve its culture. The first step for any organization is identifying and understanding their existing culture. This paper will present the essential features of a sound safety culture and a methodology for identifying safety culture weaknesses based upon a culture, leadership, and accountability (CLA) review protocol used at different levels of the organization. Other key steps involved in changing and sustaining an improved safety culture will also be addressed.

Use of Knowledge Graphs for Construction Safety Management: A Systematic Literature Review

Effective safety management is crucial in the construction industry. The growing interest in employing Knowledge Graphs (KGs) for safety management in construction is driven by the need for efficient computing-aided safety practices. This paper systematically reviews the literature related to automating safety management processes through knowledge base systems, focusing on the creation and utilization of KGs for construction safety. It captures current methodologies for developing and using KGs in construction safety management, outlining the techniques for each phase of KG development, including scope identification, integration of external data, ontological modeling, data extraction, and KG completion. This provides structured guidance on building a KG for safety management. Moreover, this paper discusses the challenges and limitations that hinder the wider adoption of KGs in construction safety management, leading to the identification of goals and considerations for future research.

Assessment of the quality of the labour safety management system in accordance with the requirements of the international standard ISO 45001:2018 at the stage of operation

The subject matter of the article is the assessment of the quality of the occupational safety management system. The goal of the article is to develop a methodology for assessment of the occupational safety management system at the stage of operation. The article solves the following task: to investigate the possibility of applying methods for analysing the dynamic characteristics of the occupational safety management system and to develop algorithms and methods for using the criteria of non-parametric statistics. Methods are used: qualimetry and mathematical statistics. The following results were obtained: an analysis of the requirements of the international standard ISO 45001:2018 was carried out to determine the need to monitor, measure and analyse the functioning of the occupational safety management system, which revealed that the effectiveness of the development and implementation of the occupational safety management system depends on the assessment methodology. An analysis of existing research and publications on the evaluation of processes, including those related to occupational safety, is carried out. The methods for evaluating mathematical systems for processing and controlling gross errors and stationarity, which are key to the analysis of occupational safety management processes, are considered. Non-parametric criteria for checking the stationarity of random processes are considered in detail. Sequences of means and means squares are compared with expected values to determine whether rejections of the stationary hypothesis are justified. The expediency of using these methods for analysing occupational safety management systems is determined. The dynamic nature of the processes and the importance of monitoring and data analysis to ensure effective safety management practices are analysed. Conclusions: The application of methods for analysing the dynamic characteristics of the occupational safety management system is substantiated and algorithms and methods for using the criteria of non-parametric statistics are developed, which allow to obtain an assessment of the system, taking into account the limited information about its indicators and the lack of knowledge of the law of their distribution as a random variable.

Enhancing process safety management through evidence-based process safety management (EBPSM): A theoretical framework and case analysis

Amidst the escalating complexity of process operations, ensuring effective process safety management (PSM) is crucial to prevent major accidents. However, current PSM practices often lack the integration of evidence resources, leading to a research-to-practice gap and hindering PSM's development. To address these challenges, this study proposes evidence-based process safety management (EBPSM), which systematically integrates various evidence types such as incident reports, hazard assessment, safety audits, and scientific literature, to optimize PSM and enhance professional expertise. Firstly, the study reviews PSM development, emphasizing its shortcomings concerning safety information. Subsequently, the EBPSM approach is introduced, highlighting its necessity and key determinants. A comprehensive framework for EBPSM is presented, detailing each stage of its operational processes. To demonstrate the extended application of EBPSM, the framework is employed in liquefied natural gas (LNG) maritime safety management. Finally, the study concludes by discussing limitations and suggesting future directions for EBPSM. By emphasizing the systematic integration of evidence resources and the necessity of applying EBPSM systematically, this study aims to equip process safety practitioners with a well-informed understanding of the evidence-based approach and its potential to enhance process safety outcomes in future PSM implementations. Moreover, embracing the EBPSM approach may enable industries to proactively mitigate risks and foster a safer and more resilient working environment.

SANITATION-SAFETY- PLANNING (SSP), THE NEXUS FOR CLIMATE RESILENCE, SANITION AND HEALTH IN BAYELSA STATE

In recorded human history, climate-related hazardous events have always existed; however, climate change has proved to have the potential to increase their severity and the likelihood of creating public health risks. In Bayelsa State, a sizable portion of the population has been reported to be suffering from gastrointestinal disorders particularly diarrhea and a number of children have been diagnosed of gastroenteritis and helminthes infections in the year 2021. Again, preventing exposure and contact to human waste, especially in dense urban settings requires the safe management of the entire sanitation service chain involving multiple actors and exposed groups in the collection, transport, treatment, disposal and end use of sanitation waste. To that end, a review of scientific literature, particularly the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Fifth Assessment Report (IPCC, 2014), the WHO discussion Paper on Climate, Sanitation and Health (WHO, 2019) and the Bayelsa State SSP zero draft of 2021, is undertaken to ensure that climate change outcomes are considered within the Sanitation Safety Planning (SSP) risk assessment, planning and management processes. The SSP is a WHO risk based management tool for the safe use and disposal of grey water, wastewater and excreta developed in 2006 because in 2018 the WHO concluded that sanitation interventions have shown lower than expected health outcomes. Evidently therefore, the Bayelsa State SSP zero draft of 2021 reports that between March and April 2021, over 200 cases were reported from over 30 communities arising from the outbreak of acute-gastroenteritis suspected to be of cholera, and casualty figures were over 26. Hopefully, the first comprehensive Guidelines on Sanitation and Health which aim to provide evidence-based recommendations and offer guidance to ensure international, national and local sanitation policies and programmes that effectively protect public health, was launched by the WHO in 2018. It is a step-by-step risk based approach to implementing local level risks assessment and a management tool for the entire sanitation service chain covering containment, conveyance, treatment and end use of disposal. Consequently, the SSP is hereby recommended for adoption in Bayelsa State and Niger Delta Region.

Modelling of Safety Performance in Building Construction Projects Using System Dynamics Approach in Tanzania

Issues in construction safety in Tanzania cast a long shadow, claiming lives and hindering project success. Understanding the complex dynamics at play is crucial for improving safety performance. This research aims to develop a system dynamics model to understand the factors influencing safety performance in building construction projects. Smart PLS was used to identify key variables using factor reduction, and 19 factors were determined as key factors to be used in this study from 143 variables from a questionnaire; then, STELLA was used to develop system dynamic modelling. A study was conducted on 255 building construction projects in five regions of Tanzania, Dar es Salaam, Dodoma, Arusha, Mwanza, and Mbeya, and later, the model was tested in one contractor’s company. By simulating the interactions between these diverse elements and their impact on accident rates, it was found that both safety performance and safety management processes for construction projects are not stagnant but are expected to rise at the beginning of the project and to grow steadily as the project execution approaches its end. The sensitivity analysis conducted on the system dynamics model found that the extent, frequency, and cost of incidences are positively correlated. This study contributes facts on the status of safety climate, a new definition of safety climate, and the integration of different analysis methods in evaluating safety performance in Tanzania.

Session 18. Oral Presentation for: Asset management and risk based process safety management approaches to the energy trilemma

Session 18. Oral Presentation for: Asset management and risk based process safety management approaches to the energy trilemma

Evaluation of the support capability of the launch power system propellant based on G1-EW two-dimensional cloud model

Due to technical limitations and the characteristics of the launch power system propellant, its support capability is affected by many factors and links. In the process of mission support, it is necessary to consider both its quality characteristics and the safety during the support process, which bring difficulties to the accuracy of its support capability evaluation. In this regard, the evaluation indexes system is constructed according to the requirements of total quality management theory, process safety management theory and equipment support characteristics. In the process of setting the indexes system, the technique for order preference by similarity to an ideal solution method (TOPSIS method) is used to screen the indexes to make indexes setting more scientific. The subjective weights obtained by the order relation analysis method (G1 method) and the objective weights obtained by the entropy weight method (EW method) are combined by the game theory combination weighting method to obtain the indexes combination weights, which reduce the error of weight calculation. The two-dimensional cloud model is used to evaluate support capability of the launch power system propellant from the two dimensions of quality management capability and safety management capability, which can reflect the support capability more comprehensively and accurately. Through example verification, the closeness of support capability of the launch power system propellant to the evaluation grades of ‘excellent’, ‘good’, ‘average’, ‘poor’ and ‘very poor’ is calculated to be 0.2333, 5.1169, 0.3579, 0.1821 and 0.1041, respectively, indicating that the evaluation results are closer to good. Finally, compared with the existing one-dimensional cloud model evaluation method, the superiority of this research method is highlighted, which has a certain guiding role in improving its support capability.

Empowering process safety hazard awareness and technical learning in energy operations

The Process Safety Management discipline is still misunderstood and deemed complex despite the efforts and progress that have been made over the past decades in the energy industry. This is important as the energy industry turns towards the energy transition and needs to remember the fundamentals of managing process safety risks in emerging technologies. At Origin Energy, leadership, risk management and learning are tightly connected when it comes to ensuring good process safety. In this context, Origin Energy’s Integrated Gas Business Unit has implemented Process Safety Management initiatives over the last 5 years grouped under three Process Safety Management strategic pillars: empowered process safety leadership; open-minded learning culture and best practice process hazard management. The aim of these initiatives was to develop a heightened process safety culture across the business unit. The approach used was to demystify process safety concepts to generate engagement and ownership at all levels. This was supplemented with implementing a companywide Engineering and Technical Community of Practice to enable sharing of technical learning across boundaries and building strong process safety risk awareness foundations supported by a Process Hazard Analysis Revalidation program.

Asset management and risk based process safety management approaches to the energy trilemma

The global energy landscape is transforming towards a carbon-neutral future, necessitating strategic and systematic approaches to address the energy trilemma of security, affordability, and sustainability. Two critical elements of this transformation include the large-scale global adoption of hydrogen for energy use and carbon capture, usage, and storage (CCUS), including carbon sequestration. These efforts require effective management from a lifecycle perspective, considering net emissions and economics, including the life-cycle cost of energy systems, and a risk based process safety (RBPS) management approach that ensures public safety. Embracing asset management principles, which encompass lifecycle management, risk management, and performance optimisation, will be key in facilitating this transition. By analysing energy generation, demand patterns, and storage capacity, optimising the use of renewable energy, systematically, and dynamically monitoring asset performance, and process safety assurance metrics, operators can optimise resource allocation, reduce costs, and improve sustainability and public safety. Furthermore, adopting good risk engineering practices, including RBPS management, will manage risks to as low as reasonably practicable, ensuring a tolerable residual public risk level. This article highlights the correlation between the energy trilemma and asset management practices and suggests practical strategies to manage these major changes by implementing principles of asset management and RBPSmanagement, including a supporting case study.

AI‐PSM: Where are we now?

AbstractSince its public debut in late 2022, ChatGPT has sparked growing interest in AI (Artificial Intelligence) within the Process Safety Management (PSM) community, serving as a tool for data capture and industry‐wide knowledge utilization. While machine learning (ML) had previously been explored in process safety, the emergence of large language models with chat‐style interfaces has made AI more accessible to non‐experts. Over the past year, I have managed the “AI‐PSM” LinkedIn group, facilitating discussions among PSM practitioners on the AI applications in PSM. These discussions have been analyzed using Prof. Thomas Malone's “4 Roles of AI” framework. This paper explores prevailing sentiments among AI‐PSM group members using Malone's model, addressing challenges such as mathematical problem‐solving, errors, and benchmarking.