Mitigating Catastrophic Hazards: A Guide to Effective Process Safety Management

Introduction

The present industrial landscape requires stringent safety of processes, including hazardous materials. This calls for Process Safety Management (PSM), a systematic approach to prevent catastrophic incidents involving highly hazardous chemicals. PSM makes use of operations, engineering, and safety standards to keep workplaces, communities, and environments disaster-free. At workplaces, the chemical releases and explosion risks are consequential. The statistics are alarming: in 2023, over 150 incidents in the U.S. involved hazardous chemical releases that led to injuries, fatalities, and major financial damages. All those incidents could have been avoided easily if those workplaces had implemented effective PSM Strategies. In this blog, we will explore key PSM components and practical strategies to implement workplace safety measures effectively. So, keep reading on as we mention workplace hazard identification and risk assessment with the help of PSM.

How to Identify and Analyze Catastrophic Hazards in the Workplaces?

Designing an effective PSM strategy requires first identifying workplace hazards. The workplace should have an effective risk assessment plan to identify catastrophic hazards.

Major Types of Catastrophic Hazards in the Industrial Processes

These hazards cause life loss, environmental damage, and hefty financial losses. The following are the most common types of hazards at the workplaces:

1. Chemical Release: The unintentional release of hazardous substances in the environment generally occurs due to equipment failure, natural disasters, or human error. Chemical spills and runaway reactions are thermally unstable reactions that rapidly increase heat and temperature. Gas leaks and chemical spills have immediate and long-lasting effects on the safety and health of humans. For a better understanding, read our blog on Types of Chemical Hazards and How to Manage them.
2. Explosion and Fire Hazards: Flammable materials in the workplace significantly increase the risk of fires and explosions. Common causes include improper storage of flammable chemicals, faulty electrical equipment, or sparks from welding. Regular inspections, proper storage practices, and maintaining fire suppression systems can help mitigate these risks.
3. Mechanical Equipment Oversight: Serious incidents can happen due to equipment failure, including pump or valve leaks. Mechanical equipment failure occurs due to old infrastructure or lack of equipment maintenance.
4. Confined Space Hazards: The job of a confined space brings various risks, including oxygen deficiency and toxic air. One should follow proper safety measures while working in confined spaces.
5. High-Pressure Activities: High-pressure processes/environments can fail the equipment due to over-pressurization. It also causes explosions or the release of hazardous materials. Following are the types of high-pressure processes in various industries that are hazardous situations:
   • Oil Refining/hydrocracking can cause equipment failure and lead to explosions.
   • Ammonia Synthesis occurs at high pressure and can rupture the container and release the toxic ammonia gas.
   • Hydraulic fracturing injects the fluids at high pressure into the rock formation. Failure of equipment can lead to blowouts and chemical leaks.
   • Over-pressurized boilers explode and release hazardous steam.

How to perform an In-Depth Hazard Identification & Risk Analysis (HIRA)?

Following are the major steps of performing the detailed Hazard Identification and Risk Analysis (HIRA):

Hazard Identification:

Begin the HIRA process by identifying potential hazards related to processes, equipment, materials, and human factors. Review historical incident data, such as accident reports and maintenance logs, and conduct on-site inspections to uncover hidden risks. Techniques like HAZOP (Hazard and Operability Study) or What-If Analysis can also aid in identifying hazards systematically. The HAZOP method includes a structured approach that identifies hazards by analyzing each part of the process, as well as issues in operability, to understand the deviations from standard operations.

Risk Assessment:

Evaluate the probability and severity possibility of each identified hazard to determine its impact. With a structured approach, you can categorize the risks and prioritize the hazards that pose the greatest threat at your workplace. Address high-risk scenarios immediately, while measures can be taken to tackle medium or low risk hazards gradually. FMEA evaluates the possible failure modes within a process to understand their impact on operations. It classifies failures depending on their severity, likelihood of occurrence, and detectability.

Controls Implementation:

The next step is strategy development for risk mitigation. It covers engineering controls (such as safety barriers), personal protective equipment, and administrative controls such as employee training implementation. For control implementation the Bow-Tie Analysis tool can be used that combines fault tree analysis and event tree analysis. It demonstrates the pathways from the causes of hazardous events and their outcomes, along with preventive strategies.

Tracking and Reviewing:

The implemented controls' effectiveness should be tracked continuously. The HIRA is reviewed routinely to accommodate the changes in the processes and regulations. In response to the following changes, the HIRA should be reviewed:

• New equipment or processes introduced.
• Existing operations and workflow modifications.
• Upgrades in the industry regulations and standards.
• Verdicts from the investigations and near-miss reports.
• Conclusions from audits and inspections.

Documentation:

Maintain detailed records of all HIRA activities.

How to Develop and Implement Process Safety Plans?

Form the Process Safety Management Team

Assemble a team of safety, engineering controls, maintenance, and operations experts. Assign responsibilities to team members, making them accountable for creating, implementing, and maintaining plans.

Perform Process Hazard Analysis (PHA)

Identify possible hazards related to the industrial processes with the help of tools and methods such as FMEA, HAZOP, or Bow-Tie Analysis. Risks should be assessed based on their severity and the probability of occurrence, and all the findings and required corrective actions should be documented.

Create Written Procedures

Systematize the operations by developing to-the-point, methodological instructions for emergencies like normal, startup, shutdown, etc.

• Normal operations are the routine workflows and activities.
• Startup operations in which the equipment and processes are initialized safely.
• Shutdown operations, in which the equipment activity is terminated in a safe manner.
• Emergency scenarios such as chemical spills, fires, hazardous incidents and equipment failure.

The procedures for each situation should include:

• Clear instructions for the employees to tackle each scenario.
• Protocols for proper equipment usage, including the fire extinguishers, PPE and spill containment kits.
• Handling non-standard episodes in safe manners and protocols to address the aberrations in workplace safety measures.

Written procedures should include details about safety equipment, protocol deviations, and easy accessibility of written procedures to all employees.

Introduce Employee Training Programs

Provide employees with training tailored to their roles, focusing on process-specific hazards, operational safety, and emergency response. Hands-on simulations should be included to prepare for real-world scenarios. Regular refresher courses ensure that skills remain sharp, and employees stay up to date with the latest safety standards. Keep detailed records of all training sessions for compliance and future reference.

Protect Mechanical Integrity

Create a maintenance schedule for the most important equipment, such as pumps, pressure vessels, and piping systems. Regularly inspect, test, and apply preventive maintenance to tackle the ageing infrastructure and prevent equipment failure.

Develop Emergency Response Procedures

An in-depth emergency action plan for the workplace includes evacuation routes and communication protocols. To develop an effective EAP, contact local emergency services and organize routine drills to prepare for incidents.

Develop Management of Change (MOC) Process

Before implementing modifications in processes, equipment, and procedures, evaluate all possible risks. Document all the updates along with procedures and training to reflect these changes.

Routine Audits and Reviews

Audit the PSM plan regularly to find gaps, improvement areas, and compliance with PSM standards. The PSM plans can be audited through documentation review, safety systems inspections, personnel interviewing and operational data analysis. Revisit the incident investigations and perform corrective actions to refine the safety measures.

Incident Investigation Protocols Establishment

All incidents should be investigated immediately to find out the root cause and stop recurrence. The safety plan should include the findings, and corrective actions should be applied to further strengthen the safety plan. Maintain detailed incident reports for future reference and safety improvements.

Develop Safety-First Culture

Every workplace should prioritize employee safety if they wish to thrive and flourish. Employees should be encouraged to report safety concerns without fearing punishment. Management can foster a safety culture by implementing safety incentive programs or anonymous reporting systems. HAZWOPER OSHA Training LLC offers an OSHA Process Safety Management course, conveniently available in flexible formats, including online, onsite, virtual instructor-led, and SCORM-compliant packages. Therefore, enroll today and ensure your team is prepared for incidents.

The Wrap Up

Industries handling hazardous materials need a solid process safety management plan to ensure smooth operations. Process Safety Management not only helps to establish workplace safety procedures but also develops a safety culture that prioritizes risk management and incident prevention. Proactive PSM helps to build a resilient workplace where employees can work confidently. Enroll in our comprehensive PSM course today and equip your team with the tools and knowledge to ensure compliance and safety excellence.

References:

Falcon, April 22nd, 2024, 7 Most Common Safety Risks in the Chemical and Petrochemical Industry, https://blog.falcony.io/en/7-most-common-safety-risks-in-the-chemical-and-petrochemical-industry