Process Safety and Disaster Preparedness

1. Process Safety andDisaster Preparedness TM 650 – Safety Management Carter J. Kerk, PhD, PE, CSP, CPE Industrial Engineering Department South Dakota School of Mines

2. Reading Assignment • Chapter 6, Asfahl

3. Process Safety Standard, 1992 • 29 CFR 1910.119 • 1% of OSHA General Industry citations address this subject • Motivation (see course website): • Union Carbide, Bhopal, India, 1984 • Phillips Petrochemical, Pasadena, Texas, 1989 • Purpose • Preventing or minimizing the consequences of catastrophic releases of toxic, reactive, flammable, or explosive chemicals. These releases may result in toxic, fire or explosion hazards.

4. Bhopal Disaster (www.bhopal.com) • December 3, 1984, Bhopal, India • 3800 killed, 40 permanently disabled, 2800 partially disabled • Union Carbide India Limited plant • Methyl isocyanate (MIC, used to make pesticide and herbicide) gas leaked into atmosphere, killing and disabling thousands as they slept • Cause: A large volume of water entered the MIC tank, causing a chemical reaction forcing the release valve to open and the gas to leak • Questions remain: Was it an accident or deliberate?

5. Phillips Petrochemical Disaster • October 23, 1989, Pasadena, Texas • 24 killed, 314 injured, $750M facility damage • Polyethylene (plastic used to make milk containers) • Cause: Subcontractor maintenance crews using poor lockout practices caused escape of process gas (isobutane, ethylene, hexene, hydrogen) which traveled to an ignition source and exploded with the force of 2.4 tons of TNT and then subsequent fire

6. 29 CFR 1910.119 • Appendix A (Asfahl Appendix E) • list of highly hazardous chemical, toxics, and reactives • Appendix B (Asfahl Figure 6-1, 6-2) • OSHA wants either a block flow diagram or a simplified process flow diagram • Appendix C • compliance guidelines

7. Develop an Information Database • Compile info on • highly hazardous chemicals used or produced • equipment used • technology of the process • From MSDS and other sources • See Case Study 6.1

8. Process Information: Before an analysis of a process can begin, the employer must compile information on highly hazardous chemical to be used or produced, the equipment to be used, and the technology of the process. Potential sources of information include the MSDS, chemical dictionaries and reference manuals, and the NIOSH Registry of Toxic Effects of Chemical Substances (http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/rtecs/RTECSaccess.html). Case Study 6.1 shows how published data can be used to provide the data necessary for analysis of hazardous processes. Also provide process chemistry data, maximum intended inventory, and safe upper and lower limits for temperatures, pressures, flows, or compositions.

9. Note: CAS: Chemical Abstract Service number. TQ: Threshold (minimum) quantity in pounds (amount necessary to be covered by this standard).

10. Document the Processes • Use block flow diagrams or process flow diagrams • where possible include flow rates, stream composition, temperatures, pressures, etc. • include engineering details • materials of construction, piping and instrumentation diagrams, relief systems, ventilation, interlocks, detection and suppression systems, etc.

13. Is this only for the petrochemical industry?? • No, OSHA defines “process” more broadly • poultry processor using chlorine for refrigeration • metal processing industries using plating chemicals (again see Text Appendix E)

14. Process Analysis • What can go wrong? • How to react? • What-If Analysis • fault-tree analysis (FTA) • failure modes and effects analysis (FMEA) • Analysis must be updated every 5 yrs • Document and record analysis

15. Operating Procedures • After process info has been gathered and analyzed, develop effective operating procedures • Establish procedures for different modes • normal operations • temporary operations • emergency operations

16. Training Programs • Initial training for new operators and new operations • Refresher training, < 3 years • Verification or testing • Documentation

17. Contractors • Contracted labor is a growing trend • Prime employer is responsible for operations and conduct of contract employees • Examine contractor safety records prior to contract • Maintain injury/illness log on contract employees

18. Acts of Terrorism • The terrorist attacks September 11, 2001 on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, forever changed the challenges for Process Safety • We now add terrorist attacks to our concerns for Disaster Preparedness • Many safety professionals have now had this concern added to their responsibilities

19. Terrorist Disaster Preparedness • Limit facility access • Parking lot design and location • Landscaping changes to protect buildings • Concrete barricades to limit approaches and access • Incident management aspects • How to protect workers and volunteers after an attack? • Training on use of equipment and PPE • Have a company policy and plan!

20. Workplace Violence • Increasing incidences of workplace shootings (and school shootings) • Homocide is 4th leading cause of fatal occupational injury in the US. • 551 workplace homicides in 2004 • http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/workplaceviolence/index.html • Have a company policy and plan!

21. HW10 Chapter 6 Questions • Exercises & Study Questions, 130-131 • 1-25, odds • Research Exercises • Review the information posted on the website concerning the Bhopal (1984) and Phillips (1989) tragedies • Check out more details about these tragedies on the internet • Write about what there is to learn about these historical events for today’s safety managers and technical managers