CHEMICAL PROCESS

SAFETY
Contents

What is Chemical Process Safety

Physical Plant Safety policy
General Safety Precautions
Employee Safety Requirements
Hazards for Workers
OSHA: Reducing exposure to workers
Equipment Safety
Steps for Process Safety Management

MNS UET 2
What is Chemical Process Safety?

The prevention of accidents by the use of

appropriate technologies to identify the
hazards of a chemical plant and to
eliminate them before an accident occurs

MNS UET
3
 PHYSICAL PLANT SAFETY
POLICY
The policy of this department concerning safety
is that all employees shall comply with all
appropriate OSHA regulations, as well as to
perform work in the safest possible manner
consistent with good work practices. The
prevention of accidents is considered as
important as any other part of our operations
and must be an essential part of the planning
for every phase of each job
MNS UET 4
General Safety Precautions

No Smoking : risk of igniting flammable material in air

Protective Clothing: protective clothing such as
Hard hats : to prevent against injury from falling material.
Goggles : To protect eyes from coming in contact with hazardous chemicals and
tiny solid particles.

MNS UET 5
 General Safety Precautions

Face Shields: used when

Working with acids
Performing grinding or chiping operations (usually in workshops)
Gloves must be worn
Safety shoes: must be worn for protection against spillages.
First Aid kit must always be handy.

MNS UET 6
 Examples for visualization of safety
information

MNS UET 7
 FIRE PROTECTION
Alarms
Know WHERE the nearest fire alarm box is located. Know HOW
to turn in an alarm. Know how the alarm sounds and the proper
EVACUATION ROUTE

Extinguishers
Know where the nearest fire extinguisher is located. Know how to
operate it. Know the type of fire it should be used on
Refueling
Equipment shall not be refueled while running or hot.
Smoking

Smoking is permitted only in approved smoking

MNS UET 8
areas.
Hazards for Workers

Numerous hazards exist in a Chemical plant for its

Workers. The main ones are:
Inhalation: contaminants are picked up by the air
which the workers breathe.
Leaks: leaks of flammable or toxic material poses a
risk for workers.
Small Solid particles: when transported in open
environment these may also be inhaled and become a
health hazard
Hazards for maintenance workers: If maintenance of
a closed system is performed while system is running,
safety of worker is endangered by contaminant
release, but also noise, and thermal radiation.
MNS UET 9
OSHA

Occupational Safety and Health

Administration
Requires that an estimate of toxicity or
intrinsic hazard be given by the plant in the
form of a Material Supply Data Sheet, MSDS.
A total inventory of all materials present in
the various stages of the process
For each chemical and for each source of
exposure for that chemical, an estimate of
exposure can be made.
This aids in making a risk estimation which is
the first step in minimizing work place safety
risks.
MNS UET
10
Process Hazard Analysis

Identify possible problems in the process

Identify possible causes and results
Develop prevention techniques
Evaluate the current system and operations

MNS UET 11
Equipment Safety

Equipment Safety is of crucial importance to make sure

the safety of the workers is not compromised. For this
purpose, plants make use of
Relief Valves
Safety Interlocks
Process Hazard Analysis.

MNS UET 12
Equipment Safety

Relief Systems
Relief System are used to control the pressure in plant vessels.
There are several types of relief valves

MNS UET
13
Equipment Safety

MNS UET
14
Equipment Safety

Safety System Interlocks

High Temperature Interlock

Low Temperature Interlock
High Pressure Interlock

Interlocking is a method of preventing undesired states in a machine, which can

include any electrical, electronic, or mechanical device or system

MNS UET
15
Equipment Safety

Process Hazard Analysis

Identify possible problems in the process
Identify possible causes and results
Develop prevention techniques
Evaluate the current system and operations

MNS UET
16
Steps for Process Safety Management

Operating Procedures
Initial Startup
Normal Operations
Emergency shutdown
Emergency operations
Safety and Health Considerations
Precautions to prevent exposure
Control measures if exposure occurs

MNS UET
17
Process Safety Management

Training
Initial Training
Refresher Training
Training Documentation
Pre-Startup Safety Review
Walk through the completed facilities to make sure the building looks like the
design and to look for safety hazards

MNS UET
18
Process Safety Management

Mechanical Integrity
Inspection and Testing
Preventative Maintenance
Safe Work Practices
Hot Work Permits, Confined Space Training/Permit, Lockout/Tagout

MNS UET
19
Process Safety Management

Management of Change
Outlines the minimum requirements for making changes
Evaluation must occur before any change
EVERYTHING must be updated and approved
Employee training

MNS UET
20
Process Safety Management

Incident Investigation
Procedure to follow if one of the guidelines is breached or chemical safety is
compromised
PROMPT, no longer then 24 hrs.
Report must be submitted

MNS UET
21
Process Safety Management

Emergency Planning and Response

Plant-wide Program
Procedure for small releases
Provisions for hazardous waste

MNS UET
22
 Conclusion

The basic principle: the faster and

more effective the initial response, the
smaller the consequences for men,
environment and economy

Accidents may happen even in most

modern plants. They cannot be planned,
but they should be considered.

Workers are risks and resources for

MNS UET 23

safety
Without Process Safety

MNS UET 24
Without Process Safety

Bhopal-
December 2-3, 1984
Union Carbide
Release of methyl iso-cyanate
Killed 2,000
Injured 150,000

MNS UET 25
THANK U