Faculty of Chemical

Engineering
Universiti Teknologi
MARA

Hazards Identification and

the Control of Hazards

Process Safety - CPE615

What is Hazard?
Unsafe condition and unsafe acts that
could potentially cause accidents/ harm

Process Safety - CPE615

What do you know about

hazard..??

Process Safety - CPE615

Sources of Hazards
The work environment
Equipment/plant/proce

ss
Substances/materials
Work system
People
Process Safety - CPE615

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Method
Materia
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Milieu

Elimination of hazards
(unsafe conditions) may help
eliminating accidents.
But, before you can do
something about a hazard you
must identify and recognise it
first.
Process Safety - CPE615

Hazard Identification
The identification and understanding of

hazards is a fundamental requirement for

all businesses, ranging from offices through
to major hazard installations.
Should be viewed as an integral part of
securing the long term profitable
development of the business.
Hazard identification is to identify:
The hazards that will exist
The consequences that may occur due to these

hazards
The likelihood
these events may take place
Process that
Safety - CPE615

Identify the potential hazard from the image.

Process Safety - CPE615

Process Safety - CPE615

Hazards identification
objectives:
To improve the safety reliability and

operability of a project by recognising

and eliminating or reducing potential
hazards at the design stage as well as
through the whole project lifecycle,
To avoid endangering the health and
safety of the plant employees and nearby
public, and
To avoid loss of properties which will
Process Safety - CPE615

When to carry out hazard

identification???
Before and during :
Introduction of new plant, equipment, process,
materials
Alteration to the plant, equipment, workplace
Change to the way the plant, equipment and area is
used
Change to the work system
Change in location of the plant, equipment or people

If new or additional health or safety

information associated with plant,
equipment, materials or other item
becomes available.
Process Safety - CPE615

When to carry out hazard

identification???
The whole plant lifecycle

Process Safety - CPE615

Basic approach to hazard

identification and risk assessment
Identify the types of hazards these may

be chemical, electrical, physical,

mechanical, fire/explosion or health
hazards or a combination of these.
Identify the individual hazards which
might arise and under what conditions
this might happen.
Evaluate the possible consequences
arising from this hazard (to people, the
environment, financial impact or any
Process
- CPE615
combination
ofSafety
these).

Basic approach to hazard

identification and risk assessment
Evaluate the likelihood of the

consequence arising.
Identify the prevention, control and
mitigation measures in place to limit the
consequences and / or reduce the
likelihood.
Assess if these measures are adequate
and reduce the risk to as low as
reasonably practicable (ALARP).
Process Safety - CPE615

Basic approach to hazard

identification and risk assessment
Introduce additional measures if required

and have a plan of action to deliver

these.
Review the assessment periodically to
ensure it remains valid in the light of
regulatory changes, new technology and
changes in risk levels considered
tolerable by society.
Process Safety - CPE615

The process of hazard

identification can also assist in:
Revealing hazards which were

overlooked in the original design &

installation of plant, equipment,
operating procedures & setting-up of
associated work systems;
Detecting hazards which have developed
after the plant, equipment or work
system has been established;
Highlighting any ergonomics problems
associated with the plant, equipment,
Process Safety - CPE615

The process of hazard

identification can also assist in:
Indicating any environmental factors e.g.

poor lighting, that may contribute to an

accident.
Determining methods for ongoing
monitoring to achieve optimum OHS
standards.
Highlighting any training requirements.

Process Safety - CPE615

Components of Hazard
Identification
Develop a register for all hazardous items
Must list all items with details on the location and
usage.
One person must be given responsibility for
maintaining the register in each area. (PIC)

Analyse available information about the

potential hazards associated with each item and
work system, e.g.:

Check
Check
Check
Check

accident/incident reports
breakdown/maintenance records
recommended training information, instructions
codes of practice/standards
Process Safety - CPE615

Components of Hazard
Identification
Inspect the workplace to identify hazards.
Analyse:
The environment.
The system of work.
The piece of plant, equipment, chemicals or other item
itself.

Record the hazard identification on:

Hazard identification checklist, and/or
Hazard identification worksheet, and/or
Register.

Process Safety - CPE615

Hazard Control Hierarchy

No
.

Control
Method

Description/Example

1.

Eliminate

Completely remove the hazard from the

workplace so that it is not there.

2.

Substitute

Replace the material or process with a less

hazardous one.

3.

Isolate

Place a barrier or similar between the hazard

and people within the workplace (e.g. a fence
surrounding the hazard).

4.

Engineering
controls

Install or using additional machinery. (e.g

ventilation system, guarding on machinery,
sensor system).

5.

Administrativ
e controls

Safety briefings, safety trainings, work

procedure, safety awareness signage.

6.

PPE

Last line of defence to protect a worker if the

aboveSafety
measures
Process
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Layers of Protection in Process Plant

Layer 1:Basic Process Control
Maintain variables at set points

Layer 2: Alarms
Alert operators

Layer 3: Safety Interlock System

Automatic action usually stops part of plant
operation
to achieve safe conditions.

Process Safety - CPE615

Layers of Protection in Process Plant

Layer 4: Relief
Automatically provide exit path for fluids

Layer 5: Containment
Use to moderate the impact of a spill or an
escape
(e.g. bunding for storage tank, diversion to
temporary
storage)

Layer 6: Emergency Response

Moderate the impact of incidents. A must for
Process Safety - CPE615

Inherent Safety
Relies on the chemistry and physics to

prevent accidents rather than on control

systems, interlocks, etc.
Major approach to inherently safer
process design:
intensification
substitution
attenuation
limitation of effects
simplification/error tolerance
Process Safety - CPE615

Inherent Safety
New words proposed:
minimise (to replace intensification)
substitute (substitution)
moderate (to replace attenuation and
limitation of effects)
simplify (to replace simplification and
error tolerance)

Process Safety - CPE615

Inherent Safety
Minimise (intensification)
Change from large batch reactor to a

smaller continuous reactor

Reduce storage inventory of raw materials
Improve control to reduce inventory of
hazardous intermediate chemicals.
Reduce process hold-up
Use smaller quantities of hazardous
substances in the reactors, distillation
columns, storage vessels.
Safety - CPE615
Minimizes Process
storage
and transportation

Inherent Safety
Substitute (substitution)
Use safer materials in place of the

hazardous ones.
Use solvent that is less toxic.
Use mechanical gauges vs. mercury
Use water as a heat transfer fluid instead
of hot oil.
Replace toxic or flammable solvent with
water based paints and adhesives
Process Safety - CPE615

Inherent Safety
Moderate (attenuation and limitation of
effects)
Use hazardous material but under less

hazardous condition
Reduce process temperatures and
pressure
Refrigerate storage vessels to lower the
vapor pressure
Dissolve hazardous material in safe
solvent
Operate at conditions where reactor
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runaway isProcess
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possible

Inherent Safety
Simplify (simplification and error
tolerance)
Keep piping systems neat and visually

easy to follow
Design control panels that are easy to
comprehend
Design plants for easy and safe
maintenance
Pick equipment that requires less
maintenance
Process and
Safety - CPE615
Label vessels
controls to enhance

Identify the potential hazard from the image.

Process Safety - CPE615

Process Safety - CPE615

Major Hazards in
Process Industries

Toxic Release

Fire
Explosion

TOXIC RELEASE

Hazard from Toxic

Substances

There are no harmless substance,

only harmless ways of using substances
Toxicants
A chemical agents
A physical (dusts, fibers, noise, and radiation)

agents, e.g. asbestos

Toxicity is a property of toxicant that describe its
effect on biological organism.
Toxic hazards is the likelihood of damage to
biological organism based on exposure
resulting from the use/transport/storage of the
toxicants (hazardous material).

Hazard from Toxic

Substances
Effects that are Irreversible
Carcinogen-cause cancer
Mutagen-cause chromosome (gene) damage
Teratogen- cause birth defects
Effects that may or may not be irreversible
Dermatotoxic affects skin
Hemotoxic affects blood
Hepatotoxic- affects liver
Nephrotoxic affects kidneys
Neutotoxic affects nervous system
Pulmonotoxic- affects lungs

FIRE

Fire
Jet Fire
Flash Fire
Pool Fire

Jet fires
A jet fire is the combustion of material

emerging with significant momentum

from an orifice, from a source under
pressure, e/g. a flammable liquid or gas
is ignited after its release from a
pressurized, punctured vessel or pipe.
The pressure release generates a long
flame which is stable under most
conditions.
The duration of a jet fire is determined
by the release rate and the capacity of
the source.

Flame length increase directly with

flow rate.
Crosswinds affect flame length.
An increase in crosswind velocity
causes the flame to bend over
quickly and be convected by the
wind.
The flame length increases with
crosswind velocity.
A jet flame is similar to a Bunsen
burner flame

Jet Fire

POOL FIRE
A pool fire is the combustion of

flammable vapor evaporating from a

layer of liquid at the base of the fire.
It occurs on ignition of an
accumulation of liquid as a pool on
the ground or on water or other
liquid.
A steadily burning fire is rapidly
achieved as the vapor to sustain the
fire is provided by the evaporation of
the liquid by heat from the flames.

Pool Fire

Flash Fire/Vapor Cloud Fire

Occurs when a vapour cloud forms from a

leak and is ignited, but without creation of

significant overpressure.
Released a flammable vapour from a process
equipment or pipe followed by ignition
If the ignition is prompt, the cloud may be
modest in size, but if the cloud has time to
spread over an appreciable part of the site
and is than ignited, a major vapour cloud fire
may result.
It is a quick and short phenomenon which
can be accompanied by mechanical effects
(blast).

Flash Fire

Explosion

Important terms
Shock wave: An abrupt pressure wave (energy front)
generated due to sudden release of energy, which move in the
medium.
Blast wave:A shock wave in open air generally followed by
strong wind, the combined shock and wind is called blast wave
Overpressure:The pressure on an object as a result of an
impacting shock wave
Deflagration:An explosion in which the reaction front
(energy front) moves at a speed less than the speed of the
sound in the medium.
Detonation: An explosion in which the reaction front (energy
front) moves at a speed greater than the speed of the sound in
the medium.

Types of Explosion
Vapor Cloud Explosion
BLEVE
Dust Explosion

Vapor Cloud Explosion

The most dangerous and destructive explosions in the

chemical process industries

When flammable vapour is released to the

atmosphere, it will form a cloud suspended in

the air, filling the atmosphere to a height
limited by its density.
If it is ignited at some early stages, flash fire

will be formed.
However if ignition is delayed and triggered

within the explosive limit, it will generate

more devastating effect known as the VCE.

Phillips Pasadena, USA

23rd Oct. 1989

23 Deaths 130
Injuries
Vapour Cloud
explosion
Loss US$ 500
Millions

BLEVE
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BLEVE is a consequence of holding a pressurized flammable liquids above it

boiling point.

Causes of BLEVE
A BLEVE can be defined as a major

failure of container at a moment in time

when the contained liquid is at a
temperature well above its atmospheric
pressure boiling point.
The most common type of BLEVE occurs

when a pressure vessel that is partially

filled with liquid is exposed to a fire.

Mechanism of BLEVE

The fire weakens the portion of

the tank shell that is contacted
by the flame and that is not in
contact with liquid.
Simultaneously, the flame heat
the liquid in the tank,
increasing the equilibrium
pressure and ultimately the
tank pressure.
At some point the tank
weakens so much that internal
pressure is sufficient to cause
the vessel to rupture.

anism of BLEVE
Fragments of the tank are
propelled away from the
tank location with great
force.
The liquid remaining in
the tank at the time of
rupture is subject to rapid
flash vaporization that
atomizes much of the
liquid.
A fireball is created by
burning vapour and liquid
at it expands outward.

Second type of BLEVE is that which occurs

mechanically damage tanks.

In some cases, the damage done to a pressurized
tank of liquefied gas in a transportation accident has
been sufficient to cause an immediate catastrophic
failure of the tank.
In other cases, the damage to the tanks appeared to
be minor, but the stresses imposed on the
mechanically damaged areas were sufficient to cause
the tank to fail catastrophically at a later time.
In this instances, BLEVEs can occur with out the
presence of a fire and might or might not followed by
fireball.

A third type of BLEVE can occur if a

pressure vessel is allowed to become

completely filled with liquid.
As the temperature rises, the pressure
relief capacity is insufficient to keep
the internal pressure from exceeding
the strength of the tank.
This type of BLEVE can occur with out
the presence of a fire and might or
might not be followed by a fireball.

BLEVE

DUST EXPLOSION
Any combustible material (and some

materials normally considered noncombustible) can burn rapidly when in a finely

divided form.
If such a dust is suspended in air in the right
concentration, it can become explosive.
The force from such an explosion can cause
employee deaths, injuries, and destruction of
entire buildings.

Materials that may form

combustible dust include metals

(such as aluminium and
magnesium), wood, coal, plastics,
bio solids, sugar, paper, soap,
dried blood, and certain textiles.
In many accidents, employers
and employees were unaware
that a hazard even existed.