You are on page 1of 17

Mechanical Integrity of Process

Equipment
• Design, fabrication, installation, and
maintenance affect safety
• Specified construction materials
should be used in fabrication and
maintenance
• All equipment used in the operating
facility should be fabricated in
accordance with design
specifications
Mechanical Integrity of Process
Equipment
• When design specifications are
compromised, probability of accident
is increased
• Inspect, verify and test to confirm
reliability
• Perform testing prior to start-up and
periodically thereafter
• Place procedures where hazardous
materials are involved
Mechanical Integrity of Process
Equipment
• During maintenance operations,
facility is vulnerable to the creation
of a hazardous conditions
• Hot-work areas
• Design considerations should be
given for different kinds of work
during operation
• Safety relief devices
Process Hazard Analysis
• OSHA is responsible for regulating
safety hazards in the workplace
• 29 CFR 1910.119 - Process Safety
Management of Highly Hazardous
Chemicals
• Requires employers to manage
hazards identified as highly
hazardous
• Use process hazard analysis using
material safety data sheets,
Process Hazard Analysis
• Must use at least one of these
methodologies:
– What-if analysis
– Checklist
– What-if/checklist
– Hazard and operability study
– Failure mode and effects analysis
– Fault tree analysis
– An appropriate equivalent technology
Process Hazard Analysis
• Exceptions of OSHA 29 CFR 1910.119
– Hydrocarbons used as fuels
– Flammable liquids > normal boiling
point
– Do not apply to retail facilities
– Oil and gas Exploration and Production
operations
– Unoccupied remote facilities
Process Hazard Analysis
• Goals of OSHA 29 CFR 1910.119
– Assures that both technology and
management controls are working
together
– Assures that hazardous chemical
industries will be more closely
monitored
– Plant design and operation will be forced
to comply with OSHA regulations and
with industry and company standards
Process Hazard Analysis
• Project safety and health review
• Siting of the operating facility
• Identification of hazards early
• Hazardous material storage facilities
should be of safe distance from the
process area
• Storage of hazardous chemicals
Personnel Motivation and
Training
• Operations and Maintenance
Personnel needs training
• Highly trained and skilled personnel
are excellent resource for improving
safety and productivity.
• Outside contractors are also to be
considered
• Well-conceived process control
system should reflect a balance
between:

• Human Control
– Reflects human capability at a particular time
when the response is required

• Hardware Control
– Reflects upon the hardware design and
mechanical integrity at a particular point of
demand
Human Errors
• Errors of Omission
– Employee forgot to execute a required task
• Errors of Commission
– Employee Performed the task but did it
incorrectly
• Errors of Sequence
– Employee did the task out of order with the
required sequence
• Errors of Timing
– Employee did the task either too fast or slow
• Operator-Induced Error
– Employee has the knowledge to make
the correct decision but acts incorrectly
• System-Induced Error
– Created by integration of incompatible
components into a total system
• Design-Induced Error
– Results from faulty equipment design,
fabrication or installation
• Input Errors
– Caused by typographical errors
associated with data or information
• Low Stress Errors
– Cause by a lapse of memory during a
normal environmental condition
• High Stress Errors
– When employees make wrong decisions
in
life-threatening situations
Process and Plant Modification
Change
• It should not result in errors that
could lead to accidents

• Safety program at the operating


facility should have procedures to
manage modifications

• Hazard Analysis should be performed


Incident Investigation
• Near-miss Incidents should be
studied
• Location of Hazardous processes,
materials and products should be
considered
Safety Audits
• Used to verify compliance with
regulatory standards
• Used to protect the safety and health
of the employees, surrounding
communities and environment
Safety Audits
• Review of Relevant Documentation
• Review of Process Safety Information
• Inspection of Operating Facilities
• Interviews with selected plant
personnel

You might also like