Safety distances for hydrogen filling stations

In the context of spatial planning the Dutch Ministry of Housing, Spatial Planning and the Environment asked the Centre for External Safety of the National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM) to advice on safe distances pertaining to hydrogen filling stations. The RIVM made use of failure modeling and parameters for calculating the distance in detail. An imaginary hydrogen filling station for cars is used in the determination of ‘external safety’ or third party distances for the installations and the pipe work for three different sizes of hydrogen filling stations. For several failure scenarios ‘effect’ distances are calculated for car filling at 350 and 700 bar. Safe distances of filling stations from locations where people live and work appear to be similar for compressed hydrogen, gasoline/petrol and compressed natural gas. Safe distances for LPG are greater. A filling unit for hydrogen can be placed at gasoline/petrol-filling stations without increasing safety distances.     

我国安全评价机构现状与分析

安全评价机构作为安全评价工作的主体实施机构和连接政府和企业之间在安全管理工作上的桥梁,其组织管理和服务状况对安全评价工作的发展与完善有非常重要的影响。本文对截止2006年12月初国家安全生产监督管理总局批准的甲级资质安全评价机构和各省局批准并报总局备案的乙级资质安全评价机构的数量分布、业务范围分布等内容进行了统计、分析,并提出了安全评价机构发展的建议。     

Adversarial safety analysis: borrowing the methods of security vulnerability assessments

INTRODUCTION: Safety and security share numerous attributes. The author, who heads the (Security) Vulnerability Assessment Team at Los Alamos National Laboratory, therefore argues that techniques used to optimize security might be useful for optimizing safety. OPTIMIZING SECURITY: There are three main ways to attempt to improve security-security surveys, risk assessment (or "design basis threat"), and vulnerability assessments. The latter is usually the most effective. SAFETY ANALOGS: Vulnerability assessment techniques used to improve security can be applied to safety analysis--even though safety is not ordinarily viewed as having malicious adversaries (other than hazards involving deliberate sabotage). Thinking like a malicious adversary can nevertheless have benefits in identifying safety vulnerabilities. SUGGESTIONS: The attributes of an effective safety vulnerability assessment are discussed, and recommendations are offered for how such an adversarial assessment might work. CONCLUSION: A safety vulnerability assessment can potentially provide new insights, a fresh and vivid perspective on safety hazards, and increased safety awareness.     

Risk assessment and land-use planning regulations in France following the AZF disaster

After the disaster of AZF plant in Toulouse on 21 September 2001 (31 people killed, 3000 injured and 3 billion dollars of damage), France adopted a new law relative to safety reports and land-use planning on 30 July 2003. This law asks for the investigation of all representative scenarios and the assessment of their probabilities to demonstrate the acceptable level of safety of an industrial facility. Therefore significant changes were introduced in the way of doing risk analysis in France and some difficulties were found for the implementation of a probabilistic approach.This paper presents the new approach of risk analysis established by the French Ministry of the Environment, and particularly focuses on:? the benefits and limits of the semi-quantitative probabilistic assessment method;? the benefits and difficulties to use a quantitative probabilistic assessment method;? some learning from the risk analysis approaches carried out in the nuclear industry;? some discussion about the national matrix to appreciate the gravity of human consequences from an accident outside facilities.     

《化工厂危险程度分级》在大化肥厂的应用

评述１９９０ 年以后以天然气为原料的川化集团公司大化肥厂，利用化工部青岛劳保所开发的《化工厂危险程度分级》方法开展安全评价，并对评价出的潜在危险采取了安全措施，从而有效地提高了工厂的安全可靠性。在运用该评价方法时，一是将《分级》中安全管理等级的评定部分增加了评定内容，使之更符合工厂客观实际；二是将固有危险等级评价的手工处理和计算部分编制成计算机软件，提高了评价工效     

Decision analysis on fire safety design based on evaluating building fire risk to life

This study presents a framework of decision analysis on fire safety design alternatives based on evaluating building fire risk to life. A probabilistic risk assessment method for occupant life is presented with consideration of some uncertainties of evacuation process and fire development at first. For occupant evacuation time assessment, occupant pre-movement time is characterized by normal distribution. For onset time to untenable conditions assessment, its uncertainty is considered as probability distribution according to the range of design fires. Based on event tree technique, probable fire scenarios are analyzed with consideration of the effect of fire protection systems, employees extinguishing, etc. It is difficult to make a precise assessment on probability and consequence of every fire scenario, but their lower bound and upper bound can be achieved based on statistical data. Therefore, Supersoft Decision Theory [Malmnäs, P.E., 1995. Methods of Evaluation in Supersoft Decision Theory. Department of Philosophy, Stockholm University, 365 Stockholm; Johansson, H., Malmnäs, P.E., 2000. Application of supersoft decision theory in fire risk assessment. Journal of Fire Protection Engineering 14, 55–84] that allows decision maker to utilize vague statement is utilized to integrate with risk assessment to make decision on different fire safety design alternatives. To express how to make decision on different fire safety design alternatives based on evaluating building fire risk to life, two hypothetical fire safety design alternatives for a commercial building are presented.     

Risk assessment of safety level in university laboratories using questionnaire and Bayesian network

Accidents in university laboratories not only create a great threat to students’ safety but bring significant negative social impact. This paper investigates the university laboratory safety in China using questionnaire and Bayesian network (BN) analysis. Sixteen influencing factors for building the Bayesian net were firstly identified. A questionnaire was distributed to graduate students at 60 universities in China to acquire the probability of safe/unsafe conditions for sixteen influencing factors, based on which the conditional probability of four key factors (human, equipment and material, environment, and management) was calculated using the fuzzy triangular theory and expert judgment. The determined conditional probability was used to develop a Bayesian network model for the risk analysis of university laboratory safety and identification of the main reasons behind the accidents. Questionnaire results showed that management problems are prominent due to insufficient safety education training and weak management level of management personnel. The calculated unsafe state probability was found to be 65.2%. In the BN analysis, the human factor was found to play the most important role, followed by equipment and material factor. Sensitive and inferential analysis showed that the most sensitive factors are personnel incorrect operation, illegal operation, and experiment equipment failure. Based on the analysis, countermeasures were proposed to improve the safe management and operation of university laboratories.     

Dynamic failure assessment of an ammonia storage unit: A case study

Chemical Process Industries usually contain a diverse inventory of hazardous chemicals and complex systems required to perform process operations such as storage, separation, reaction, compression etc. The complex interactions between the equipment make them vulnerable to catastrophic accidents. Risk and failure assessment provide engineers with an intuitive tool for decision making in the operation of such plants. Abnormal events and near-miss situations occur regularly during the operation of a system. Accident Sequence Precursors (ASP) can be used to demonstrate the real-time operating condition of a plant. Dynamic Failure Assessment (DFA) methodology is based on Bayesian statistical methods incorporates ASP data to revise the generic failure probabilities of the systems during its operational lifetime.In this paper, DFA methodology is applied on an ammonia storage unit in a specialized chemical industry. Ammonia is stored in cold storage tanks as liquefied gas at atmospheric pressure. These tanks are susceptible to failures due to various abnormal conditions arising due process failures.Tank failures due to three such abnormal conditions are considered. Variation of the failure probability of the safety systems is demonstrated. The authors use ASP data collected from plant specific sources and safety expert judgement. The failure probabilities of some safety systems concerned show considerable deviation from the generic values. The method helps to locate the components which have undergone more degradation over the period and hence must be paid attention to. In addition, a Bayesian predictive model has been used to predict the number of abnormal events in the next time interval. The user-friendly and intuitive nature of the tool makes it appropriate for application in safety assessment reports in process industries.     

Enhancing regional process safety management

As industrial operations expand, major incidents continue to affect people, damage facilities, and impact the environment. In the last 20 years, about 50% of these incidents occurred in facilities that had implemented some form of Process Safety Management (PSM) and 50% came about in smaller facilities that did not include such planning (Demichela et al., 2004). The objective of this article is to use PSM principles to create practical recommendations at the regional level, to complement those previously developed for singular facilities. This article compares Strathcona County Emergency Service (SCES) in Alberta with Technical Standards & Safety Authority (TSSA) in Ontario, with respect to safety, facility licensing, permit requirements, risk assessment procedures and land use planning aspects to determine PSM enhancements for SCES. Furthermore, for a better overview, two supplemental provincial organisations in Alberta, namely Alberta Boiler Safety Association (ABSA) and Safety Codes Council (SCC), were also considered. We proposed that SCES could develop more detailed facility-specific licensing procedures, auditing, and inspection. SCES could also provide details of accredited organisations that carry out inspections and audits on their behalf. When reviewing the quantitative risk assessment processes for SCES and TSSA, we recommend that SCES should update their probability data sources used in their cumulative risk assessment study. Based on the authors’ experience and gathered data, the use of additional facility practices such as safety management system, internal audits, and checklists can enhance incident prevention.     

Improvement of integrity management for pressure vessels based on risk assessment - A natural gas separator case study

The process of oil and gas processing plant is complex, the types of pressure vessels are rich, and the functions are critical. However, the working medium is mostly untreated medium, and the hazard factors are complex, which poses a threat to the safe production of oil and gas processing plant. Based on PDCA cycle, this paper establishes a six-step links of integrity management for sustainable improvement of pressure vessels. The typical failure modes of pressure vessels are determined, and the fishbone diagram of risk factors under each failure mode is compiled. Risk quantification and classification of pressure vessels based on failure modes (RBFM) is innovatively proposed. Avoiding incalculable failure frequency index, the process quantification of failure possibility is formed according to the development of hazard factors. A failure consequence calculation model based on the leakage affected area was established. Combined with the failure probability level and risk level, the hierarchical inspection strategy for pressure vessels under different failure modes is established. Finally, the method is applied to the natural gas separator of H processing plant. The research results show that RBFM proposed in this paper can meet the requirements for rapid and accurate risk assessment of pressure vessels in oil and gas processing plant. This paper establishes a safe production barrier for the pressure vessel and improves the intrinsic safety of the equipment.     

我国实验室生物安全防护装备的现状与趋势

本文探讨我国实验室生物安全防护装备的装备概况、生产概况与发展趋势,旨在对促进我国生物安全防护装备的研发与生产,提高实验室的安全水平的研究提供帮助。     

基于RBI技术的海上平台延期服役静设备定量化安全评估技术

针对海上延期服役平台静设备的安全风险评估与控制问题,应用RBI风险评估技术的评估理论和方法对海上延期服役平台静设备的定量化安全管理方法进行了实践和探索,并选择某延期服役平台进行风险分析相关结论的工程验证。其具体过程是运用定量RBI技术,首先根据工艺流程和介质特点对海上平台静设备分别进行了物流回路和损伤回路的划分,并以此为基础对延期服役平台静设备的安全风险进行定量评估,进而得出各静设备单元的失效可能性、失效后果及风险等级,最后通过得出的损伤模式、损伤机理及对应的腐蚀速率,从而制定针对性的检测策略。将利用这些检验策略所检测出的真实情况与分析结论进行对比,最终验证了RBI技术在延期服役平台静设备风险评估方面具有很强的适用性。     

灰色层次分析法在航空工业企业事故中的分析运用

航空工业常使用高精度、高价值的关键仪器、设备、设施,各种型号飞机试验、试飞频繁。机械伤害、高处坠落、冲压设备伤手等事故时有发生。分析航空企业事故致因主要为事故预防措施不到位,生产工艺设备安全性不高,职业病预防及管理不到位。利用数学建模的思路,引入灰色层次分析法(GAHP),以航空某企业为例,将评估对象安全状况分为指标层、准层次、目标层,逐级计算灰数,确定所属灰类,得出航空某企业的安全综合评估结果。评估结果显示,GAHP法能够客观反映航空企业安全状况,值得在航空企业安全生产事故风险评估中推广使用。     

Semi-quantitative risk assessment of commercial scale supply chain of hydrogen fuel and implications for industry and society

This paper is derived from a study on the safety of bulk transport and storage of hydrogen as a fuel, carried out by the Health and Safety Laboratory (HSL) for the Department for Transport (DfT). The aim of the study was to identify the knowledge and data required to develop fully a risk assessment for a hydrogen delivery and storage infrastructure. The methodology used was to begin to carry out a risk assessment for a representative delivery and storage supply chain, using a risk assessment methodology commensurate with the availability of necessary data. Semi-quantitative risk assessment was carried out through top-down HAZID brainstorming, consequence modelling using commercially available software, and use of a risk matrix.Finally through the risk assessment carried out and relevant literature review, the gaps in hazard identification, consequence modelling and frequency assessment, which should be filled to develop a quantified methodology, were compiled.Using data for current UK LPG consumption, comparisons were made between hydrogen and LPG for mode of failures and number of trips required to supply equivalent energy demand. The implications of using ammonia as a hydrogen carrier (hydrogen is within the ammonia molecule) and regulatory implications on hydrogen fuelling or storage sites are also discussed.     

实操考评系统在特种设备作业考核中的应用探讨

为了提高特种设备作业人员实操考核工作效率,降低差错率,解决人员紧缺的矛盾,长庆安全生产技术培训中心严格按照国家考核大纲要求,研发了特种设备作业实操考评系统。通过对该实操考评系统功能介绍及现场应用情况的总结分析,显示该考评系统具备随机组卷,考试成绩实时评判,多个考评员同时打分,户外环境离线考试,视频影像自动采集,考试资料批量下载等功能,使得实操考核工作更加科学、高效、公平、公正。该实操考评系统可满足油田安全技术考核工作需要,在现场应用中取得了非常好的效果。     

Selection of failure frequency and its impact on risk assessment – A case study from plot plan optimisation

Facility Siting is an important phase of project development. A critical stage is plot plan optimisation, where significant potential hazards are eliminated due to equipment spacing. In addition to ensuring appropriate compliance with minimum spacing requirements, occupied building studies to achieve compliance with the requirements of API 752 and API 753 could also be undertaken to optimise safety outcomes. The studies are done in three stages, where the first stage is hazard identification, second stage is consequence assessment and the third stage is risk assessment. Third stage assessments are only carried, if the consequence based siting recommendations are not practical to implement.This paper presents the challenges in estimating risk due to process hazards with a focus on selecting right event likelihood data. A comparison is presented on the variation in predicted risk levels based on equipment failure rates and leak frequencies.Case study of a plot plan optimisation study is undertaken with DNVGL Phast Risk and the variation in risk levels up to two orders of magnitude are recorded. Challenges such as adaption of data for local conditions, consistent definitions of failure, sample size of data, applicability of data play a significant role in identifying and correctly quantifying the risk levels. Such challenges and its impact on risk quantification are presented in this paper as well as its impact on facility siting.     

PSA中人因失误模型化研究

主要研究PSA模型如何考虑人因失误的影响,系统地提出如何在电厂系统模型中建立相对应的人因失误分析模型。利用事件树把系统故障和人因失误相结合的方法,探讨如何最大可能地真实描述事故后的操纵员行为,确定重要人因事件发展序列以及根据系统响应确定合理可分析的人因题头,建立完整的人因失误模型化的体系,并以实例说明具体分析过程。此项研究能够较好地描述硬件可靠性和人因可靠性之间的关联关系,降低HRA出力并满足PSA对于事故后人员行为的概率分析需求。     

高速铁路信号系统的安全管理评价研究

高速铁路信号系统要通过安全管理来保障其开发与运行中的安全相关活动符合系统安全计划的要求。为了评估安全管理活动的可信性,提出基于系统安全分析技术的安全管理评价方法。通过建立安全管理流程与系统安全功能相关联的概念模型,使用安全文化危险与可操作性研究(SCHAZOP)辨识出安全管理流程中的行为偏差,基于失效传导转换符号(FPTN)建立管理角色的安全文化失效模型,最终将管理行为失效模式转换成组件故障树作为安全管理评价证据。研究结果表明,安全管理行为偏差体现了信号系统开发与运营过程中的安全文化特征;辨识与分析安全文化失效,为信号系统安全管理活动的可信性提供了评价依据。     

Technical modeling in integrated risk assessment of chemical installations

This paper presents the technical model of an Integrated Quantitative Risk Assessment method, taking into account management as well as technical design and producing risk level measures. The basic steps of the technical model consist in developing a Master Logic Diagram (MLD) delineating the major immediate causes of Loss of Containment and associated quantitative models for assessing their frequency. Appropriate management models quantify the parameters of the technical model on the basis of the safety management system of the installation. The methodology is exemplified through its application on the risk assessment of a LPG scrubbing tower of an oil refinery. A detailed technical model simulating the response of the system to various initiating events is developed, along with a detailed model simulating the influence of the plant-specific management and organizational practices. The overall effect is quantified through the frequency of release of LPG as a result of a Loss of Containment in scrubbing towers of the refinery.     

Risk-based maintenance (RBM): a quantitative approach for maintenance/inspection scheduling and planning

The overall objective of the maintenance process is to increase the profitability of the operation and optimize the total life cycle cost without compromising safety or environmental issues. Risk assessment integrates reliability with safety and environmental issues and therefore can be used as a decision tool for preventive maintenance planning. Maintenance planning based on risk analysis minimizes the probability of system failure and its consequences (related to safety, economic, and environment). It helps management in making correct decisions concerning investment in maintenance or related field. This will, in turn, result in better asset and capital utilization.

This paper presents a new methodology for risk-based maintenance. The proposed methodology is comprehensive and quantitative. It comprises three main modules: risk estimation module, risk evaluation module, and maintenance planning module. Details of the three modules are given. A case study, which exemplifies the use of methodology to a heating, ventilation and air-conditioning (HVAC) system, is also discussed.