CHAPTER 26

**Chapter 26: Health, Safety, and the Environment**

**WHAT YOU WILL LEARN:**

- The basics of health, safety, and environmental considerations in chemical engineering.

- The categorization of health, safety, and environmental regulations by the U.S. government.

- The focus on risk assessment and reduction in chemical engineering.

- Measures and statistics for assessing risks in different activities.

- The importance of worst-case scenarios and their role in risk management.

- The ethical responsibilities of chemical engineers in communicating risks.

**INTRODUCTION:**

One of the primary objectives of chemical engineering is to contribute to the betterment of human
life by producing goods and services. This includes a commitment to enhancing health, safety, and
environmental standards. This chapter delves into the assessment of potential dangers to health,
safety, and the environment, with a focus on general concepts and strategies that transcend specific
regulations.

**26.1 RISK ASSESSMENT:**

- *26.1.1 Accident Statistics:*

- Chemical engineers aim to quantify risks to provide a rational basis for decision-making.

- Measures like OSHA incidence rate, fatal accident rate (FAR), and fatality rate help assess risks.

- Comparisons of these rates reveal that chemical process industries are relatively safe for workers.

- *26.1.2 Worst-Case Scenarios:*

- Worst-case scenarios involve imagining the most severe consequences of an operation.

- These studies, required by some government agencies, aid in identifying ways to prevent serious
accidents.

- The development of worst-case scenarios is subjective, but guidelines are established by agencies
like the EPA.

- Despite difficulties, worst-case-scenario analyses are valuable for risk management plans.
- *26.1.3 The Role of the Chemical Engineer:*

- Chemical engineers, as experts in the risks associated with chemical processing, have a
responsibility to communicate these risks.

- Communicating risks to various stakeholders, including the public, is challenging but crucial for
ethical reasons and industry integrity.

- Failure to communicate risks transparently can have significant consequences, as seen in the
nuclear power industry's history of public mistrust.

Process safety management (PSM) embraces nearly the entire safety enterprise of a chemical
process organization. It requires employee training, written operating procedures, specific quality in
the engineering design of components and systems, very specific procedures for some activities,
investigation and reporting of accidents that do occur, and an internal audit of the safety enterprise
of the company

Absolutely, here's a concise breakdown of the 13 components of Process Safety Management (PSM):

Components of Process Safety Management (PSM):

1.Employee Participation**:
- Actively involve employees in safety program development and implementation for better hazard
understanding and compliance.

2. Process Safety Information**:

- Research and maintain safety data and process information in accessible forms (e.g., SDSs,
process flow diagrams).

3. **Process Hazards Analysis**:

- Conduct detailed studies of potential hazards before startup and periodically, using methods like
HAZOP to identify, assess, and address risks.

4. **Operating Procedures**:
- Maintain written operating procedures, ensuring operators follow established guidelines during
plant operations.

5. **Training**:
 - Train employees on hazard awareness and mitigation procedures to ensure they understand
potential risks and responses.
8. **Mechanical Integrity**:
- Ensure equipment meets codes, inspecting it during manufacture and installation, and following
maintenance protocols.

9. **Hot Work Permit**:

- Implement procedures notifying personnel before any hot work (e.g., welding) to prevent
flammable vapor release.

10. **Management of Change**:

- Establish a review system for modifications, ensuring careful evaluation of consequences and
involving relevant personnel.

11. **Incident Investigation**:

- Investigate process upsets, creating written reports detailing incident specifics, probable causes,
and preventive measures.

12. **Emergency Planning and Response**:

- Develop written plans and train employees to handle potential emergency situations effectively.

13. **Compliance Safety Audit**:

- Periodically audit all safety elements to ensure adherence to approved procedures and their
effectiveness in implementation.