Using Process Safety Tools to Find and Sell an Inherently Safer Design: A Case Study

Using Process Safety Tools to find and sell an Inherently Safer Design:  A Case Study

By

Claire Fluegeman and Margery Kosch

3M Company

This paper will focus on the use of PSM tools to communicate risk and influence decision making during the design process.

As our facility began the design and installation of a new large-scale process, we identified numerous challenges.  A significant processing culture shift came when the new continuous operation was introduced into a production structure that is largely used to working with batch process operations.  Included in this was a shift from using drumstock Acrylic Acid to using bulk tank storage and delivery to the process equipment.  Receiving bulk Acrylic Acid in tank trucks and railcars presented new challenges, and new opportunities for error, that had not yet been considered. 

During the detailed design process hazard analysis that was conducted for the project, a potentially catastrophic scenario was identified involving the unloading of Acrylic Acid.  Because of the potential impact of the event, a Layers of Protection Analysis (LOPA) was conducted.  Ultimately, the only true way to reduce the risk of the event to an acceptable level was to evaluate numerous modifications to the unloading process.  However, this was met with a fair amount of resistance from the design team as it could significantly impact the project cost and implementation timetable. 

The site PSM Coordinator, who facilitated both the PHA and the LOPAs for the project, had the responsibility to persist with those that make the decisions and ensure that the true risk of the scenario was properly communicated.  Using the qualitative and semi-quantitative results of the PHA and LOPA, site safety personnel were able to intervene and convince the decision makers that the right thing to do was develop an inherently safer design for the unloading of this highly hazardous material.  Even though there were additional costs and some redesign was involved, the final product resulted in an inherently safer design for unloading and delivering bulk acrylic acid, and the repurposing of a facility that was currently not in service.  

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