Lecture 11

Safety Practices in Chemical and

Nuclear Industries

Hazard Identification & Risk Assessment

Dr. Raghuram Chetty

Department of Chemical Engineering
Indian Institute of Technology Madras
Chennai- 600 036.
Introduction
 For any industry to be successful, it has become
essential to identify the Hazards, to assess the
associated Risks and to bring the risks to tolerable
level.

 Occupational Safety and Health Legislation usually

requires that a risk assessment be carried out prior to
making an intervention. The risk management requires
risk to be managed to a level which is as low as
reasonably achievable (ALARA).
Introduction

 A risk assessment is simply a careful examination of

what, in your work, could cause harm to people, so that
you can weigh up whether you have taken enough
precautions or should do more to prevent harm.

 Workers and others have a right to be protected from

harm caused by a failure to take reasonable control
measures.
The Process of Risk Management
The following five step are taken:

1. Identify types of Hazard in the work area

2. Decide who might be harmed and how
3. Evaluate the risk (Risk Assessment)
4. Implementing Risk Controls
5. Review risk controls and update if necessary.

Hazard Identification, Risk Assessment and Control(HIRAC)

 Risk and Hazard
 A hazard is any source of potential
damage, harm or adverse health
effects on something or someone
under certain conditions at work.
Hazard can cause harm or
adverse effects (to individuals as
health effects or to organizations
as property or equipment losses).
 Risk is the chance or probability
that a person will be harmed or
experience an adverse health
effect if exposed to a hazard. It
may also apply to situations with
property or equipment loss. Risk = Hazard x Exposure
 Risk and Hazard

 Danger: Relative exposure to

hazard

 Accident: An undesirable or
unfortunate happening that
occurs unintentionally and
usually results in harm, injury,
damage, or loss, casualty,
mishap.

Risk = Hazard x Exposure

Definitions
 Risk Tolerance: The acceptable of level of risk selected
for all hazards.
 Mitigation: An action taken or a feature adopted to reduce
the risk for a hazard. For example, safety devices,
guarding, warning devices, procedures, and training.
 Hazard Identification: A process of identifying and
analyzing sources of danger.
 Risk Analysis: A process of evaluating the severity of
consequences and frequency of exposure to hazards, and
evaluating of risk tolerance and mitigation.
 Risk Management: Activities related to monitoring and
evaluating hazards to maintain a given level of risk.
Work Place Hazard

Chemical hazards Physical hazards

Acids/Bases/Heavy metals Electricity
Radiation
Solvents /Fumes
Noise
Particulates
Vibration
Fire and explosion
Lighting

Thermodynamic
Hazard
Over pressure
Under pressure
Over temperature
Under temperature
Biological hazards
Psychosocial issues Bacteria
Virus
Work-related stress
Fungi
Violence/ Bullying/
Blood-borne pathogens
Harassment
Ergonomic design
Hazard Identification
 To keep workplace safe and healthy.

 Employers should make sure there are no hazards to

which employees could be exposed.

 Employers should look for hazards in advance as part of

their risk management plan to prevent potential
accidents.
Spot the Hazard
 Exit blocked
 Fire extinguisher not on
wall and a tripping
hazard
 Wet mop/ wet floor
 Fire alarm blocked
 Compost stored indoors
 Water hose draped over
electrical panel
 Light switch blocked
Steam Reforming Plant for Ammonia Synthesis
In a chemical industry
e.g. Ammonia Synthesis
 Methane is reacted with steam over
nickel oxide catalyst (steam
reforming)
CH4 + H2O → CO + 3 H2

 Water gas shift reaction yields more

hydrogen from CO and steam.
CO + H2O → CO2 + H2

 Gas mixture is now passed into a

methanator, which converts most of
the remaining CO into methane for
recycling:
CO + 3 H2 → CH4 + H2O
In a chemical industry
e.g. Ammonia Synthesis
 Ammonia is synthesized using hydrogen
and nitrogen (from air) on iron oxide
catalyst
N2(g) + 3 H2(g) → 2 NH3(g) (ΔH = -92.4 kJ·mol−1)

 This is done at 15–25 MPa (150–250

bar) and between 300 and 550 °C,
passing the gases over four beds of
catalyst, with cooling between each pass
to maintain a reasonable equilibrium
constant. On each pass only about 15%
conversion occurs, but any unreacted
gases are recycled, so that eventually an
overall conversion of 98% can be
achieved.
 Hazards in Ammonia Plant

 The manufacture of anhydrous liquid ammonia involves

processing of hydrocarbons under high temperature, high
pressure conditions in the presence of various catalysts,
chemicals, etc.
Typical risks are as follows
 Fire /Explosion
 Glands/seal leaks in valves, pumps, compressors
handling hydrogen, natural gas, naphtha, synthesis gas
etc.
 Hose/pipe failure, leakage from flanged joints carrying
combustible gases, vapors, liquids.
 Hazards in Ammonia Plant

 High/Low Temperature Exposure

 Burns due to contact with hot surfaces of pipelines,
equipments or leaking steam lines, process fluids at
high temperature.
 Frost bite due to contact with anhydrous liquid ammonia
at -33oC.
 Burns due to contact with pyrophoric catalyst.
 Hazards in Ammonia Plant

 Toxic Chemicals Exposure

 Asphyxia due to inhalation of simple asphyxiants like
CO2, N2, H2, CH4, etc. and chemical asphyxiants like
CO, NH3, Nickel carbonyl, V2O5, Hydrazine, NOx, SOx,
H2S etc.
 Acute toxicity due to inhalation of catalyst dusts
containing heavy metals like Ni, Cr, CO, Mo, Fe, Zn,
Alumina etc. and silica gel molecular sieves, insulation
fibers/dusts.
Hazards in Ammonia Plant

Research on ammonia production shows the following:

 The raw materials, intermediates, and final products are
chemically stable substances and are not subject to
spontaneous exothermic changes in composition even at
very high temperatures and pressures.

 Neutral (noncombustible) gases such as nitrogen, carbon

dioxide, and air are mainly at high pressures in large
volumes.
 Hazards in Ammonia Plant
 An explosion in equipment containing these gases involves
the formation and dispersal of fragments. However, in world
practice of operating ammonia plants, there have been no
cases where the pressure in the equipment has risen above
the yield point of the steel from which it is made.
 There are two groups of equipment in making ammonia (see
next slide)
 Failure of or damage to the equipment leads to unplanned
shutdown by the automatic systems (Group 1), and
 Equipment failure leads to some form of accident (Group
2).
Hazards in Ammonia Plant
Group 1 Equipment Group 2 Equipment
 Natural gas heater
 Natural gas compressor
 Natural gas compressor
 Shaft reactor
 Primary reforming unit
 Nitrogen hydrogen mixture
 High-temperature convector
compressor
 Low-temperature convector
 Synthesis column
 CO2 absorber
 Tube oven
 Methanator
 Synthesis gas separator
 Nitrogen-hydrogen mixture Group 1 includes equipment
compressor
from group 2 because the
 Synthesis column
probability of a potential
 Ammonia refrigerator accident with such equipment is
 Liquid ammonia collector envisaged only when the
 Ammonia compressor automatic shutdown equipment
fails.
 Sulfuric Acid Plant Image courtesy: Google Images

Sulfuric acid is produced from sulfur, oxygen and water via the conventional
contact process or the wet sulfuric acid process.

The main steps in contact process consist of burning sulfur (S) in air to form
sulfur dioxide (SO2), converting SO2 to sulfur trioxide (SO3) using oxygen
(O2) from air, and absorbing SO3 in water (H2O) or a diluted solution of
sulfuric acid (H2SO4) to form a concentrated solution of acid (>96%).
 Hazard in Sulfuric acid plant
 Flammability
 Sulphur is a flammable substance and its vapours and
dust may be explosive.
 Ignition temperatures for molten pure sulphur in still air
vary from 230-260°C. The minimum reported value for
the flash point of dark crude sulphur is 168°C.
 Sulphur dust suspended in air is readily ignited by flame,
static electricity or friction spark. The dust is
characterized by a very low ignition point of 190°C
compared to other combustible dusts. Dust containing
25% or more elemental sulphur may be almost
explosive as pure sulphur.
 Hazard in Sulfuric acid plant
 Burn Hazard
 Molten sulphur is typically maintained at a temperature of
140°C so improper handling of molten sulphur may result
in burns to personnel. First degree burns can result from
splashes of liquid sulphur on skin or clothing.
 High temperature hazard. Exothermic reaction: 400-
450°C, High pressure: 1.2 – 2 atm.
 Hazard in Sulfuric acid plant
 Toxic
 When solid sulphur is melted, a small amount of hydrogen
sulphide gas (H2S). may be released. H2S is a toxic, as
well as flammable gas.
 Sulfuric acid is very toxic. It may be fatal if inhaled or
swallowed and it is corrosive to the eyes, skin and
respiratory tract.
 Catalyst: vanadium pentoxide.
 Decide who might be harmed and how

 For each hazard you need to be clear about who might be

harmed; it will help you identify the best way of managing
the risk. That doesn’t mean listing everyone by name, but
rather identifying groups of people (e.g. people working
with in compressor or heater or in the storeroom).
 In each case, identify how they might be harmed, i.e. what
type of injury or ill health might occur.
 some workers have particular requirements, e.g. new
and young workers, and people with disabilities may be
at particular risk. Extra thought will be needed for some
hazards.
Decide who might be harmed and how
 Cleaners, visitors, contractors, maintenance workers
etc, who may not be in the workplace all the time.
 Members of the public, if they could be hurt by your
activities.
 If the workplace is shared, you will need to think about
how your work affects others present, as well as how
their work affects your staff.
 Ask your staff if they can think of anyone you may
have missed.
Evaluating the risk (Risk assessment)
 Having spotted the hazards, you then have to decide
what to do about them. The law requires you to do
everything ‘reasonably practicable’ to protect people
from harm.

 Think about what controls you have in place and how the
work is organised. Then compare this with the good
practice and see if there’s more you should be doing to
bring yourself up to standard.
 Evaluating the risk (Risk assessment)
 Consider
 Can I get rid of the hazard altogether?
 If not, how can I control the risks so that harm is unlikely?
 When controlling risks, apply the principles below:
 try a less risky option (e.g. switch to using a less hazardous
chemical)
 prevent access to the hazard (e.g. by guarding)
 organise work to reduce exposure to the hazard
 issue personal protective equipment (e.g. clothing, footwear,
goggles etc.)
 provide welfare facilities (e.g. first aid and washing facilities
for removal of contamination).
Who should identify the hazards?

The Team….

…or the
Individual?
 Who should identify the hazards?
 The Individual
 Positive Aspects
 Likely to produce quicker results
 Less likely to be swayed by ‘peer pressure’
 Negative Aspects
 Vast technical competence required
 Implementing Manager required to take ‘leap of faith’ in
individual
 Unlikely to be as comprehensive as team approach
therefore questionable sufficiency
 Output suffers from ‘Not invented here’ attitudes
 Personal perception may influence judgement
 Who should identify the hazards?
 The Team Approach
 Positive Aspects

 Knowledge required to assess is likely to be available

across the variety of positions

 Judgments and decisions can be made to satisfy a

variety of organizational interests

 Promotes consultation with employees

 More likely to reflect actual working practices

 Negative Aspects

 Committee approach can be too slow to react to

changes
 Resource hungry in terms of total hours
Who should identify the hazards?
 Each situation is unique
 Each will require a different approach
 Each is dependent upon process complexity

Obvious low hazard Obvious high hazard or

or simple process complicated process

Increasing Expertise Required

Individual Expert Team

How are risks expressed?
 Risk to the public are measured by direct observation or
by applying mathematical models.
 Risks are usually expressed as a probability of effects
associated with a particular activity. Risk/probability is
expressed as a fraction, without units, from 0 to 1.0.
 A probability of 1.0 indicates an absolute certainty that an
event or outcome will occur. Scientific notation is generally
used to present quantitative risk information
How are risks expressed?

Actual Scientific
Read As
Number Notation
1/10 1x10-1 1E-01 One in ten
1/100 1x10-2 1E-02 One in a hundred
1/1,000 1x10-3 1E-03 One in a thousand
1/10,000 1x10-4 1E-04 One in ten thousand
One in a hundred
1/100,000 1x10-5 1E-05
thousand
1/1,000,000 1x10-6 1E-06 One in a million
1/10,000,000 1x10-7 1E-07 One in ten million
Risk Assessment
Simple, subjective, low resolution,
 Types high uncertainty, low cost.

 Qualitative

 Semi-quantitative Detailed, objective, high resolution,

low uncertainty, increasing cost.
 Quantitative

 Likelihood (based on
 Severity statistic)
 Frequent
 Fatality
 Probable
 Major injuries
 Occasional
 Minor injuries
 Remote
 Near misses
 Improbable
Likelihood Scale Definitions
 Frequent Likely to occur often.

 Probable Will occur several times.

 Occasional Likely to occur some time.

 Remote Unlikely to occur, but possible.

 Improbable So unlikely, it can be assumed it will not

occur.
Likelihood Scale Definitions
 Hazards can be allocated a qualitative risk ranking in
terms of estimated likelihood and consequence and then
displayed on a risk matrix.

 Conducted in consultation with the people performing

the activity or sharing the work area.

 Use a simple matrix to record the results.

Risk Assessment - Risk Matrix
A “Likelihood” is an expression of the chance of something
happening in the future.
Severity
Likelihood
Near Minor Major Fatality
misses Injuries Injuries

Frequent Medium Serious High High

Probable Medium Serious High High

Occasional Low Medium Serious High

Remote Low Medium Medium Serious

Improbable Low Medium Medium Medium

 Risk Assessment - Risk Matrix
 Results can be easily presented in tabular format within a risk
matrix.
 Such processes can illustrate major risk contributors, aid the risk
assessment and demonstration of adequacy.

Advantages

If used well, a risk matrix will

 Identify event outcomes that should be prioritised or grouped for
further investigation
 Provides a good graphical portrayal of risks across a facility
 Help to identify areas for risk reduction
 Provide a quick and relatively inexpensive risk analysis
 Enable more detailed analysis to be focused on high risk areas.
Risk Assessment - Risk Matrix
Disadvantages
 Does not provide an accurate reduction ranking.
 Collective issues and evaluations are difficult to show in
a transparent manner.
 Example for minor/major frequent injuries
 A wide variety of mechanical motions and actions may
present hazards to the worker.
 These can include the movement of rotating members,
moving belts, meshing gears, cutting teeth, and any parts
that impact or shear.

Machine Safeguarding

Image courtesy:
Google Images
Accident Ratio Pyramid

1
FATAL

30
LOST-TIME
If we can find ways to
INJURIES
reduce the number of
300 incidents at the bottom
INJURIES REQUIRING MEDICAL
ATTENTION of the pyramid, the
3,000
number of accidents
NEAR-MISSES OR FIRST AID will be reduced.
30,000
HAZARDS
Unsafe Acts
Unsafe Conditions
 Implementing Risk Controls

 Writing down the results and the risk assessment should be

able to show:
 a proper check was made
 who might be affected
 dealt with all the significant hazards, taking into account
the number of people who could be involved
 the precautions are reasonable, and the remaining risk
is low.

 Make a plan of action to deal with the most important things

first.
 Implementing Risk Controls
 A good plan of action often includes a mixture of different
things such as:
 a few cheap or easy improvements that can be done
quickly, perhaps as a temporary solution until more
reliable controls are in place
 long-term solutions to those risks most likely to cause
accidents or ill health
 arrangements for training employees on the main risks
that remain and how they are to be controlled
 regular checks to make sure that the control measures
stay in place; and clear responsibilities – who will lead on
what action, and by when.
Action and Recommendation
 Eliminate
 stop work, cover hazard…
 Substitute
 use other route, other material..
 Isolation
 put up temporary barrier,…
 Engineering Control
 construct permanent wall,..
 Administration Control
 put up notice, job rotation,…
 Personal Protection Equipment
 gloves, respirator,……
Review and update
 Few workplaces stay the same. In many places, sooner or
later, new equipments may be brought in, substances and
procedures could lead to new hazards. It makes sense,
therefore, to review what you are doing on an ongoing
basis.
 Every year or so formally review to make sure you are still
improving, or at least not sliding back.
 Look at your risk assessment again. Have there been any
changes? Are there improvements you still need to make?
Have your workers spotted a problem?
Review and update

 Have you learnt anything from accidents or near

misses? Make sure your risk assessment stays up to
date.

 When running a business it’s all too easy to forget

about reviewing risk assessment – until something has
gone wrong and it’s too late. So it is wise to set a
review date for this risk assessment.
Five Steps to Risk Assessment
Hazard Identification Tools
 There will always be a need to identify hazards with
complex situations and scenarios. Many tools have
been developed to assist, the simple ones we have
already looked at. The complex ones are:
 Hazard and Operability studies (HAZOP)
 Failure Modes Effects Criticality Analysis (FMECA)
 Fault Tree Analysis (FTA)
 Event Tree Analysis (ETA)
 Cause-Consequence Analysis (CCA)
 Human Reliability Analysis (HRA)