Inherently Safer Design Protocol for Process Hazard Analysis

Abstract

Inherently safer design (ISD) is a component of industrial safety that focusses on the elimination and reduction of hazards using four principles – minimization, substitution, moderation and simplification. Process hazard analysis (PHA) has been identified as an opportunity to explicitly consider ISD and enhance the implementation of ISD within process safety management (PSM) frameworks. The PHA technique of interest for this research was the bow tie methodology.

The objective of this research was to develop a protocol to identify ISD-based barriers in bow tie diagrams. Example-based guidance was used to identify potential ISD opportunities. The protocol was validated using case studies from the US Chemical Safety Board (CSB) and Contra Costa County Health Services. Protocol validation demonstrated the ability of the protocol to identify potential ISD barriers. Recommended future work is further protocol validation in a predictive manner within an industrial organization.