1. 12. Health, Safety and Environment (Tasks 10 & 11)
By R.A. Hawrelak
for Dr. A. Prakash
19 Feb 02

2. Today’s Objectives Identify Hazards – Hazard Analysis.
Mitigate Process Hazards.
Minimize Environmental Impact.
Prepare a Safety and Environmental Mission Statement (RAH).
“Our group endeavored to design the safest plant possible. This included ….”

3. Fire & Explosion & Toxic Hazards
Upper flammable limit (UFL or UEL).
Lower flammable limit (LFL or LEL).
Auto-ignition temperatures.
Flash point temperature.
Polymerization potential.
Toxic data & carcinogen rating, ca.
Spill mitigation (foam, water).

4. Steps to Prevent Hazards
Relief devices – PSVs, PRDs, PVRVs
Leak detection – where and how.
Emergency Block Valves, EBVs.
Dikes / Drainage – away from equipment.
Flares / Ventilation – where and how.
Fire Water Supply – Looping in ISBL.
0.25 usgpm/sf water on all hc vessels.
Reactive Chemical and PHA Reviews.

5. Steps to Prevent Hazards – cont’d
Layout - FEI Separation Within ISBL.
Intrinsically Safe Electrical Equipment.
Harden Control Room to withstand 1 Ton of TNT at 200 ft. or 1 Ton of TNT at 100 ft.
Remote Storage for Hazardous Chemicals.
Greenbelt Separation for Municipal Planning.
Cradle to Grave Safety Training Programs.
Operating Discipline for change of command.
Emergency Response Drills – Dry Runs.

6. Product Stewardship Safety doesn’t end at the company fence line.
Companies with a good PS program provide safety training to their customers.
Companies must respond to LOC Spill situations for all products being delivered to their customers.
Goal No. 1: Dow ER team will be in the air within 1 hour of notification.

7. Hazard Communication Up-to-date process flow diagrams and P&IDs.
Proper labeling.
MSDS (Material Safety Data Sheets)
Required to include MSDS of products (AP).
Required to include MSDS of feeds. (RAH)
Required to include MSDS of intermediates. (RAH)

8. Liquid Classification - NFPA
National Fire Protection Association
Basis – NFPA 325
Reactivity (Nr)
Flammability (Nf)
Health (Nh)

9. Reactivity (Nr)
The reactivity factor, (Nr), can be obtained from a qualitative description of the instability (or reactivity with water) of the substance, mixture or compound at ambient temperatures as follows:

10. Flammability (Nf) Flash point by closed-cup method.
Boiling point at standard pressure 14.7 psia.

11. Health (Nh)

12. Example Ethylene Oxide
Nh = 2
Nf = 4
Nr = 3
When describing a feedstock, the following description is found in many Dow reports:
“Ethylene Oxide (Nh=2, Nf = 4, Nr = 3) is a basic feed for the plant.” ….

13. NIOSH National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health.
Online Pocket Guide to Chemical Hazards
Exposure limits, flash points, toxicity.
NIOSH also has a Liquid Classification

14. Vapor Pressure
Needed to determine operating pressure of storage vessels at ambient conditions.
If Vapor pressure drops below atmospheric pressure, air can leak into vessels storing flammables. Big hazard.
To keep pressure above atmospheric pressure heat vessel, or use inert pad / depad system with safe disposal of vents.

15. Antoine Constants Log10(P) = A + B/(t+C)
P is in psia
T is in degrees Centigrade
Select three sets of temperature and vapor pressure in desired temperature range.
3 Eqns – 3 unknowns. Solve for A, B, C.
Beware, there are many forms of this eqn. and the constants are not common to each eqn.
RAH CD program available to determine A,B,C.

16. Vapor Pressure of EO

17. The Enthalpy Chart The engineer’s best friend.
Determine when flashing situations exist.
Know how to calculate the % flash.
Mass balance F = 100 = V + L
Heat balance = Hf(100) = V(Hv) + L(HL)
Two equations, two unknowns.
Any flash above 30% will atomize all the liquid – really big hazard.

18. The Enthalpy Chart

19. Hazards of Two Phase Flow

20. Hazards of Water Hammer

21. Maldistribution
Maldistribution of flow in lines, headers, exchangers and reactors often results in equipment failure or LOC.

22. Entrainment
Liquid entrainment by a vapor is still one of the biggest problems in a chemical plant.
Entrainment can destroy mass and energy balances.
Entrainment leads to 2-phase flow vibration problems and ultimately LOC.
Good Knock-out pot design minimizes entrainment.

23. Pressure Safety Valves
PSVs required by law for all pressure vessels with a Design Pressure greater than 15 psig.
PSVs and PVRVs are installed on vessels below 15 psig to prevent LOC.
Many design bases are used. Designer must follow company practice.
Design methods too complex for this course. Methods available on RAH CD.

24. Pressure Vessels (>15 psig DP)
Select Design Pressures and Design Temperature from worst case operating conditions. Note flange rating.
Examine depressuring to 14.7 psia for minimum Design Temp & Mtls of Constr.
U.S. law requires a risk mgt plan, rmp, on worst case flammable and all toxic storage tanks.
Free download.

25. U.S. EPA rmp vs CDN MIACC Major Industrial Accidents Council of Can.
Storage of 400,000 lbs of EO - toxic
MIACC 2 pt. buffer zone 1E-06.
RAH 3 pt. buffer zone 1E-08.
rmp endpoint is ERPG2 = 50 ppmv
rmp gives 24 km. for ER plan.
A dispersion study > 6.6 km. for ER plan.
All companies in Sarnia now use U.S. rmp.

26. Emergency Response Data
B-M Heavy Gas Dispersion Model.
320m. (2 hr exposure).
535m. (2 hr exposure).
1,900m. (30 min. exposure).
ERPG2 5.7 km by D = ò C2(dt) where C = ppmv and dt = time.
ERPG2 ER 6.6 km for 50 ppmv.

27. Hazard Techniques

28. Dow Fire and Explosion Index
Dow Fire and Explosion Index is a basic standard around the world.
Dow F&EI is used for separation of adjacent unit operations to minimize probable loss.
Insurance rates determined by FEI.
CD Version – computerized FEI with 3 examples plus PowerPoint presentation.

29. FEI

30. Dow FEI Credit Factors

31. Unit Analysis Summary

32. FEI Separation Results

33. HAZOPS
HAZOP was developed by Lawley (1974) of ICI. Based on early account by Elliott & Owen (1968).
Hazop studies are carried out by an experienced, multidisciplinary team.
Review all physical aspects of a process (lines, equipment, instrumentation) to discover potential hazards.
PowerPoint presentation available.

34. Example For Hazop Review

35. After a Hazop

36. End of Safety Presentation
Good luck in applying your safety knowledge to your final 497 report.