Application of risk reduction strategies in the chemical process industry

Abstract

Recent accident analyses show that the accident rates in the chemical process industry (CPI) were still not decreasing. In the paper, the issues and challenges of risk reduction strategies were discussed. A case study using accident cases, extracted from the U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board (CSB) database was conducted. The results of the accident analysis were discussed and then compared to previous analysis of the Failure Knowledge Database (FKD, Japan). The CSB analysis shows that the industry had moved from procedural risk reduction strategies to inherently safer and add-on engineered strategies. After 10years improvement, the industry was approaching towards more balanced safety management to prevent occurrence and recurrence of accidents with the emphasis on both management and engineering risk reduction strategies.