| Project | Aims and Description |
|---|---|
| Digitalization complete Started: Dec 2018 Chair: Tijs Koerts |
Digitalization is about the many techniques that become available that can help to improve process safety. The aim is to help your company to determine a useful strategy. |
| Unwanted Polymerization complete Started: March 2022 Chair: Marek Moraczewski |
Hydrocarbons with double bonds are known to undergo radical polymerization to form solid plastics from liquid or gasses. This polymer can be formed at unwanted places and form restriction and severe blockage of piping. Conjugated dienes such as 1,3 butadiene and isoprene or vinyl aromatics such as styrene can form “popcorn polymer” in mostly gaseous and occasionally liquid phase. The growth of “popcorn polymer” may exert enough pressure to rapture piping, heat exchanger shells, valve bodies and other metal equipment. The Working Group focused on butadiene and isoprene and in addition other polymerising chemicals can be included (like propylene, ethylene and Styrene Monomer).. |
| Leadership & Organisational Effects complete Started: 2020 Chair: Steve McGrady |
The basis for good process safety is Leadership and Organization. A strong process safety culture requires a strong leadership and an organization with the right specialists. How do you create such leaders, what criteria helps to select them? What are characteristics of effective process safety organizations? The EPSC WG produced a sheet with access to a leadership development program. It is based on real cases with a role play that can be provided by the named consultants. |
| Human Performance complete Started: 2018 Chair: Tijs Koerts / Hans Schwarz |
Members of this Working Group described best practices to prevent process safety incidents based in human error. |
| Process Safety Fundamentals complete Started: Dec 2018 Last met: Sept 2020 Chair: Dirk Roosendans / Tijs Koerts |
The EPSC Working Group on Process Safety Fundamentals drew up a set of safe operational principles to avoid incidents with hazardous chemicals. The current collection of EPSC process safety fundamentals addresses 18 typical hazardous operational situations. Further documents regarding Process Safety Fundamentals in many different languages can be found here. |
| Semi-Quantitative Risk Evaluation Methods complete Started: 2014 Last met: April 2018 Chair: Ulrich Hoercher |
This group will share experience in using semi-quantitative risk evaluation and risk matrix methods to determine their general suitability for process industry in Europe. |
| Inherently Safer Design complete started 2014 Last met September 2015 leader: Konrad Fischer EPSC staff: Theo Reindorp |
The principles of inherently safer design are generally well understood, giving a preference for processes in which a hazard is limited or not present. Most companies follow principles of ISD, but with varying degrees of experience in the methods. EPSC is motivated to move the concept on by members sharing their methods, success stories, barriers and how they may be overcome, and assessment methods for degree of implementation and conformance with the principles. |
| Corrosion Under Insulation complete started 2013 Last met March 2015 leader: Paul de Bruyn EPSC staff: Lee Allford |
Undetected corrosion of assets has been a primary cause in incidents and near misses with potentially high consequence. The objective of this working group is to share knowledge and experience in the early detection of corrosion under insulation with an emphasis on current and emerging inspection technologies. |
| Process Safety Indicators complete started 2008 last met April 2015 leader: Piet Knijff EPSC staff: Lee Allford |
This group works towards global or Europe-wide standard forms for reporting process safety performance through incident data. The group also serves to provide guidance on leading indicators of measurably good safety behaviours. |
| Risk Acceptance Criteria complete started 2013 last met July 2014 leader: Klaus-Juergen Niemitz EPSC staff: Christian Jochum |
There is no common understanding of how ALARA, ALARP and other risk acceptance criteria have to be applied in cases of many facilities operating within a single park. Neighbouring facilities may belong to different legal entities, and the interfaces between these organisations have to be managed. The objective is to analyse how these problems are handled by EPSC members and to develop guidance for best practice. |
| Enhancing Hazard Identification complete started 2012 Last met November 2012 leader: Thomas Wolff EPSC staff: Richard Gowland |
The Atypical Scenarios group which reported in mid 2012 suggested that a greater role should be played by Process Hazard Analysis and other procedures. There is general agreement that enhancing Hazard Identification and incorporating the identified hazards into Risk Management is a worthwhile task. Identifying hazards earlier in the life cycle of a new project may be of benefit, but the techniques would also be applicable to existing facilities. |
| Risk Assessment Methods complete started 2013 last met June 2013 leader: Eberhard Guntrum EPSC staff: Richard Gowland |
Risk assessment is a requirement under the Seveso directive, but multiple methods are possible and specific requirements can vary by country. This group compares risk assessment methods to document their benefits and pitfalls, and to examine modern developments in these approaches. |
| Global Consistency complete started 2013 last met March 2013 leader: Ulrich Hansen EPSC staff: Richard Gowland |
The objective is to analyse how Process Safety Management can be consistently applied across an international organisation, taking into account different legal systems and legislative requirements, different cultures and languages, degrees of seperation from organisational leadership, and varying physical environments. |
| Scenarios complete started 2011 last met October 2011 leader: Hans Schwarz EPSC staff: Richard Gowland |
Scenarios refers to the development and evaluation of chains of events during a hazard analysis and risk assessment procedure. The Scenarios group is working to identify deficiencies in risk assessment that may be resolved with enhanced scenario development. "Worst case" scenarios are one such example, with risk assessment methods such as HAZOP giving more focus to higher probability events, scenario evaluations may be used to review less likely but higher consequence events. |
| Ageing Assets and Facilities complete started 2010 last met October 2011 leader: Eberhard Guntrum EPSC staff: Richard Gowland |
Ageing assets and facilities are a prominent current topic following recent attention to the subject by authorities in France. Ageing has been defined by CAs as deterioration of plant and equipment by gradual damage. This group examines the management of ageing equipment and planning for sustainable maintenance. |
| Process Safety Competence complete started 2010 last met August 2011 leader: Paul Delanoy EPSC staff: Christian Jochum |
This group studies the methods by which a company can maintain high levels of competence, through hiring, training, managing experience and awareness of critical skills. |
| Safety Critical Equipment complete started 2009 last met October 2011 leader: Dirk Roosendans EPSC staff: Richard Gowland |
This group shares information among members on systems for the defining, identifying, managing and maintaining of safety critical equipment. Examples of safety critical systems include relief and mitigation systems and mechanical integrity layers. |
| Process Safety Auditing complete started 2009 last met July 2010 leader: retired EPSC staff: Lee Allford |
This group examines process safety auditing, safety assurance visits, and similar validation or improvement strategies for ensuring the effectiveness of process safety management systems. |
| Senior Management DVD complete started 2008 last met March 2008 leader: Christian Jochum EPSC staff: Christian Jochum |
This group was tasked with creating a presentational film that could be used to foster support of process safety culture among senior management of high hazard industries. The work involved finding sponsors, commissioning filming and overseeing production of the presentation package. |
| Gas Detection complete started 2008 last met March 2008 leader: Guido Prinz EPSC staff: Lee Allford |
This group examined the use of fixed gas detection system for emergency prevention and mitigation purposes. Work has been on best use of detection systems to allow reliable detection of leaks and appropriate timely responses to detections. |
| Buncefield Aftermath complete started 2007 last met June 2009 leader: Richard Gowland EPSC staff: Richard Gowland |
The group working on the Buncefield Fuel Depot explosion has been merged with the Layers of Protection Analysis group to combine effort on applying LOPA and gap analysis to flammable materials storage facilities. |
| IEC61511 complete started 2007 last met May 2009 leader: Richard Gowland EPSC staff: Richard Gowland |
The technical standard IEC61511 sets out good practice in the engineering of Safety Instrumented Systems. This working group studies the practical implementation of the standard. |
| ATEX Implementation complete started 2004 last met November 2007 leader: Richard Gowland EPSC staff: Richard Gowland |
The working group within the EPSC concerns the implementation of the European directive related to protection of workers in explosive atmospheres. The ATEX Directive is a framework for risk evaluation of gas and airborne dust explosion hazards. |
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