LCA / Safety
Material Selection
• The choice of material in any application will be affected by
–
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Availability
Price considerations
Life expectancy
Previous performance in similar situations
• The important factors in choosing a material for such
applications are:
– Resistance to corrosion over a wide range of operating conditions eg
repeated immersion in sea water
– Resistance to corrosion by air / soil
– Resistance to marine bio-fouling
– The mechanical properties of the material
– Ability to cut, machine, bend and perform other fabrication operations
Material Selection
• One of the other biggest factors will be from where will the
materials be sourced
• In recent times, our economies have been largely a linear
“once through” process
The Circular Economy
• However as natural resources become increasingly scarce,
we are slowly moving (returning) towards a more circular
economy of make – use – return
wsp Consulting
The Circular Economy
• A circular economy is a global economic model that aims to
decouple economic growth and development from the
consumption of finite resources
• It is about creating value for the economy, society and
business while minimising resource use and environmental
and social impacts via system thinking
The Circular Economy
• It’s not just about recycling alone!
• It can be achieved by:
– Taking the whole product lifecycle into account when designing products
– Designing products that can be easily repaired or upgraded in order to
maximise their life time
– When the useful life is finished they can either be repurposed,
remanufacturing or recycled
• The benefits include:
– Security of raw materials and reduction of exposure to supply risks and
volatile commodity prices
– Reduction of virgin material use
– Reduction of landfill waste
– Amongst others...
The Circular Economy
• When designing components, they should be designed
primarily to last as long as possible
• The notion of “throwing it away” becomes obsolete,
because:
– There is no away!
– Everything has a value
– That value can be turned into other products
• The Circular Economy Strategy for Scotland has four
priority areas:
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Food and drink (and the wider bio-economy)
Remanufacture
Construction
Energy infrastructure
The Circular Economy
Sustainability
• The term ‘sustainability’
generally means:
• The ability to sustain
something for an
indefinite period of time,
without depleting the
resources used to sustain
it, and such that it does not
damage the
surroundings
(environment) in which it
resides.
Sustainability
• The term “sustainable” is used for many different areas
such as:
• sustainable design
• sustainable development
• sustainable living
• sustainable energy
• etc....
Sustainable Engineering
• If we apply the previous definition to engineering, we could
say that ‘sustainable engineering’ strives to maintain
sustainable principles in engineering activities such as:
– Using methods that minimize environmental damage to provide
sufficient food, water, shelter, and mobility for a growing world
population.
– Designing products and processes so that wastes from one are
used as inputs to another.
Sustainable Engineering
• Incorporating environmental and social constraints as
well as economic considerations into engineering decisions.
• Sustainable engineering is the process of using energy and
resources at a rate that does not compromise the natural
environment, or the ability of future generations to meet
their own needs.
Sustainable Engineering Design
• Building on the definition of “sustainable engineering”, we
can define “sustainable engineering design” activities such
as:
– Product Design
• The resources used to make a product should not be depleted
• The usage and eventual disposal of the product should not
damage the environment in which it operates.
– Process Design
• Any input resources processed by it should not be depleted
• The output materials should not damage the environment into
which they go.
Sustainable Engineering Design
• How can we incorporate “sustainable” principles and
concepts, into an engineering design?
• Using the “structured design process”, we can easily
incorporate “sustainability”, by implementing those
principles and concepts into our design process.
• This is simply done by adding/including the desired
“Sustainable Concepts” at the following stages of our
design process:
– Goal Statements
– Objectives/Constraints
– Selection Method for Concepts
Sustainable Engineering Design (SED)
• Consideration of sustainable concepts at an early stage in the design
process is key.
• By placing SED ideals your “goal statement”, its importance will trickle
down throughout various aspects of your design.
• By listing key SED Objectives, the design will be “altered/skewed”
towards those objectives.
• Also, by using SED ideals during concept selection activities.
• NOTE: SED will significantly alter your otherwise “ideal design”.
However, ideal designs may be environmentally damaging, energy
intensive, or otherwise unsustainable. Hence you must find a balance
between the ideal design and a sustainable design.
Typical SED Objectives
• Some typical SED Objectives to consider for designs
include:
–
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Materials resources etc.
Energy building construction
Energy required for use
Service life
Environmental impact to build / use
…………….
Sustainable Engineering Design (SED)
• In order to incorporate sustainable concepts into
Engineering Design activities, we will explore the following
concepts:
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Product Life Cycle
Life Cycle Design
Life Cycle Assessment
Energy Budget Resource Budget
Design for Recyclability
PRODUCT LIFE CYCLE
Product Life Cycle
• The life-cycle of a “product” from its conception and
design, to manufacture, to service and finally to disposal.
• At each stage there are labour, energy and material
inputs, and waste
• Outputs create environmental and social impacts.
Sustainable Product Life Cycle
• In a more ideal product life cycle: resources and waste are
managed in a closed-loop cycle, with products being
reused, recycled and remanufacture
Product Life Cycle
How Long Should a Product Last?
• All products have a “Life Cycle”, that is, a start, use, and
disposal but how long should that be?
5 Minute Discussion
• How long should a Razor last?
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What materials are they made from?
How are they made?
Can they be recycled?
What are the issues?
Product Life Cycle
• A classic diagram showing the sales volume (or
production) vs. time for a given product during it’s lifecycle:
• Generally, most products that are developed follow this
curve, where each stage has specific characteristics.
Product Life Cycle
Stage
Characteristics
•
•
Market
introduction
stage
•
•
•
Sales generally are low and slow to take off.
Production costs tend to be high on a per unit basis
Profits tend to be negative or very low because of low
sales and high unit costs
Competitors tend to be few in number
Marketing cost needed to create customer awareness,
interest and for introducing the product into the distribution
channels are high
Product Life Cycle
Stage
Characteristics
•
•
Growth stage
•
•
•
•
costs reduced due to economies of scale
sales volume increases significantly
profitability begins to rise
public awareness increases
competition begins to increase with a few new players in
establishing market
increased competition leads to price decreases
Product Life Cycle
Stage
Characteristics
•
•
Mature stage
•
•
•
•
costs lowered as a result of production volumes increasing
and experience
sales volume peaks and market saturation is reached
increase in competitors entering the market
prices tend to drop due to the proliferation of competing
products
brand differentiation and feature diversification is
emphasized to maintain or increase market share
Industrial profits go down
Product Life Cycle
Stage
Characteristics
•
Saturation and
decline stage
•
•
•
costs become counter-optimal
sales volume decline or stabilize
prices, profitability diminish
profit becomes more a challenge of production/distribution
efficiency than increased sales
LIFE CYCLE ANALYSIS
Life Cycle Analysis
• One tool which can be used to assist in designing products
for the circular economy is a Life Cycle
Analysis/Assessment (LCA)
• LCA is a standardised methodology and is detailed in two
international standards – ISO 14040 & ISO 14044
• The assessment is the “factual analysis of a product’s
entire life cycle in terms of sustainability”
• To examine how much a product impacts on the
environment, it can often be a complex mix of:
– Inputs
– Outputs
– Interactions
• From the cradle-to-grave or cradle-to-cradle of a product
Life Cycle Assessment (LCA)
• A “Life Cycle Assessment” (LCA), also known as “life cycle analysis”,
or “eco-balance”, or “cradle to grave analysis”, etc... is the
investigation and evaluation of the environmental impacts of a given
product or service caused or necessitated by its existence.
• The purpose of LCA is to assess the full range of environmental and
social impacts assignable to products or services, to be able to choose
the one with the most beneficial outcome, or least impact.
• LCA can be a great tool for making decisions based on quantifiable
information
• However, LCA can be controversial depending on its use. Since the
scores assigned and the ‘scope’ of assignment can vary, some factors
may be difficult to quantify and subject to interpretation.
Life Cycle Assessment (LCA)
• An LCA can be used
for:
– Assistance to
regulators/government
to formulate legislation
– Assist manufacturers to
analyze and improve
their process or
products
– Enable consumers to
make informed choices
Life Cycle Assessment (LCA)
Issues with LCA:
• There are no “accepted
standards” to perform an LCA,
hence the question arises:
“Who has conducted the LCA,
what is their bias, and for what
purpose was it conducted?”
• Due to “lack of accepted
standards”, government or
consumers
– are unsure of accuracy of LCA
– cannot compare LCAs done by
two different parties
– hence, difficult to make
choices based on LCA
Life Cycle Analysis
• There are typically 4
main stages involved:
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Goal and scope
Inventory analysis
Impact assessment
Interpretation
Paradigm Sustainability Solutions
Life Cycle Analysis
Goal and scope:
• The most important (often subjective) choices are described, such as:
– The reason for undertaking the LCA
– A precise definition of the product and its life cycle
– A description of the system boundaries
• Used to:
– Define the goal(s) of the project
– Determine what type of information is needed to inform the decisionmakers
– Determine the required specificity
– Determine how the data should be organized and the results displayed
– Define the scope of the study
– Determine the ground rules for performing the work
Life Cycle Analysis
Inventory analysis:
• Life Cycle Inventory
– Data Collection
– Modeling of System
• All of the environmental inputs and outputs associated with
the product are studied, such as:
– The use of raw materials and energy
– The emission of pollutants
– The waste streams
Life Cycle Impact/Life Cycle Inventory
Impact assessment:
• Life Cycle Impact Assessment
– Characterization
– Normalization
– Weighting
• Conclusions are drawn to allow better business decisions to
be made such as:
– The environmental impacts are classified
– They are translated into themes such as carbon reductions or
human health effects
Life Cycle Analysis
Interpretation:
• This is forms a check that the study conclusions are well
substantiated:
– ISO 14044 describes a number of validation tests to ensure any
conclusions are adequately supported by the data and by the procedures
used
• Sensitivity analysis (SA) is a significant tool for studying the
robustness of results and their sensitivity to uncertainty
factors in life cycle assessment (LCA).
– It highlights the most important set of model parameters to determine
whether data quality needs to be improved, and to enhance interpretation of
results.
Energy /Resources……
• An Energy/Resource Budget can also be done on its own.
To create one, you can consider:
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Material usage
Material source
Transportation
Renewable?
Manufacturing of Product
Use of Product
Disposal of Product.
Life Cycle Design
• Life Cycle Design, is an activity whereby the designer
recognizes and takes into account the various phases of a
product’s life cycle, during the design of that product.
• If all phases of a product’s life are recognized and
considered during the design phase, the final product is
likely to ‘integrate better’ into our environment, and be
produced, used and disposed of in a more sustainable
manner.
• In other words, we should strive to consider life-cyclebased criteria during our concept generation and design
selection activities. For example, for design selection, we
can assign appropriate weighting to life-cycle based criteria
for decision making purposes.
Life Cycle Design
• Some Life Cycle “Design Objectives” that could be used
during the design process include:
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Transportation
Usage
Energy consumption
Safety
Recyclability
Design for Recyclability
• How do we incorporate “Recyclability” principles, into an
engineering design?
• Using the “structured design process”, we can easily
incorporate “Recyclability”, by implementing those principles
and concepts into our design process, at the following
stages:
– Goal Statements
– Objectives/Constraints Selection
– Method for Concepts
Design for Recyclability
• Typical Objectives for Design for Recyclability
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Materials resources etc.
Energy to recycle
By products of the process
Disassembly , separation etc.
Reuse?
…………….
It could take up to 20 and 100 uses for a
reusable cup to make up for the
greenhouse gas emissions of a single-use
cup.
https://www.artsthread.com/portfolios/designinginfographics/
https://www.artsthread.com/portfolios/designinginfographics/
5 Minute Discussion
Should we wrap a cucumber in plastic?
HEALTH & SAFETY
Health & Safety
• You should have
received a copy of the
student safety guide
– And hopefully you have
looked at it!
• Page 14 – Control of
Substances Hazardous
to Health (COSHH)
– Risk assessments
– HAZOP assessments
Health & Safety
• The “Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH)
Regulations 2002 (as amended)” is the law that requires a risk
assessment is carried out on any work activity that involves the
use of hazardous substances
• For all project work that involves the use of either:
– A Hazardous material
– An activity involving potentially hazardous processes
• A COSHH and/or risk assessment must be carried out and
recorded
• The details of the assessment(s) are recorded on the
COSHH/risk assessment forms which are available from your
project supervisor
Health & Safety
• COSHH is primarily concerned with hazardous materials,
i.e.:
–
–
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Chemicals
Reactions
Interactions (including materials compatibilities)
Products
• Risk Assessments are focused more on the process, i.e.:
– The experimental method
– The techniques that are going to be used
– This therefore includes non-chemical hazards
• So, before starting any experimental work, you must
undertake an assessment of what you are proposing to do
and how you propose to do it
COSHH
COSHH
What is a hazardous material?
• Generally speaking any product that is marked by the
supplier with a hazard statement or symbol should be
regarded as hazardous
• Hazards for each chemical will be detailed in a safety sheet
(MSDS)
• Hazard statements will be listed on the MSDS along with
the appropriate symbols
COSHH
Flame:
• Flammable
materials or
substances liable to
self ignite when
exposed to water or air
(pyrophoric), or which
emit flammable gas.
COSHH
Corrosion:
• Materials causing skin
corrosion/burns or eye
damage on contact, or
that are corrosive to
metals.
COSHH
Exploding Bomb:
• Explosives, including
organic peroxides
and highly unstable
material at risk of
exploding even without
exposure to air (selfreactives).
COSHH
Flame Over Circle:
• Identifies oxidizers.
• Oxidizers are
chemicals that facilitate
burning or make fires
burn hotter and
longer.
COSHH
Skull and Crossbones:
• Substances, such as
poisons and highly
concentrated acids,
which have an
immediate and severe
toxic effect (acute
toxicity).
COSHH
Environmental Hazard:
• Chemicals toxic
to aquatic wildlife
COSHH
Health Hazard:
• A cancer-causing
agent (carcinogen) or
substance with
respiratory,
reproductive or organ
toxicity that causes
damage over time (a
chronic, or long-term,
health hazard).
COSHH
Exclamation Mark:
• An immediate skin, eye
or respiratory tract
irritant, or narcotic.
COSHH
Gas Cylinder:
• Gases stored under
pressure, such as
ammonia or liquid
nitrogen
COSHH
COSHH
• Hazard statements have a code beginning with H
• Precaution statements have a code beginning with P
Code
H200
H201
H202
H203
H204
H205
H220
H221
H222
H223
H224
H225
H226
H227
H228
H240
H241
H242
H250
Physical hazard statement
Unstable explosive
Explosive; mass explosive hazard
Explosive; severe projection hazard
Explosive; fire, blast or projection hazard
Fire or projection hazard
May mass explode in fire
Extremely flammable gas
Flammable gas
Extremely flammable aerosol
Flammable aerosol
Extremely flammable liquid and vapour
Highly flammable liquid and vapour
Flammable liquid and vapour
Combustible liquid
Flammable solid
Heating may cause an explosion
Heating may cause a fire or explosion
Heating may cause a fire
Catches fire spontaneously if exposed to air
Code
P201
P202
P210
P211
P220
P221
P222
P230
P231
P232
P233
P234
P235
P240
P241
P242
P243
P250
P251
General Precautionary Statement
Obtain special instructions before use.
Do not handle until all safety precautions have been read and understood.
Keep away from heat/sparks/open flames/hot surfaces. - No smoking.
Do not spray on an open flame or other ignition source.
Keep/Store away from clothing/.../combustible materials.
Take any precaution to avoid mixing with combustibles/..
Do not allow contact with air.
Keep wetted with ...
Handle under inert gas.
Protect from moisture.
Keep container tightly closed.
Keep only in original container.
Keep cool.
Ground/bond container and receiving equipment.
Use explosion-proof electrical/ventilating/lighting/.../equipment.
Use only non-sparking tools.
Take precautionary measures against static discharge.
Do not subject to grinding/shock/.../friction.
Pressurized container: Do not pierce or burn, even after use.
COSHH
What is the difference between a hazard and a risk?
• Hazard:
– Something which is potentially dangerous
• Risk:
– The chance of a dangerous event occurring if the hazard is not properly
controlled
Risk Assessments
• The other form that
may be required is the
Risk Assessment
Risk Assessments
Risk Assessments
• 5x5 Risk Assessment Matrix (others are available e.g. 3x3) can be
used as a guide
•
•
•
•
Multiply likelihood of hazard causing an incident with consequence
Should an incident occur to produce risk level
Likelihood:
1 = Very unlikely
5 = Very likely
Consequence:
1 = Little consequence 5 = Severe consequence
(death or permanent/severe disability)
Risk Assessments
Risk Assessments
Risk Control Hierarchy
Risk Control Hierarchy
• Elimination
– Redesign the job or substitute a substance so that the hazard is removed or
eliminated.
– Staff not allowed to work at height
• Substitution
– Replace the material or process with a less hazardous one.
– use a small MEWP to access work at height instead of step ladders
– Care should be taken to ensure the alternative is safer than the original
• Engineering controls
– Use work equipment or other measures to separate the hazard from operators
– Install equipment to prevent falls where you cannot avoid working at height.
– Install or use additional machinery such as local exhaust ventilation to control
risks from dust or fume.
– Enclosing or guarding dangerous items of machinery/equipment
– Give priority to measures which protect collectively over individual measures.
Risk Control Hierarchy
• Administrative controls
– Identify and implement the new procedures to be able to work safely
– i.e. reduce the time workers are exposed to hazards
• Personal protective clothes and equipment
– After all the previous measures have been tried and found ineffective in
controlling risks to a reasonably practicable level
– The use of personal protective equipment (PPE) must be implemented
– i.e. where the risk of a fall cannot eliminate, use work equipment or other
measures to minimise the distance and consequences of a fall
– Workers must be trained in the function and limitation of each item of PPE.
HAZOP
Hazard and Operability Studies (HAZOP)
• For more complex experimental work you might need to carry
out a HAZOP study in addition to the usual risk and COSHH
assessments
• HAZOP studies should always used when designing new plant
and industrial processes
• Depending on the complexity of the process, this could involve a
large multidisciplinary team of people and several days, weeks
or months of work
• The purpose of the study is to investigate how the plant or
process might deviate from the intended design and any results
HAZOP
The overall process of a HAZOP is:
• The plant or process is broken down into various “nodes”
– This could be discrete areas or process flow lines shown on the
P&ID (Piping & Instrumentation Diagram)
• At each of these study nodes, deviations in the process
parameters are examined using various guide words
– The guide words are used to ensure that the design is explored in
every conceivable way
– This allows the potential causes and consequences of deviations
to be identified
HAZOP
• Guide words generally tend to follow:
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High Flow, Low Flow, No flow, Reverse Flow
High pressure, Low pressure, No pressure
High temperature, Low temperature
Change in composition / Change in concentration / Two phase flow
/ Reactions
– Etc, etc...
• Quite often many guide words will not apply and can be
excluded.
• Occasionally some additional specialist conditions need to
be considered
HAZOP
• The outcome of the study is a report detailing amongst
other things a list of actions
• The actions should highlight potential situations that could
be hazardous to plant personnel, public or the
environment or have the potential to jeopardise the
operability of the plant
• There should also be a clear statement on modifications
that will be made to the design or operational procedures
together with a timetable for implementation
• Justification as to why no action was chosen for any
actions identified should also be made
• Nominated people should be given ownership of required
actions and this would be detailed
Summary
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•
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•
•
•
•
•
•
Circular Economy
Sustainability
Sustainable Engineering Design
Product Life Cycle
Life Cycle Analysis
Design for Recyclability
Health and Safety
COSHH
Risk Assessments
HAZOP