Question A In your own words and style of answering, analyze and elaborate on the process
safety management (PSM) lacking which can be found if you watch a video of Texas City
Refinery accident (I have shown to you in lecture).
Process Safety information, the information the PSM should include proper meeting
location and time to avoid being too close in the operation when any emergency or incidents
happen. For the instrument that measure the liquid, the instrument should be able to measure
liquid above the set point of liquid level and able to warn employees if there is an overflow
by giving alarms. Moreover, for the employee participation aspect, it must be stricter in terms
of manpower and shift in order to avoid hazards. The operation plant must be supervised at
all times during operation. Moreover, the PSM should left more information regarding the
operation of the plant such as in this case the information on how to reroute overflowing
liquid. The employees should write a more detailed logbook information for the next shift.
The PSM should also includes more information on how to handle emergency situation such
as overflowing liquid and minimizing pressure inside a tank. Moreover, in terms of process
hazard analysis, the information should be clearer on the possible hazard that should be
avoided should as running car near the premises.
Question B Select one accident from CSB Report involving fire, explosion of toxic release.
Analyze the causes of the accident and propose how to prevent the accident from happening
again in the future.
The accidents occur at Williams Geismar Olefins Plant which is catastrophic equipment
explosion, and fire at Geismar, Louisiana. It occurs at June 13, 2013 with two deaths, and 167
people injured. While the vessel was isolated from its pressure relief system, the accident
took place during operational activities that brought heat to a type of heat exchanger filled
with propane which resulting in an overpressure incident. Due to liquid thermal expansion,
the injected heat raised the temperature of the liquid propane mixture trapped within the
reboiler shell, resulting in a pressure rise which resulted in an explosion. In order to prevent
it, the company need to establish a strong organisational process safety culture, implementing
process safety management programmes to prevent accidents, and evaluating and selecting
safeguards to control process hazards.