Improvements in safety

The development of computer capabiUties in hardware and software, related instmmentation and control, and telecommunication technology represent an opportunity for improvement in safety (see COMPUTER TECHNOLOGY). Plant operators can be provided with a variety of user-friendly diagnostic aids to assist in plant operations and incipient failure detection. Communications can be more rapid and dependable. The safety control systems can be made even more rehable and maintenance-free. Moreover, passive safety features to provide emergency cooling for both the reactor system and the containment building are being developed. 

As part of developing the PSM implementation plan (Chapter 5), you and the team identified benefits unique to the approach you selected, using them to help win management s approval. For example, your plan may focus on priority elements because the assessment you conducted suggests that this method will yield the greatest overall improvement in safety performance. And, as part of the pilot test described in this chapter, you focused on facility-specific benefits to enlist the support of local management and staff. 

Problems can also arise when the results of safety audits are used in a competitive manner, for example, to compare two plants. Such use is obviously closely linked to the operation of incentive schemes. However, as was pointed out earlier, there is no evidence that giving an award to the "best plant" produces any lasting improvement in safety. The problem here is that the competitive aspect may be a diversion from the aim of safety audits, which... 

The purpose of this chapter is to show that improvements in safety, quality, and productivity are possible by applying some of the ideas and techniques described in this book. The fact that error reduction approaches have not yet been widely adopted in the CPI, together with questions of confidentiality, has meant that it has not been possible to provide examples of all the techniques described in the book. However, the examples provided in this chapter illustrate some of the most generally useful qualitative techniques. Case studies of quantitative techniques are provided separately in the quantification section (Chapter 5). The first two case studies illustrate the use of incident analysis techniques (Chapter 6). 

Improvements in safety and environmental performance will come only slowly. Major accidents are rare, even with poorly managed programs, and any reduction in these will be evident only after several years. Areas where early improvements might be expected are spill response and occupational injuries where improved processes should be effective soon after installation. Work place exposure and environmental emissions may improve over a period of several months. 

Deciding which risk-reduction method to use maybe difficult. In many instances, appropriate decisions can be made without resorting to quantitative techniques. However, in some cases, particularly when the options are costly, quantitative risk analysis (QRA) and risk-based decision-making approaches may be an effective basis for measuring the improvement in safety arising from the proposed options. These approaches can also be used in prioritizing safety improvements and balancing cost and production issues. 

Finely divided aluminium powder or dust forms highly explosive dispersions in air [1], and all aspects of prevention of aluminium dust explosions are covered in 2 recent US National Fire Codes [2], The effects on ignition properties of impurities introduced by recycled metal used to prepare dust were studied [3], Pyrophoricity is eliminated by surface coating aluminium powder with polystyrene [4], Explosion hazards involved in arc and flame spraying of the powder are analysed and discussed [5], and the effect of surface oxide layers on flammability was studied [6], The causes of a severe explosion in 1983 in a plant producing fine aluminium powder are analysed, and improvements in safety practices discussed... 

The endothermic nitride is susceptible to explosive decomposition on friction, shock or heating above 100°C [1], Explosion is violent if initiated by a detonator [2], Sensitivity toward heat and shock increases with purity. Preparative precautions have been detailed [3], and further improvements in safety procedures and handling described [4], An improved plasma pyrolysis procedure to produce poly (sulfur nitride) films has been described [5], Light crushing of a small sample of impure material (m.p. below 160°C, supposedly of relatively low sensitivity) prior to purification by sublimation led to a violent explosion [6] and a restatement of the need [4] for adequate precautions. Explosive sensitivity tests have shown it to be more sensitive to impact and friction than is lead azide, used in detonators. Spark-sensitivity is, however, relatively low [7],... 

M. he investigation of accidents and near misses (that is, close calls) provides opportunities to learn how to prevent similar events in the future. Accident investigations, including detailed descriptions and recommendations, are commonly shared within the chemical industry. Many professionals believe that this sharing of information about accidents has been a major contributor to the steady improvement in safety performance. 

This section reviews these research efforts in the past decade on developing new solvents and lithium salts for nonaqueous electrolytes of lithium ion cells, but the cosolvents or additives developed for nonflammable electrolytes, most of which are phosphorus or fluorinated molecules, are not included, since their presence is intended for improvement in safety rather than performance. They will be reviewed in section 8.5. 

CA 40, 206 (1946) (Continuous production and stabilization of NC, NS, DEGDN, PETN Nitrosugar) 21a)E.Berl, ChemMetEngrg 52, 202, 204 206(Way 1945) (The problem of batch versus continuous operation in the explosives industry is primarily concerned with improvements in safety of operations) 2lb)AA.Swanson et al, PB Rept... 

Workshop objectives are met only when measurable improvements in safety, loss prevention, and security programs have been made in participants own areas as a result of attending the workshop. 

A more expensive alternative is to use standard AutoAnalyser type systems, based on multichannel peristaltic pumps, to pump samples and reagents and/or diluents at the desired rates to give automatic mixing at the desired ratio. Flame photometric detectors have been used for many years with AutoAnalysers, especially in clinical laboratories. Curiously, in the past, this approach has less often been routinely used in environmental analytical laboratories employing flame spectrometry, perhaps because an attractive feature of flame spectrometry is the speed of response when used conventionally. Over the past few years, however, there has been an increasing tendency towards fully automated, unattended operation of flame spectrometers. This undoubtedly reflects, at least in part, the improvements in safety features in modern instruments, which often incorporate a comprehensive selection of fail-safe devices. It also reflects the impact of microprocessor control systems, which have greatly facilitated automation of periodic recalibration. 

Rabies vaccine was for a long time prepared from infected brain tissue, and neurological complications were likely to occur in as many as one in 300 cases. A second-generation vaccine prepared from duck embryo tissue has been found to be better tolerated in this respect, and third-generation vaccines prepared in non-neural tissue cultures or in human diploid cell (HDC) vaccines with a progressive improvement in safety have now become the vaccines of choice where they are available. 

Nucleic acid hybridization is based on the precise nucleotide base pairing and hydrogen bonding between one string of nucleotides and a complementary nucleotide sequence. Any diagnostic nucleic acid hybridization test has three essential elements the DNA probe, the target DNA and the signal detection system. Recent developments in detection systems and improvements in safety have enabled... 

Explosion hazards involved in arc and flame spraying of the powder are analysed and discussed [5], and the effect of surface oxide layers on flammability was studied [6]. The causes of a severe explosion in 1983 in a plant producing fine aluminium powder are analysed, and improvements in safety practices discussed... 

Recommendation 9. In the interest of continuing safe operability, facility staff at each chemical agent stockpile incineration faciUty site should continue to compare their operations and performance with those at other sites and with practices in the broader chemical industry for deahng with hazardous materials to ensure continual improvement in safety performance, consistency in major safety practices, and safety-related cooperation among the sites. (Tier 1)... 

The expectation for continuous improvement in safety management systems is built into the ISM requirements. After a mission is translated into work and the set of requirements to safely accomplish the work is identified, the contractor and DOE should define the expectation for whether the safety management system is to meet or exceed requirements. This expectation can affect plaiming, prioritization of tasks, and resource allocation. 

Achieved Great improvement in safety and environmental contamination can be achieved by reducing the phosgene excess by 94%. PTC provides 200 times less hydrolysis of phosgene/chloroformate than traditional catalysis. 

This situation is all in stark contrast to other safety critical industries. For example in aerospace there is a more open and transparent culture of learning which crosses organisational and otherwise commercially competitive boundaries. lu aerospace stakeholders are aware that improvements in safety are for the greata good of the industty and that in the long term a safe product drives revenues for aU players. HIT suppliers have some way to catch up and it is largely the responsibility of their customers to call for the transparency that is required to enable a rigorous and practical assurance process. 

Another characteristic of accidents is the way they are often explored through ideas of cause and effect - put most simply unsafety is the cause, and the accident is the effect. Looking back over historical safety statistics, it is not surprising that recent improvements in safety on construction sites have been recognised ... 

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