Process wastes, early management

As of the early 1990s, annual worker fatalities ran about 9 per 100,000 employees annual lost-time disabling injuries ran about 4,000 per 100,000 employees (1). Property losses increased fourfold from the 1970s (2). The trends in fatalities and property losses can probably be ascribed to the increasing complexity and productivity of the highly automated chemical plants, where personnel are isolated from processes. Whereas exposure to health and safety hazards maybe reduced, the ability of experienced operating personnel to sense process problems and to correct these problems frequently is decreased. Another aspect of process management which has tended to increase hazards is the effort to reduce the formation of wastes and undesired by-products. This effort requires dose approach to temperature and pressure limits, at which points loss of control can be catastrophic (see Process control). Process and plant safety issues have been discussed (3—8). 

---