Safe operating procedures initiative

For new processes, the employer will find a PHA helpful in improving the design and construction of the process from a reliability and quality point of view. The safe operation of the new process is enhanced by making use of the PHA recommendations before final installations are completed. P IDs should be completed, the operating procedures in place, and the operating staff trained to run the process, before startup. The initial startup procedures and normal operating procedures must be fully evaluated as part of the prestartup review to ensure a safe transfer into the normal operating mode. 

Commercially, lead azide is usually manufactured by precipitation in the presence of dextrine, which considerably modifies the crystalline nature of the product. The procedure adopted is to add a solution of dextrine to the reaction vessel, often with a proportion of the lead nitrate or lead acetate required in the reaction. The bulk solutions of lead nitrate and of sodium azide are, for safety reasons, usually in vessels on the opposite sides of a blast barrier. They are run into the reaction vessel at a controlled rate, the whole process being conducted remotely under conditions of safety for the operator. When precipitation is complete, the stirring is stopped and the precipitate allowed to settle the mother liquor is then decanted. The precipitate is washed several times with water until pure. The product contains about 95% lead azide and consists of rounded granules composed of small lead azide crystals it is as safe as most initiating explosives and can readily be handled with due care. 

Initial and periodic refresher re-training (at least every 3 years) are required by the OSHA and EPA standards. This training is to ensure that each employee involved in operating a process (1) understands and adheres to the current operating procedures of the process (including emergency shutdown) (2) understands the specific safety and health hazards (3) can perform the safe work... 

Continuous Nitration. The initial well-known applications of continuous procedures for the nitrations of polyhydric alcohols such as glycerine and hydrocarbons such as benzene were made in Europe. In the United States the scale of operation of batch nitrations had become so large, and the techniques for safe operation so well established, that there did not exist as strong compulsion toward continuous processes here as elsewhere. The methods used for continuous production of products which are liquid, and hence can be separated from other immiscible liquids such as spent nitrating acids by decanting procedures, as well as nitrations which are fast and do not therefore require long reaction-time allowances, were first developed. Later, equipment for more complex processes have been worked out. At present it is safe to Consider that most nitrations could be handled by continuous procedures. 

In the subsequent steps the procedures to answer the two questions differ. In the first case, the assessment of a newly designed plant, usually the desired conversion, the optimal process temperature and the required production rate are fixed. Also the mode of operation, such as continuous or discontinuous, is predetermined by demands on selectivity and 3deld. The safety evaluation now has to assess, whether or not the parameter combination selected fi om the multi-dimensional space defined by reactor size, initial concentrations, characteristic reaction time as well as coolant and feed temperature can ensure safe operation under normal conditions. 

CFR1910.119(g)(l)(ii) 4.5.1.2 In lieu of initial training for those employees already involved in operating a process on May 26, 1992, an employer may certify in writing that the employee has the required knowledge, skills, and abilities to safely carry out the duties and responsibilities as specified in the operating procedures. 

The initial training includes safe work practices, the hazardous materials of the process and safety measures, emergency procedures, operating procedures and job hazard analyses, accidents and near misses, operating limits and actions and the results of deviation, and equipment and process parameters. 

In this scenario, low-pass flow is caused by the loss of process supply. Assuming that the BPCS is not the initiating cause (i.e., there is no BPCS flow controller or other function that could fail and cause the loss of process supply), a BPCS layer can be considered for risk reduction. An investigation determined that the control loop is normally operated in automatic mode, and there is a procedure to maintain safe operation when the loop is placed in manual. 

NOTE When a detected dangerous fault results In the Immediate Initiation of the safe state action, it is highly reasonable to consider the dangerous fault to be safe. When the diagnostic simply alarms, It is assumed that appropriate action by the operator can be and will be taken when required, in accordance with the operating procedures developed for compliance with ANSI/ISA-... 

The actions required to maintain safe operation during degraded or disabled states should be defined for each SIF. Refer to ISA-TR84.00.04-1, Annex B, for a discussion of operator-initiated safety functions and ISA-TR84.00.04-1, Annex F, for a discussion of the relationship between the SIS and BPCS. Any procedures required to continue safe operation should also be documented, followed by training of operation and maintenance personnel. 

In this case, the process engineer determined that upon detection of a dangerous fault, the SIF should be initiated. A diagnostic alarm is displayed on the BPCS HMI to alarm when the SIF level signal falls below -5%, which indicates a failure of the SIF level transmitter. When the operator receives the alarm, the operator manually activates the SIF per the operating procedures to bring the system to a safe state. The hazard and risk analysis indicated that there was sufficient process safety time for the operator to respond effectively (refer to Annex B for more information on operator alarm with response). Alternatively, the SIF could be configured such that on detection of transmitter failure, the SIF is automatically initiated. 

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