Safety engineering continuous improvement

Fruchtnicht, E., Fellers, J.W. Hanks, C.D. (2013). Safety Inspections—Continuous Improvement, Effectiveness Efficiency. Professional Safety, 28-35. Maiti, A. (2010). NETLab An online laboratory management system. Education Engineering (EDUCON), 2010 IEEE, 1351-1358. DOI 10.1109/ EDUCON.2010.5492371. 

CCPS G-55. Guidelines for Performance Measures for Continuous Improvement of Process Safety Management Systems. American Institute of Chemical Engineers, Center for Chemical Process Safety, New York. 

This trade association supports the chlor-alkali industry by fostering continuous improvements to safety, the protection of human health, and the environment, with regards to production of caustic soda, chlorine, and related products. The Chlorine Institute provides numerous technical safety and engineering pamphlets that are developed by leaders within the industry and also focuses on regulatory and legislative matters. 

Chemical engineers have improved the quality and quantities of many products that enhance the quality of all our lives. At the same time, they have continued to serve as leaders in environmental and safety innovations. It is, in fact, the adaptability of a field that can successfully straddle both science and engineering, physics and physical plumbing, that makes chemical engineering so viable in an age where change is the only constant, and constant improvement the only option. 

Chlorine is not the only means of disinfection available, but other methods can also produce toxic by-products. In addition, alternative disinfectants do not provide the residual protection offered by chlorine-based disinfectants, so they must be used in combination with chlorine. Drinking water treatment must satisfy the competing objectives of maximum microbial decontamination and minimum production of toxic by-products. This is a difficult task that will require research by chemists and chemical engineers in collaboration with a variety of other experts to continuously improve the safety and quality of the world s drinking water. 

The American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE) has been closely involved with process safety and loss control issues in the chemical and allied industries for more than four decades. Through its strong ties with process designers, constructors, operators, safety professionals, and members of academia, AIChE has enhanced communications and fostered continuous improvement of the industry s high safety standards. AIChE publications and symposia have become information resources for those devoted to process safety and environmental protection. 

As health care systems work to align with purchasers of care in order to make improvements in these categories, they can use many internal and external resources. An important example is offered by device and equipment manufacturers who can work with health care systems to assess device safety in the context of the work environment, redesign and customize equipment by using the principles of human factors engineering, and continually improve equipment design in ways that will... 

In summary, BBS is based on the general principles that behavior causes the majority of accidents, but this does not excuse employers from providing a safely engineered workplace with all controls in place to prevent the occurrence of incidents. Second, accountability inspires behavior and accountability facilitates accomplishments. Third, feedback that fosters good communications is the key to continuous improvement, and excellence in safety must be established as the underlying culture desired in the organization or company. 

Hazard controls are fully in place and continually improved upon based on workplace experience and general knowledge. Documented reviews of needs are conducted by certified health and safety professionals or professional engineers, etc. 

Activity of the Board of Certified Safety Professionals and the American Society of Safety Engineers (ASSE) over many years resulted in the arrangements made with ABET to accredit safety science degree programs that met ABET requirements. It is a mark of status and recognition for a university to meet those requirements and obtain accreditation. An audit team visits the school for the initial accreditation and on a 5-year schedule thereafter if continued certification is sought. Recommendations are made by the audit team, if necessary, for continuous improvement in the curriculum and the educational objectives for the program. 

Table 24.1 shows some representative numbers of these three risk measurements. One of the possibly surprising observations is that the chemical process industries are relatively safe (for workers) conpared witii many other industries. There are many reasons for this, ranging from the high level of remote sensing and operation, which separates workers from the most dangerous parts of the plant, to the historical concern for the hazards of industrial chemicals. Regardless of the reasons, chemical engineers continue to try to improve the safety of chemical plants. 

The American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE) has been involved in Chemical Process Safety and Loss Prevention for chemical and petrochemical plants for decades. In early 1985, the AIChE established the Center for Chemical Process Safety (CCPS) to intensify development and dissemination of the latest scientific and engineering practices for prevention and mitigation of catastrophic incidents involving hazardous chemicals. The CCPS serves as a focus for developing literature and courses to continue to improve chemical process safety. 

---