Writing Emergency Operating Procedures

Emergency Response Procedures, as defined in your Emergency Response Plan, for major on- or off-site releases, fires, or explosions are not considered in this book. However, the interaction of EOPs with Emergency Response Procedures is discussed. 

Defining Events Requiring Emergency Operating Procedures 

EVENT An identifiable occurrence related to equipment performance or human action, or an occurrence external to the system that causes (or could cause) dangerous system upset. The cause or contributor to an incident or accident. 

SYSTEM UPSET A condition where any system operating parameter falls outside established safe operating limits, resulting, or likely to result, in unstable operation, operation outside of design limits, or potential release. 

In this chapter we will emphasize system upsets or abnormal situations where the loss or degradation of components or controls could allow process parameters to exceed the design intent or limit of the process or equipment, resulting in an accidental chemical release. The time factor involved in an operator s ability to assess and correct an operating deviation is discussed in more detail in CCPS Guidelines for Integrating Human Factors into Process Safety Management Systems  

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The unit plan must be formal and in writing. Because the emergency procedures of each individual operating area or work unit form the foundation of the facility ERP, they should be reviewed by the Emergency Preparedness Team for completeness and consistency across the site before they are included in the facility ERP. 

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