Process Safety Review Checklist

The PSR & PHA (Process Hazard Analysis) identifies safety & operability issues &
concerns for a process. The following checklist will assist the Team in preparing for a
PSR and/or PHA.
PHASE I - Preliminary Review
This review assesses & makes safety & operability recommendations regarding the
proposed project. In addition, the Process Safety Review Committee (PSRC) will
provide a recommendation for conducting either a Phase II PSR or a PHA Study
(e.g. HAZOP). The Experimental Team may directly request a PHA study in place of
a Phase II PSR.
General Description:
· What is the process description & purpose of the unit?
· Provide a process sketch, which shows the major equipment & process lines.
· What is the life expectancy of this process unit?
General:
· Where is the unit to be located?
· Are the Chemical Hazards (quantities) consistent with limits set by the Building
Occupancy Classification? Is the operation a closed system or open
system? Are that & the operating pressure consistent with the requirements of
the Building Occupancy?
· Does separation & spacing between containers of hazardous materials meet the
requirements of the Building Code & NFPA 30?
· Would unit operation pose an undue hazard to neighboring units during normal
operation?
· Will equipment be located in high traffic areas?
· Is any part of the unit outside the building?
· What are the applicable codes & standards?
· Is there adequate access?
· What are the escape (egress) routes?
· What is the electrical classification of the area?
· Will this be a fully attended unit?
· Was the NFPA 704 rating, toxicity, chemical volume & pressure of all materials
considered in the attended/unattended designation?
· Number of operating personnel?
· Are there any radiation sources involved?
· Has this been discussed with the radiation Safety Officer?
· Are there any concerns about static electricity?
· What special safety requirements are unique to this process/unit?
Process:
· Have applicable aspects of Inherently Safer Design per ETP GP 48-04 been
reviewed?
· What chemicals do you plan to use as feeds?
· In what quantities?
· Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS's) if available or equivalent information.
· How will you handle & where will you store your hazardous feeds?
· What path will you use to transport feeds to your unit?
· What personnel safety equipment will be required?
· Personnel training?
· What chemical products & by-products can you make, under normal & abnormal
conditions?
· In what quantities?
· What will your product inventory be?
· Is the process reaction classified as a hazardous chemical reaction?
· Do you consider this process hazardous? Why?
· What is the fire hazard of the materials involved based on NFPA 704M
"Recommended System for the Identification of the Fire Hazards of Materials" &
NFPA 49 "Hazardous Chemicals Data"?
· Are there any dangerous properties of the materials involved?
· At what maximum & minimum temperatures & pressures, both normal &
abnormal conditions, can you operate?
· Does this unit operate below ambient temperature & pressure?
· Will you operate under normal or abnormal conditions in the flammability region?
· In oxygen enriched atmosphere?
· Explosive situations?
· Are you mixing oxygen/air with flammables?
· Has this been discussed with a Process Safety Specialist?
· Will you be handling flammable or combustible liquids?
· What flash points?
· Lower explosive limits (LEL's)?
· Will an exothermic reaction be involved?
· Under abnormal conditions?
· Are there any unusual chemical or physical properties of the materials involved?
· Have all aspects of decommissioning & remediation of the unit at end of use
been considered?
· Will corrosion or erosion be a problem?
· Will process containment (gaseous or liquid spill) be required?
· Mechanical hazards such as moving parts, hot temperatures, etc.
· Will material compatibility be a problem?
· Ventilation requirements: General? Local/Spot? Purged areas? Hoods?
· What special construction techniques will be required for the unit: Process
equipment? Structure? Enclosure? Explosion cell?
Environmental:
· What will you do with your waste?
· EPA permit required?
· Have you discussed this with the HSE department?
· Solid waste involved?
· Where will you store your waste?
· What special protection or procedures will be required in handling the waste?
· Personnel training required?
· What do you plan to vent to the atmosphere?
· If so, how much per hour? per day?
· Will this need to be treated or scrubbed before release?
· Will you be handling toxic chemicals?
· If so, which ones and in what quantities and threshold limit values (TLV's)?
· What will be your handling procedures?
· Personnel safety equipment required? (Task Hazard Assessment done?)
· Personnel training?
· Has this been discussed with the site Industrial Hygienist or the Safety Staff?
PHASE II - Piping & Instrumentation Diagram Analysis
A detailed P&ID Analysis will be conducted during the Phase II review. Safety &
operability recommendations will be identified. If a PHA (HAZOP) is conducted, it will
serve as the Phase II PSR.
General:
· Review the Phase I Checklist & data
· Is a Design Review warranted to cover all aspects of construction?
· Does the drawing conform to Engineering Standard Specification?
· Are the correct drawing symbols used? If not, is a symbol legend included?
· Does the P&ID representation of the process reflect the actual process?
· Are the instrumentation & safety monitored circuits (SMC’s) shown correctly?
· Are there any obvious mechanical hazards?
· Do vessels indicate their size, material of construction, design pressure &
temperature?
· Are there any unique construction characteristics such as Autoclave, Hoke,
quartz, etc.?
· Have MR numbers been assigned to vessels & X numbers to relief devices?
· Do all the lines, which terminate themselves on the P&ID drawing, indicate
where they go with text?
· Do all the pumps show their capacity on the P&ID?
· Are the feed chemicals indicated on the P&ID?
· Are all the gas cylinders shown & indicated on the P&ID?
Process:
· Are there any obvious hazards involved in the chemistry being used?
· Does this process mix air/oxygen with flammables?
· Can air get in the system inadvertently?
· Is the system adequately pressure protected with relief valves, rupture disks,
manometer blowouts, etc.?
· Do the relief devices on vessels correspond to the design pressure?
· Do all relief devices have “X” numbers & indicate set pressure?
· Are there any valve arrangements or connections which could lead to a
hazardous situation?
· Can any section of the lines be dead-ended or blocked in?
Design:
· Is the design in compliance with Site Technical Practices (STPs)? Are there any
exceptions? Is there a system in place to ensure compliance such as design
review by qualified person(s)?
· Is there any one action of the operator which could lead to a hazardous or
unsafe condition?
· Are two likely actions?
· Are the appropriate utilities such as air, city water, nitrogen, or hydrogen double-
checked between the building & the unit?
· Are the process lines adequately checked?
· Are the piping/equipment materials adequate for this service?
· Is piping design & selection in accordance with STP ES54-01?
· Are the blowdown vessels adequately sized for the inventory they serve?
· Do all relief device vent lines that could contain liquids or solids go to blowdown
vessel(s)?
· Where do they vent to?
· Do they have a nitrogen purge?
· Are there high temperature switches (TIS’s) on all electric heaters except self-
limiting heaters (Autotrace)?
· Is the safety system separate & independent from the control system?
· Is the control system approved for installation?
· Is there any need for emergency electrical supply (generator or UPS)?
· Is the grounding system/method addressed adequately?
· Is all electrical equipment suitable for the area classification?
· Does the emergency shutdown system block the feeds & vent & purge the
system?
· What happens if the purge gas is unavailable?
· Would you know it?
· Does the system fail safe?
· What happens during utility failures including ventilation or power interruptions?
What happens when the utility returns?
· Do all the control valves & solenoids fail-safe?
· Are compressed gas feeds in accordance with STP ES54-03?
· Do all the hazardous gas feeds have surge checks?
· Are all the hazardous gas vents piped to a hazardous gas vent?
· Do all the hazardous gas regulator vents vent to a hazardous gas vent?
· Are there adequate indicators/recorders/controllers to indicate & control the
process at all times?
· Are there adequate alarms to indicate process problems?
· Do all hazardous feeds have block valves at the point of supply & at the point of
use?
· Is there any venting of hazardous gases?
· Is there any need for gas detection per STP ES66-05?
· Do they need to be treated or scrubbed?
· Are nitrogen purges/blankets provided for hot oil heaters?
· Is there sufficient valving & other isolation for LOTO during maintenance?
PHASE III - Phase II Follow-up and Field Inspection
During the Phase III Review the Operating Procedures are reviewed. Phase II
recommendations are reviewed. In addition, a review at the physical plant installation
is conducted to ensure that applicable codes & engineering standards are met.
· Review the Phase I & II review results to see if they have been incorporated into
the design.
· What are the major changes to the process or design since those reviews?
· Use the Phase II Checklist to review the changes to the P&ID.
· Are there written operating & emergency procedures?
· Is there a complete safeguard listing indicating the safeguards & their functions?
· Are there procedures for periodic testing of safeguards (e.g., Safety Monitoring
Controls, or SMCs) & documenting tests?
· Are there procedures for handling hazardous materials?
· Have your personnel been trained in handling the hazardous materials used in
the unit?
· Is there any specialized training required for the safe operation of this unit?
Operating Procedures
· Written operating procedures should be developed, implemented & maintained
for all process operations. These procedures must address:
o Steps for each operating phase
o Safe Design Limits (SDL) & Safe Operating Limits (SOL)
o Safety & health considerations
o Safety systems & their functions
o Exclusion zones during high risk activities
 Steps & THAs for each operating phase:
o Initial startup
o Normal operations
o Temporary operations
o Unattended operations
o Normal shutdown
o Emergency shutdown
o Startup after Emergency shutdown
o Extended or “mothballing” shutdowns
o Testing of operation Safeguards
 Operating Limits:
o Consequences of deviation from normal operating limits
o Steps required avoiding or correcting deviation
 Safety and Health Considerations
o Properties of, & hazards presented by, the chemicals used in the process
or equipment.
o Precautions necessary to prevent exposure, including engineering
controls, administrative controls & personal protective equipment.
o Precautions necessary to restrict or limit access to the general area of the
unit during high risk activities
o Control measures taken if physical contact or airborne exposure occurs.
 o Control of hazardous chemical inventories.
o Special or unique hazards (radiation, hot surfaces, rotating equipment,
etc.).
o Maintenance procedures including lockout/tagout, Hot Work Permits,
opening process equipment or piping, confined space permits, etc.
o Emergency procedures
 Safety Systems & their Functions:
o Testing of operation safeguards.
o Safety systems, including a complete description, initiators, actions, time
delay, bypass & schedule showing the frequency of testing.
 Miscellaneous
o Procedures comply with the EH&S Manual.
o Procedures are located so as to be eaxily accessible.
o Unattended Operations Notification forms are posted.
 Training -- Applicable training should be conducted for all employees involved
in operating, maintaining & supervising a process. The Team is responsible to
ensure all personnel are adequately trained to perform the assigned duties of
their position. Training sign off is required.
o Process Technology
o Operating Procedures
o Process hazards
o Hazards of chemicals
o Safety requirements
o Emergency response
o Response to abnormal operations
o Process safety
o OSHA Personal Protective Equipment
o Task Hazard Assessment Certification Form completed?
o Standard Training Certification Form completed?
o Respirator training
o Records to document training
Walk-through Inspection:
· Is the unit congested such that it might be unsafe to work in or on?
· Will the congestion affect the ventilation?
· If in a hood, is the unit 6 inches inside the hood?
· Are hoods or spot ventilation systems been tested, balanced & certified?
· Any physical hazards such as “head knockers”, sharp points or edges, open
moving parts, exposed surfaces, etc.?
· Is there adequate guarding & warning signs for these hazards?
· Does unit sign contain contact information, names & phone numbers?
· Is anything located such that to operate it during the normal course of activities
would require an unsafe act?
· Are there adequate warning signs for hazards such as toxic materials, radiation
sources, etc.?
· Are there at least two escape (egress) paths from the unit?
· Is there any place in the unit where a person could become trapped in an
emergency?
Mechanical Issues
· Are there any vents, open pipes or tubing, or relief devices venting to the
atmosphere?
· What do they vent?
· Are there adequate block valves at the point of supply & at the points of use for
all hazardous feeds to ensure isolation?
· Are the hazardous feeds labeled?
· Are there block valves at other appropriate locations?
· Is all the piping secure?
· Is the process equipment adequately supported & anchored?
· Are required shields in place (both fixed & movable)?
· Are toxic gas cylinders in ventilated enclosures (where required) with warning
signs?
· Gas detectors provided?
· Procedures for regular calibration of the gas detectors?
· Are all gas cylinders properly secured?
· Are there nitrogen purge/blankets for hot oil heaters?
· Are the unit valves, equipment, and piping tagged & labeled & match the P&ID to
ensure safe operation?
Electrical Issues
· Was all electrical work done in a professional manner? Raceways (conduits)
adequately supported? Electrical boxes & wire ways covered? No loose wiring or
exposed wiring or terminals.
· Does the system have an emergency shutdown button?
· Emergency switches shall be at egress routes.
· Is an alarm and/or unit shutdown required if ventilation fails?
· Other indication of ventilation failure?
· Are initial inspections of electrical equipment in hazardous area completed &
documented per specification?
· If the unit is unattended, is the hood at full capacity all the time (at night)?
· Are electrical disconnects & power distribution enclosures labeled with power
source?
· If served by a circuit breaker, is the circuit breaker labeled as to service?
· Are circuit breaker schedules properly filled out in service panels?
· Is the equipment served labeled as to which circuit breaker is the disconnect?
· Is there proper working space about electrical equipment per codes?
· Are thermocouples & associated jack stations properly labeled with tags as
shown on the P&ID?
· Are the unit controls & safeguard devices on the unit clearly labeled to ensure
safe operation?
· Do all enclosures having voltages above 50 volts to ground have warning signs
indicating voltage level present?
· Do all power distribution panels have a sign indicating service voltage?
· Is the panel identified?
· Is the unit properly grounded? Are areas where static is a concerned properly
bonded?
· Are receptacles near a sink or other source of moisture ground fault interrupter
type?
· Are heaters fed from ground fault interrupting circuits?
· Do all heaters have a grounded metal covering?
· Do all heaters (except for autotrace) have high temperature protection per site
standards?
· When were critical instruments / monitors last calibrated / checked?
· Is there anything out of the ordinary that requires a warning sign to alert visitors
a hazard exists?
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