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SAChE® Certificate Program
Level 2, Course 10: Understanding Hazards and Risks
Unit 1: Process Knowledge Management
Narration:
[None]
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Getting Started
Narration (female voice):
If this is your first time taking a SAChE course, please take a few minutes to explore the interface.
This slide will explain how to use the controls to navigate through the course. All of the units in
the course use the same interface.
This interface has four main features that you should be aware of:
• Here is the left navigation bar. It contains a list of the slides as well as the narrative
transcript. At any point in the course, if you would like to revisit any content, click the
slide title to jump back. You may also use the Previous button on the bottom of the
player. To advance forward, use the Next button.
• The Search feature allows you to search for content using any word in the current unit.
• On the top menu bar you will find the Help, Abbreviations, Glossary, Resources and Exit
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options. The resources included in this course include any unit-specific attachment as
well as a printable copy of the unit slides and narrative.
• Use the Exit tab to leave this unit at any time.
Click the arrows if you want to learn more about the interface features. Click ‘Next’ when you’re
ready to continue.
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Case Study
Narration (male voice):
The piping and instrument diagram (or P&ID) for this hot fuel oil tank included only a single fuel
oil line. Not shown was a second line leading to a diesel source.
When a valve on this undocumented line was inadvertently opened, diesel flowed into the hot
oil tank and, partially vaporized by the heat, caused the tank to rupture.
Fortunately, there were no injuries, but the incident could have been prevented had the
information on the P&ID been accurate, up-to-date, available to the operators, and used in their
training.
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Objectives
Narration (male voice):
This is the first of two units in the Understanding Hazards and Risks course. By the end of this
unit, titled “Process Knowledge Management,” you will be able to:
• Understand the function and importance of the Process Knowledge Management
element in the Process Safety Management (or PSM) System;
• Understand the most important items of process knowledge;
• Be able to distinguish some key process related diagrams;
• Understand the major PSM elements which interact with Process Knowledge
Management; and
• Identify useful metrics to assess the effectiveness of Process Knowledge Management.
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SECTION 1: The Process Knowledge Management Element
Narration:
[None]
Section 1
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The Process Knowledge Management Element
Narration (male voice):
The Process Knowledge Management element is also known as Process Knowledge and
Documentation and, more commonly, Process Safety Information (or PSI).
In this section, we’ll describe a number of important items of process safety knowledge and how
they are integrated into the PS management system.
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Questions to Ask About the Facility’s Performance
Narration (male voice):
At the highest level, the overall question to ask about the facility’s performance of this element
is: “Does complete and accurate written information exist pertaining to the technology of the
process?”
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Additional Questions to Ask
Narration (male voice):
The overall mission of the technology information element is to answer these questions:
• Is the facility’s process safety information complete?
• Are the piping and instrumentation diagrams (P&IDs) at as-built status?
• Are equipment, facility, and process changes incorporated into the technical
documentation as they occur?
… and …
• Do operators have access to the latest version of this information and do they use it?
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Methodology and Responsibility Varies
Narration (male voice):
Depending on the structure and culture of each company, the methodology and responsibility of
maintaining process knowledge and documentation will vary. For example, some files will be at
one location in a central file for several plants; others will be maintained at each individual plant.
An extremely important issue is to make certain that sponsorship and responsibility for
maintaining the information are clearly defined, communicated, and understood throughout the
organization.
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Technology Information – Materials
Narration (male voice):
Important elements of technology information relating to the materials include:
• Chemical identification data;
• Physical property data;
• Thermodynamic data (including reaction heat, latent heat, heat capacity, and thermal
conductivity);
• Reactivity and stability data;
• Flammability data (such as flammable concentrations);
• Exposure limits;
• Regulatory classifications;
• Toxicity data; and
• Storage requirements.
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Technology Information – Process
Narration (male voice):
Important elements of technology information relating to the process include:
• Block flow or simple process flow diagram;
• Process chemistry;
• Kinetics data;
• Normal operating limits for continuous and batch processes;
• Process operating data;
• Maximum intended inventory;
• Safe upper and lower processing limits;
• Material inventories required;
• Description of general control philosophy;
• P&IDs;
• Materials of construction; and
• Electrical classifications.
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Toxicity Related Items
Narration (male voice):
The following are the most commonly encountered toxic parameters in process safety:
• Threshold Limit Value (TLV);
• Short Term and Permissible Exposure Limits (STEL and PEL);
• Immediately Dangerous to Life and Health (IDLH);
• Emergency Response Planning Guidelines (ERPGs);
• Odor Thresholds; and
• Probit Values.
A detailed study of these toxicity items is beyond the scope of this course. Descriptions and use
of these are covered in further detail in other SAChE modules.
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Flammability Related Items
Narration (male voice):
The following are the most commonly encountered flammable parameters in process safety:
• Upper Flammable Limit (UFL);
• Lower Flammable Limit (LFL);
• Minimum Ignition Energy (MIE);
• Limiting Oxygen Concentration (LOC);
• Minimum Explosible Concentration (MEC);
• Explosion Severity Index (Kst);
• Flash Point; and
• Flame Speed.
Again, descriptions and use of these are covered in further detail in other SAChE modules.
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Narration (female voice):
Can you think of an example of a wide ranging safety document that encompasses both toxicity
and flammability information?
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The Safety Data Sheet (SDS)
Narration (male voice):
The Safety Data Sheet (SDS; formerly known as a Material Safety Data Sheet, or MSDS) is an
excellent example; it’s one of the most common safety documents found in plants and labs.
Narration (female voice):
Take a few minutes now to scroll through and read this SDS.
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The Safety Data Sheet (SDS) (continued)
Narration (male voice):
The SDS is a detailed information bulletin prepared by the manufacturer of a chemical that
describes the:
• Physical and health hazards;
• Routes of exposure;
• Precautions for safe handling and use;
• Emergency first-aid procedures; and
• Control measures.
In the U.S., the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, or OSHA, requires that
employers maintain a complete and accurate SDS for each hazardous chemical that is used in
their facility. Manufacturers of the chemicals must keep this information up to date.
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SECTION 2: Process Related Diagrams
Narration:
[None]
Section 2
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Process Related Diagrams
Narration (male voice):
In this section we’ll examine common process related diagrams. These include:
• Block flow diagrams;
• Process flow diagrams (or PFDs);
• Piping and Instrumentation Diagrams, (or P&IDs); and
• Equipment layouts.
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Block Flow Diagrams
Narration (male voice):
Block flow diagrams are one of the simplest ways to present the sequence of units in a process.
They often serve as background to describe a project to a wider audience not necessarily
conversant in all process details.
Block flow diagrams can more easily be used for training, product transfers between facilities,
and for a process hazards analysis (or PHA) team with different technical backgrounds
(frequently prior to more detailed level of assessment).
Narration (female voice):
An example block flow diagram is shown here. You can click the image for a closer look.
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Process Flow Diagrams
Narration (male voice):
PFDs and their related process descriptions also have the same need as P&IDs for real time
accuracy. They are the basis for:
• Operating Procedures (another process safety management, or PSM, element);
• Process control design;
• Emergency relief sizing;
• Dispersion modeling;
• Hazard analysis;
…and others, all of which are based on an accurate representation of current operations.
Narration (female voice):
An example process flow diagram is shown here. You can click the image for a closer look.
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Piping and Instrumentation Diagrams (P&IDs)
Narration (male voice):
P&IDs typically reflect a specific portion of the overall process flow diagram and are much more
detailed and equipment oriented than PFDs and block flow diagrams. As such, they are
generated and maintained by a company’s Engineering Department. The original version was
most likely developed by contracted engineering during the design and construction of a project.
The P&ID is an essential document in the development of a hazard identification exercise,
particularly a HAZOP (or Hazard and Operability Study). A P&ID’s accuracy and up to date status
are critical to the reliability and comprehensiveness of those studies.
Narration (female voice):
An example P&ID is shown here. You can click the image for a closer look.
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Equipment Layout Drawings
Narration (male voice):
Equipment layout drawings can serve many purposes. In addition to their role in the actual
design and construction of a facility, they provide a starting point for siting studies.
Consequence modeling of toxic and flammable releases are overlaid on layout drawings.
Electrical area classification designations (for flammability control) use layout drawings to depict
requirements.
Narration (female voice):
An example layout drawing is shown here. You can click the image for a closer look.
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Living Documents
Narration (male voice):
The items covered under Process Safety Information are living documents. That is, they must
reflect the current process conditions, equipment design, vessel assignments, materials and
quantities expected on site, among other items.
This is particularly crucial for P&IDs. These are typically used as the basis for detailed hazard
analyses and those exercises would be compromised if the P&ID doesn’t accurately reflect “as-
built” status of the equipment being analyzed.
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SECTION 3: How PSI Interfaces with Other Elements
Narration:
[None]
Section 3
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PSI Interfaces with Other PSM Elements
Narration (male voice):
The PSI element interfaces significantly with a number of other PSM elements, most frequently:
• Hazard Analysis (due to the obvious need to be analyzing accurate and representative
information);
• Operating Procedures (such as upper and lower limits and set points of safety systems);
Asset Integrity and Reliability (the information in PSI enables the scheduling and content
for maintenance tasks);
• Training (these programs are developed using the knowledge of the process and
equipment); and
• Management of Change, or MOC (these reviews require in depth knowledge of the
process and equipment; we’ll learn more about MOC on the next slide).
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Management of Change (MOC)
Narration (male voice):
On the previous slide, you learned that one of the other PSM elements that the process safety
information element interfaces with is Management of Change.
The MOC element requires that when some equipment on a P&ID has changed, this change
needs to be captured and recorded. For practical and document control reasons, process
diagrams do not necessarily have to be updated on the computer, but can be kept current by
red lining (that is, using a red pencil with a dated note of the change). Then the diagrams can be
formally changed in the computer file as time permits.
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Leading Metrics
Narration (male voice):
There are leading metrics that an organization can use to assess how effectively they’re applying
any of the PSM elements. Several useful metrics for Process Knowledge Management include:
• The number of corrections to P&IDs and other process safety information identified
during process hazard analyses;
• Accuracy of process knowledge during periodic reviews;
• Results of periodic opinion surveys to determine if users of process knowledge believe
that it’s current and accurate;
• Results of random checks of MSDS files to determine if they are complete, current, and
accurate;
• Number of incident investigations that include an element of discovery;
• Percentage of technical document changes meeting the target cycle time for update;
• Number of change requests initiated to "correct” process knowledge;
• Engineering staff time spent recreating process knowledge; and
• The number or percent of blank records in the process knowledge database.
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Participating on an Audit Team
Narration (male voice):
During your chemical engineering career, you may be part of an audit team assessing process
safety performance at one of your company’s plants.
Carefully examine the process safety knowledge requirements found in the procedures of the
company or facility being audited. These could be interpreted as compliance requirements by
regulators and subject to citations if they’re not being followed.
The Center for Chemical Process Safety (or CCPS) has published useful guidance on how to
conduct such an activity. You can learn more about the CCPS Guidelines for Auditing Process
Safety Management Systems resource by clicking the book icon.
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SECTION 4: Examples of Ineffective Process Knowledge Management
Narration:
[None]
Section 4
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Examples of Ineffective Process Knowledge Management
Narration (male voice):
To conclude this unit, we’ll look at a couple of examples where ineffective process knowledge
management led to problems.
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Example 1: T2 Laboratories Inc. Reactive Chemical Explosion
Narration (male voice):
In the example illustrated in this video, a lack of understanding of reactive hazards led to a
catastrophic incident and resulted in fatalities.
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Example 2
Narration (male voice):
Consider the following situation:
A field operator contacts the control room about a leaking connection on a heat exchanger.
[Field operator] “Hey, Carlos…Connection B1 appears to be leaking on the exchanger.”
The control room operator instructs the field operator to bypass the heat exchanger using the
upstream manifold.
[Control room operator] “OK, Sam. Glad you noticed that leak. Go ahead and bypass using the
upstream manifold.”
[Field operator] “Roger that, Carlos. I’m doing that now.”
Unknown to the control room operator, an auxiliary bypass was recently installed upstream of
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the heat exchanger and was not recorded on the P&ID.
When the field operator opens the bypass, the process stream is routed to an alternative and
unintended location.
The inaccuracy of the technical information could have led to a serious incident. There were also
deficiencies in the management of change and training elements here.
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Unit 1 Summary
Narration (male voice):
We’ve reached the end of the first unit in the Understanding Hazards and Risks course. Having
completed this first unit on Process Knowledge Management, you should now be able to:
• Understand the function and importance of the Process Knowledge Management
element in the Process Safety Management System;
• Understand the most important items of process knowledge;
• Be able to distinguish some key process related diagrams;
• Understand the major PSM elements which interact with Process Knowledge
Management; and
• Identify useful metrics to assess the effectiveness of Process Knowledge Management.