3.

3 Possibility of Reducing Potential Consequences of an Accident

In the current industry, there are a lot of accidents that is happening day by day. There are a lot of
reasons that lead to incidents and accidents. These events will eventually leads to the loss of
time, money and human resources. In some worst case, the hazard from the industry also harms
the environment and the human population living around the industrial area. Therefore, safety
will be the first priority whenever we look into building a new plant. In fact, every company
always have their own procedure in safety such as the SOP (Safety Operating Procedures) and
different codes of conduct. Normally, there are three types of safety measure that can be
practised by process plant industries which are:

Mitigation
Control

Prevention

Prevention means that the activity prevents and does not let the incidents happens. Prevention is
placed in the first of the pyramid as it is the most important part in preventing disasters in the
industry as there is no need for the control and mitigation part. In the plant, prevention normally
is in terms of the safety valves used and other equipments which functions to prevent incident to
occur. Control is another activity to keep the plant safe. When an accident occurs, control system
will be implemented in order to control the margin of the damage. The conventional controller
devices are valves such as relief valves which can control the amount pressure when there is a
sudden hike in the pressure system. Meanwhile, mitigation reduces the harmful of the case.

Potential consequences of accident can be reduced by taking inherent safety aspects into
consideration. Below are some of the potential hazard that can occur and the preventive
measurements to be taken:

Reactor

Distillation Column

Pipeline

Separator

Heat transfer operation

Chemical Storage

Materials for construction

Transportation System

Valves

The detailed explanation starting from the potential hazard, the causes, consequences, safety
measures and mitigation are explained as below:
Items
Reactor

Potential

Cause(s)

Consequence( Safety

Mitigati

Hazard
s)
Measures
on
High pressure or High amount Explosion
Provide
Equi
Fire
overpressure
of gas
alarm to
p
Chemical
High
supply
detect or alert
chem
leakage
temperature or High energy
any
ical
Malfunctionin
overheated
release from
overpressure
prote
g of the
Exceed the
vaporization
condition
ction
reactor
capacity of the
Provide
reaction
Flooding
High amount Hazardous
reactor
( PP
safety valve
The reactor is
of heat
E)
and backup
chemical
leaked
supply
storage
released
Outlet have

problems ,

Equip with

the product

overpressure

cannot go

relief valve

out

such as
pressure

relief valve
Provide
alarm to
detect any
overheated

condition
Put safety
valve to stop
the supply of

Distillatio Chemical leak

Large
n
column

inventories of
boiling liquid
High pressure or
over pressure
in distillation
column

High pressure Flooding

Hazardous
in the
column
The reflux or

chemical

released
ratio boiler Potential
explosion
is too high

The amount of
feed supply
exceed the

due to build

heat
Select

sequence that

chem

is able to

ical

minimize the

prote

flow rate of

ction
( PP

component
Suitable

capacity of

column

the

design to

distillation

reduce

column
Product stuck

Equi

suitable

non-key

up pressure

inventory
Provide

inside the

alarm to

column due

detect or alert

to clogging

any

E)

of impurities

overpressure

condition
Put safety
valve to stop

the supply
Equipped
with
overpressure
relief valve
such as
pressure

Pipeline Rupture
Corrode

Overpressure Flooding
Low quality Hazardous
material
Properties of
feed

chemical
released
Pipe eruption

materials

that leads to

that are not

explosion

suitable for

safety valve
Use strong

Equi

material for

pipeline
Avoid using

chem

carbon steel

prote

that can cause

ction
( PP

ical

corrosion
Study on feed

that

properties

particular

thoroughly

pipeline

before

material

choosing on

E)

types of pipes
High pressure or Clogged at the Explosion
Separator
overpressure
outlet of the Fire
Flooding
High
separator
Hazardous
temperature or Vigorous
chemical
overheated
exothermic
released
reaction of
chemical

to be used
Provide

Equi

alarm to

detect or alert

chem

any

ical

overpressure

prote

and

ction
( PP

overheated

inside the

reactor

condition
Equipped

E)

with
overpressure
relief valve
such as
pressure

safety valve
Put safety
valve to stop

Heat
Transfer
Operation

Failures in heat

Malfunction of Flooding
Fire
exchangers will
Heat
Explosion
result in
Exchanger Hazardous
Failure of
pressure
chemical
heater or
changes and
released
boiler
contamination
of the heat

the supply
Provide

detect or alert

prote

any

ction
( PP

overheated

regularly
Flammable

cause tube

substitute

rupture

with non-

,vibration and

flammable

leaking

material

tank
Surrounding
condition of

E)

condition
Maintenance

material to be

the chemical

Equi

alarm to

issues will

Chemical Leakage from

check

transfer fluid
Overheated
Other failure

Storage

Sudden
chemical
reaction

Flooding
Fire
Explosion
Leakage of

Wear

Equi

Personal

Protective

chem

inside the

hazardous

Equipment

ical

tank due to

chemical

(PPE)

prote

chemical

changes in

storage not

surrounding

preserved
Improper
chemical
storage

condition
Chemical

enough fire

storage tank

( PPE )

and safety
check

maintenance

chemical

regularly
Follow each
chemical

safety check
Exceed the

storage
guideline and

capacity of
the storage

extinguisher
Conduct
Maintenance

not suitable
Lack of
and

ction

Provide

condition
All chemicals
must be
labelled
correctly
together with
its warning

Material Corrosion
Chemical
for
constructi
on

Leakage
Sudden Vigorous
chemical
reaction

Usage of poor Fire

Explosion
materials
Collapse
may lead to

notice
Use high

Equi

good quality

materials

prote

leakage,

such as

rupture,

stainless steel

ction
( PP

corrosion

to avoid

and
explosion
Usage of

corrosion
Put
mechanical

carbon steel

seal at

can lead to

equipment to

corrosion

prevent

E)

corrosion
Use suitable
thickness and
strength of

materials
Do regular
maintenance
check to
check for any
leakage
which can
cause
pressure in
the system to

Transport Leakage of

Improper

Ignition

fluctuate
Safety

Equi

ation

chemical

transfer of

source leads

standard set

system

materials into

feed or

to fire and

for all

prote

product

explosion of

handling of

materials

the

transportation

ction
( PP

the surrounding
Improper
chemical
storage and
transfer rate

into proper

materials
transportatio Material
spillage
n mode

Negligence in

product in
and out of

occurs

transporting

which can

materials

be

of feed and

plant.

hazardous to
human
Valves

health
High pressure in Malfunction of Explosion due
pipelines

valves

Provide an

Equi

to high

alarm system

pressure

whenever the

prote

pressure
builds up to
send a signal
of high
pressure

warning
Monthly
inspection of
valves

ction
( PP
E

It is very important to protect the safety of the workers, the environment and surrounding
communities from hazards associated with ammonia release. OSHA stated in its report that a key
provision or compliance tool must be constructed to ensure the safety of all parties involved.
Law and Regulation (Identification of compliance by Local Safety Regulation and Design
Guidelines)
Environmental Quality Act (EQA), 1974
Environmental Quality Act, 1974 was enacted with the intent to prevent, abate and control
pollution, and enhance the environment, or for other related purposes. As declared in EQA,
Pollution includes the direct or indirect alteration of any quality of the environment or any part of
it by means of a positive act or act of omission.
The laws and regulations listed below are related to the process plant industry and are strictly
enforced by the Department of Environment:
(i)
(ii)
(iii)
(iv)
(v)
(vi)
(vii)

Environmental Quality (Industrial Effluent) Regulations 2009.

Environmental Quality (Clean Air) Regulations 1978.
Environmental Quality (Scheduled Wastes) Regulations 2005.
Environmental Quality (Sewage) Regulations 2009.
Environmental Quality (Refrigerant Management) 1999.
Environmental Quality (Licensing) Regulations 1977.
Environmental Quality (Prescribed Activities) (Environmental Impact Assessment)
Order 1987.

Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA)

Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA) was established in order to ensure safety, health
and welfare of all persons at all places of work which it is implemented with both employers and
employees.
The objectives of this Act are;
1) To secure the safety, health and welfare of persons at work against risks to safety or
health arising out of the activities of persons at work.
2) To protect persons at place of work other than persons at work against risks to safety or
health arising out of the activities of persons at work.
3) To promote an occupational environment for persons at work this is adapted to their
physiological and psychological needs.

4) To provide the means whereby the associated occupational safety and health legislations
maybe progressively replaced by a system of regulations and approved industry codes of
practice operating in combination with the provisions of this Act designed to maintain or
improve the standards of safety and health.

This Act shall be applied throughout Malaysia and the regulations listed below are related to the
process plant industry and are strictly enforced;
(i)

OSH (Employers Safety and Health General Policy Statements) (Exception)

(ii)
(iii)

Regulations 1995
OSH (Control of Industrial Major Accident Hazards) Regulations 1996
OSH (Classification, Packaging and Labeling of Hazardous Chemicals) Regulations

(iv)
(v)
(vi)
(vii)

1997
OSH (Safety and Health Committee) Regulations 1996
OSH (Safety and Health Officer) Regulations 1997
OSH (Prohibition of USED of Substance) Order 1999
OSH (Use and Standards of Exposure of Chemical Hazardous to Health) Regulations

(viii)

2000
OSH (Indoor Air Quality) Code of Practice 2005

Factories and Machinery Act 1967

This Act is to provide for the control of factories with respect to matters relating to the safety,
health and welfare of person therein, the registration and inspection of machinery and for matters
connected therewith.
The regulations listed below are under this Act:
(i)

Factories and Machinery (Steam Boilers and Unfired Pressure Vessel) Regulations

(ii)
(iii)
(iv)
(v)
(vi)
(vii)

1970.
Factories and Machinery (Electric Passenger and Goods Lift) Regulations 1970.
Factories and Machinery (Fencing of Machinery and Safety) Regulations 1970.
Factories and Machinery (Person-In-Charge) Regulations 1970.
Factories and Machinery (Safety, Health and Welfare) Regulations 1970.
Factories and Machinery (Administration) Regulations 1970.
Factories and Machinery (Certificates of Competency Examinations) Regulations
1970.

(viii)
(ix)
(x)

Factories and Machinery (Notification of Fitness and Inspections) Regulations 1970.

Factories and Machinery (Compoundable Offenses) Regulations 1978.
Factories and Machinery (Building Operations and Works of Engineering

(xi)

Constructions) (Safety) Regulations 1986.

Factories and Machinery (Noise Exposure) Regulations 1989.

Codes, Standards and Design Factors

Codes, Standards and Design Factors are the fundamental needs in order to design equipments
and unit operations for the plants. These standards consist of the aspects below:
(i)
(ii)
(iii)
(iv)
(v)

Materials, properties and compositions

Testing procedures for performance, composition and quality
Preferred sizes
Codes of practice for plant operation and safety
Design methods, inspection and fabrication

There are various relevant international standards such as ASME, ANSI and BSI that are used for
design calculations in the plant design. To design the equipment shall be followed the standardize
design to ensure for safety and convenience purpose.