Process Safety & Risk Management
Semester 1, 2018
Cornell Notes
Questions:
What did you learn from doing
the pump isolation activity?
What challenges did you
encounter?
What surprised you about the
exercise?
What advice would you give to a
fellow student who had to assist
in isolating a similar pump in
their vacation work?
Summary:
Topic: FFT 9 Name: Sahil Hariramani
Pump Isolation activity Group: 15
Workshop: Friday
Date: 09/05/18
MAIN IDEAS/FINDINGS:
 The isolation of the pump was not a straight forward task
 Requires planning among several engineers, including
chemical, mechanical and electrical engineers.
 Prior to working on any equipment, it is required to have a
permit.
 Locate the pump using tag numbering.
 Do not assume that the spare pump is functional, it is crucial
to first check the pump to see if it is reliable and in working
order.
 Pump isolation does not only mean to switch off the pump. It
requires attention to all valves, openings, inlets/outlets and
electrical connections.
 Navigation around the plant proved strenuous. There was a
difficulty in locating the pump and the switchgear.
 Each time I had to look for the pump, the application had a
drop down menu that had a non-intractable button which
brought me to the main page whereby I had to locate the
pump again.
 Various equipment were very close to each other.
Furthermore, various buttons and valves were used
throughout the exercise which made in confusing to know
which ones had to be opened or closed.
 The application design of the VR plant is not efficient
 Locate the pump using its tag number [817LA].
 Know the route to your equipment isolation.
 Account for all safety aspects and consider the hazards that
may occur.
 Do not blindly follow the steps, think about what can go
wrong.