Computerized Process Safety Management System for Hazard Frequency Estimation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current industrial process safety management systems lack comprehensive standards and regulations for non-SIL rated protection equipment, such as fire and gas systems, safety alarms, and safety controls, which are critical but not covered by existing standards like IEC 61511, leading to inadequate monitoring and compliance during plant operations.
Innovation Solution
A computerized process safety management system that utilizes a Layer of Protection Analysis (LOPA) to estimate the frequency of hazardous events by incorporating both industry-defined and undefined protection equipment, adjusting for changes in initiating cause frequencies and failure probabilities of independent protection layers, ensuring comprehensive risk assessment and compliance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If existing safety standards like IEC 61511 are used, then compliance with industry safety standards is achieved, but protection equipment not covered by these standards (such as fire and gas systems, safety alarms, and safety controls) cannot be properly monitored and managed
Solution Approach 1:
The system creates a universal safety management framework that handles both SIL-rated and non-SIL-rated protection equipment through a common LOPA methodology. The computerized system integrates multiple safety standards and regulatory requirements into a single platform that can manage diverse protection layers including safety instrumented systems, fire and gas systems, safety alarms, and safety controls, regardless of their specific rating or standard compliance status
2Measurement precision
If comprehensive risk assessment including all protection equipment is performed, then accurate hazard frequency estimation is achieved, but system complexity increases due to incorporating multiple protection layers and parameters
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the complex risk assessment into manageable components by organizing protection equipment into distinct protection layers, each with its own characteristics and failure probabilities. The LOPA methodology divides the assessment into initiating events, protection layers, and consequence analysis, allowing systematic evaluation of each element while maintaining overall system coherence through computerized integration
Solution Approach 2:
The computerized safety management system acts as an intermediary that automates the complex calculations and integrations required for comprehensive LOPA analysis. The system mediates between multiple data sources, standards, and parameters, performing automated risk calculations and presenting integrated results, thereby reducing the manual complexity burden on users while maintaining analytical rigor
3Reliability
If dynamic updates to risk assessments are implemented, then operational safety is enhanced through real-time monitoring, but continuous monitoring and compliance checking require additional resources and system capability
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements continuous feedback loops that automatically monitor changes in protection layer status, initiating event frequencies, and risk parameters. The computerized platform continuously updates LOPA analyses based on real-time or periodic data inputs, automatically recalculating hazard frequencies and alerting users to changes that require attention, thereby maintaining operational safety through automated surveillance without requiring constant manual intervention
Data Source
AI summary
A method includes obtaining from a database: at least one initiating cause that causes a hazard, an initiating cause frequency corresponding to the at least one initiating cause, a set of independent protection layers configured to operate to prevent the hazard and including protection equipment for which no industry safety standards and regulations are defined, and a failure probability of each protection layer. The method includes estimating a frequency of occurrence of the hazard using a product of the initiating cause frequency and a failure probability of the set of independent protection layers. The method further includes adjusting the estimated frequency of occurrence of the hazard based on a change of at least one of: the initiating cause frequency, and a failure probability of a protection layer in the set of independent protection layers.