This book provides guidance on characterizing, recognizing, and responding to warning signs to help avoid process incidents and injuries before they occur. The guidance can be used by both process safety management (PSM) professionals in evaluating their processes and PSM systems as well as for operators who are often the frontline defense against process incidents. Warning signs may consist of process deviations or upsets, instrumentation warnings or alarms, past operating history and incidents, observable problems such as corrosion or unusual odors, audit results indicating procedures are not being followed, or a number of other indicators. Filled with photos and practical tips, this book will turn anyone in a process plant into a hazard lookout and will help prevent potential incidents before they turn into catastrophic events.

This book provides guidance on characterizing, recognizing, and responding to warning signs to help avoid process incidents and injuries before they occur. The guidance can be used by both process safety management (PSM) professionals in evaluating their processes and PSM systems as well as for operators who are often the frontline defense against process incidents. Warning signs may consist of process deviations or upsets, instrumentation warnings or alarms, past operating history and incidents, observable problems such as corrosion or unusual odors, audit results indicating procedures are not being followed, or a number of other indicators. Filled with photos and practical tips, this book will turn anyone in a process plant into a hazard lookout and will help prevent potential incidents before they turn into catastrophic events.

List of Tables xixList of Figures xxiFiles on the Web Accompanying This Book xxiiAcknowledgements xxvForeword xxviiPreface xxix1. Introduction 11.1 Process safety management 31.2 Normalization of deviance 41.3 A strategy for response 51.4 Maintaining organizational memory and a healthy sense ofvulnerability 71.5 Risk based process safety 81.6 Our target audience 111.7 How to use this book 121.8 Case study - Toxic gas release in India 132. Incident Mechanics 172.1 Incidents do not just happen 172.2 Incident models 172.3 Case study - Benzene plant explosion in China 273. Leadership and Culture 293.1 How does leadership affect culture? 293.2 The leadership and culture related warning signs 323.3 Case study - Challenger space shuttle explosion in theUS 464. Training and Competency 494.1 What is effective training and how is competency measured?494.2 The training and competency related warning signs 514.3 Case study - Gas plant vapor cloud explosion inAustralia 625. Process Safety information 655.1 Critical information to identify hazards and manage risk655.2 The process safety information related warning signs 665.3 Case study - Batch still fire and explosion in theUK6. Procedures 796.1 Safe and consistent operation 796.2 The procedure related warning signs 816.3 Case study - Nuclear plant meltdown and explosion inthe Ukraine 957. Asset Integrity 977.1 Systematic implementation 977.2 The asset integrity related warning signs 997.3 Case study - Refinery naphtha fire in the US 1148. Analyzing Risk and Managing Change 1778.1 Risk management 1178.2 The risk analysis and management of change related warningsigns 1218.3 Case study - Cyclohexane explosion in the UK9. Audits 1399.1 Audits support operational excellence 1399.2 The audit related warning signs 1419.3 Case study - Chemical warehouse fire in the UK10. Learning From Experience 14910.1 Methods for continuous improvement 14910.2 The learning from experience warning signs 15110.3 Case study - Space shuttle Columbia incident in theUS 15911. Physical Warning Signs 16311.1 The everyday things matter 16311.2 The physical warning signs 16411.3 Case study - Resin plant dust explosion in the US17212. A Call to Action 17512.1 Actions you can take now for each warning sign 17612.2 A simple plan to consider for rigorous implementation andfollow-up 17712.3 Actions to consider 18012.4 Summary 183Appendix A. Incident Warning Sign Self Assessment Tool 187Appendix B. Composite List of Catastrophic Incident WarningSigns 199References & Selected Regulations 205Acronyms and Abbreviations 213Glossary 215Index 221