Hydrogen risk management:

recognising and stemming

risks to ensure plant safety

Hydrogen is often touted as the fuel of the future. But with a new energy source comes
a new set of risks and a fresh need for good risk management. From production processes,
compressor facilities and pipelines through to storage and distribution – safety processes
must be re-evaluated across a plant when hydrogen comes into play.

© Drägerwerk AG & Co. KGaA 1


Hope for a cleaner world
Of every 1000 atoms in the universe, 900 are hydrogen, so it certainly
is a sustainable gas. It burns clean and has many different use cases.
Indeed, a whole new ecosystem is currently being developed around
hydrogen usage: including a role in developing low-carbon feedstock
and clean mobility solutions, provision of heat and power for building struc-
tures, as a low-carbon fuel, as an energy carrier and as an energy source.
Promoted across the globe, hydrogen is widely being viewed as the way
towards decarbonising industries, long haul freight and aviation. It was
heavily discussed at the UN Climate Conference, COP26, and the EU
New energy sources pose new risks
However, where there is new energy, there are unknowns. As large-
scale hydrogen production increases, there is growing need for
new risk evaluations and the development of end-to-end seamless
solutions to ensure plant safety – from production processes to
compressor facilities and pipelines, and on through to storage and
distribution. Risks that are presented in end products such as drive
technologies, fuel cells and electric batteries must also be considered.
With growing demand come new market participants – not all familiar
with the risks that hydrogen brings with it. Knowledge, information
and solutions become crucial in order to ensure sufficient safety.
HYDROGEN RISK MANAGEMENT
pledges to enable the production of up to 10 million tonnes of renewable
hydrogen each year by 2030.
However it doesn’t end there. Chile aims to produce the cheapest green
hydrogen by 2030, and to become one of the top three exporters of
green hydrogen by 2040. The United Arab Emirates has a similar target
in sight, with their new hydrogen strategy aiming to hold a quarter of the
global hydrogen market by 2030. Countries across the world are looking
to hydrogen to help decarbonise energy systems – and the general con-
sensus is that hydrogen has a key role to play where the goal is net zero.
Hydrogen is a highly-flammable gas and several risks are presented
during production and storage phases. This requires that production
plants make complete reviews across the production chain in order
to adequately address safety needs at every point. Furthermore,
although the safety challenges of hydrogen are the same wherever the
gas is present, the risks that come with it present themselves differently
depending on the setup of a facility – and therefore need to be
handled uniquely on each plant.
© Drägerwerk AG & Co. KGaA 2
 HYDROGEN RISK MANAGEMENT

In depth: the safety challenges of working with hydrogen

When handling hydrogen in the workplace, several safety challenges must be considered:

• High flammability: one of the major threats of hydrogen is an • Permeation: Hydrogen molecules are tiny and can easily penetrate
explosion as it requires very low energy to ignite (0.02mJ). Hydro- materials. Appropriate selection, handling and upkeep of all materials
gen can auto-ignite just through the friction presented between the that come into contact with the hydrogen is crucial.
gas and a leak surface, with a static shock that can be felt (1mJ).
Hydrogen also has a very wide flammability range (4%-75%
volume in air), as compared to other fuels. At the optimal combustion
condition (29% hydrogen-to-air volume ratio), the energy required to • Gas pockets: Hydrogen has a lower density than air – and even
ignite hydrogen is lower than that of other common fuels. Equipment than hydrocarbons like methane. A very light gas (57 times lighter
used must thus be suitable for use in Ex areas. than gasoline vapour and 14 times lighter than air), it can be dispersed
quickly, potentially before gas detectors can even detect the leak.
When leaks occur, gas clouds can form on interior ceilings. Gas de-
tection technology therefore needs to be installed at the top of a
• Invisible flame: hydrogen flames are very pale or, in daylight, even building.
invisible to the naked eye. They emit a specific type of ultraviolet
radiation. Therefore, dedicated flame detectors are required to
reliably warn of fires.
• CO alarms: In some applications, carbon monoxide (CO) also
needs to be monitored. These carbon monoxide (CO) sensors are
also sensitive to hydrogen, so false alarms may occur – therefore,
• Odourless: Hydrogen cannot be detected by smell. Natural gas hydrogen-compensated CO sensors are needed.
and propane are also odourless gases, however a sulfurous odorant
is added so that people can detect them. There are currently no
known odorants light enough to move together with hydrogen at the
same dispersal rate. Odorants can also contaminate fuel cells.

Where there is risk, there is a need for safety solutions

On every plant, safety should be prioritised in order to minimise risk to with hydrogen. But our natural senses cannot put us on alert in this case,
workers – and also to ensure the health of the plant itself. Because of since hydrogen is odourless and invisible to the naked eye. Therefore,
the properties of hydrogen and the high pressure that it is stored at, in order to mitigate hazards, comprehensive plant safety systems are
these issues may be more present and more serious on plants that deal required.

© Drägerwerk AG & Co. KGaA 3

 HYDROGEN RISK MANAGEMENT

Risk management: from A to Z

So, how does risk management effectively take place? In general, this
should begin with a safety management workshop that takes a deep
dive into processes in order to identify where hazards may occur. Safety
goals should also be defined and new and safe standard operating
procedures outlined. If an operating plant does not already have an internal
unit to address these items, an external partner must be brought on
to run a risk analysis and to ensure a safe environment. This involves
running through a hierarchy of controls in order to assess where and
what action can be taken to effectively minimise risk – running from
removal of the hazard itself (where possible) to protecting workers with
personal protection equipment.
And of course, no matter how well a plant is outfitted for safety measures,
due to the volatile nature of hydrogen, emergencies can still occur. In
this case, it is vital that good crisis management procedures are in place.

Hierarchy of controls
Most
effective
Elimination Physically remove the hazard

Substitution Replace the hazard

Isolate People from the hazard

Engineering Controls • Fixed gas detection system • Plant fire protection • Ventilation Equipment
• Explosion-proof electrical equipment • Technical safety (e.g. TPRD)

Administrative Change the way people work

Controls • Safety matrix (if..., then...) • Emergency and hazard • Definition of permitted activities
• Emergency stop of electrical equipment • prevention management • Prior blowing off of hydrogen

PPE Protect the worker with Personal Protective Equipment

• Mobile gas detetction • ESD safety shoes
Least • Thermal imaging camera • Instruction / Training
effective

The layers of explosion protection

When it comes to protecting workers and plants against the dangers
of explosion, there are several layers involved:
• Primary – preventing explosive atmospheres: preventing
leaks, incorporating ventilation that allows gases to quickly dissipate,
and equipment that can detect specific gases at an early stage.
• Secondary – preventing ignition sources: use of ex-certified
equipment specific to ex-zone, mechanic instead of electric equipment
(e.g. valves), and grounding and conductive floors.
• Tertiary/Constructive – preventing and reducing damages
and effects in case of explosion: use of fireproof and retardant
materials/structures, use of pressure relief valves/areas, and clearly
marked evacuation pathways.

© Drägerwerk AG & Co. KGaA 4


The challenges of safety consultancy: defining protection
goals
Risk can be defined as a formula of sorts: the probability of occurrence
multiplied by the severity of damage. Every action taken will influence
this equation positively or negatively. And that is why risk analysis is so
important. In order to lay out a risk management plan, the protection
goals of a company must be defined. Companies aim to protect their
workers, the environment and also material assets – and each company
must individually define what level of damage is acceptable in relation to
their protection goals. But these protections must also adhere to health
and safety acts, which differ from country to country.
Another issue in addressing safety concerns is that workers often have
HYDROGEN RISK MANAGEMENT
a false sense of safety. Most often, plants have safety measures in place
and people assume these are adequate to the task. Additionally, it may
be that nothing serious has occurred in the workplace over the last
several years, so no pressure is felt by a company to do anything im-
mediately. However, hydrogen is a unique gas and reacts differently in
processes than other materials. And the truth is, hazards are very real
and something may happen at any time. Even if the processes are tried
and tested themselves, introducing a new material changes everything.
© Drägerwerk AG & Co. KGaA 5

Hydrogen brings a special set of questions to the table
New technologies, such as hydrogen, require a holistic view of safety.
For that, it is important to ask the right questions:
• What associated processes can be expected with new equipment?
• What risks result for workers?
• How are employees best protected?
• Are existing safety measures the right ones for new technologies?
Quick case study:
A bus company that uses diesel fuel has recently had its equipment
professionally retrofitted with gas detection systems. The buses, including
tank systems, are repaired in a workshop. Diesel fuel can escape, for which
an IR-transmitter for Nonan has been installed. At some point, the company
is converted and several hydrogen-powered buses are brought into
use. The staff assume they are safe because the modern gas detection
system is in place and they believe that the same equipment can be used
to detect hydrogen leaks. However, hydrogen is much lighter than air and
therefore rises very quickly, while the alkanes that evaporate from diesel
are measured near the ground. In addition, hydrogen cannot be detected
with the same sensors as the vapours from diesel fuel, so they are, in fact,
obsolete for the detection of hydrogen leaks. Varied gas properties lead to
many different and specific risks – and new risks require different safety
precautions. Employees need to be made aware of the changing safety
challenges and the correct application of protective measures.
A duty to employees
A company must protect its workers in accordance with legal require-
ments. And it is also in the company’s economic interest to protect faci-
lities to the largest extent possible. This is why regular, professional-level
risk assessments are necessary, taking into account the current state of
technologies, science and any redevelopment taking place on a plant.
HYDROGEN RISK MANAGEMENT
Professional safety consultancy
When it comes to professional analysis, risk assessment and solution
building, Dräger relies on years of expertise and state-of-the-art
technologies to help ensure company safety across
• First, plant and process analysis and risk assessment help to
support customers in identifying potential areas where safety can be
enhanced.
• Following this, customised solutions can be developed in order to
protect the health of employees and to help companies effectively
manage emergencies.
Dräger can provide solutions across a plant, however different models
of evaluation are applied depending on which part of a facility is being
analysed. An initial analysis involves workshops where all relevant
departments are in attendance. The protection goals and criteria for
risk evaluation are jointly defined. This is followed by hazard identifica-
tion which involves making a detailed onsite inspection to identify risks.
The next steps are risk analysis and evaluation, which involve assessing
the likelihood of occurrence and determining the severity of damage –
categorised as low, medium or high. Protective measures and fields
of action are then determined in order to effectively reduce medium
or high risks, taking into consideration the company’s existing safety
measures.
Further measures can then be defined with the company, including
necessary investments, planning of responsibilities, operational emergency
management, educational training, or the implementation of further
technologies and tailored additional steps. A full report of the findings
is delivered to the company so that they have access to complete
documentation of the relevant evaluated scenarios and any risks attached.
© Drägerwerk AG & Co. KGaA 6

The Dräger advantage
No matter the industry, Dräger has the right tools to create
complete risk assessments and to build effective solutions.
With expert know-how in the field of gas detection technology,
personal protective equipment and engineered safety solutions,
Dräger has established safety measures across many different
fields, including refineries and other process industries, automotive
or pharmaceutical manufacturers, and also hospitals. Experts not
only bring highly-valued input but also integrated and holistic
solutions to every situation that ensure plant and people safety,
as well as compliance to local safety requirements.
This equally applies to the hydrogen industry. Although a relatively
new technology that is still emerging across the world, Dräger has
already created a number of safety concepts in this arena.
HYDROGEN RISK MANAGEMENT
Selecting the right detection solutions, safeguards and best-practice
approaches is the key to working with hydrogen smartly and safely.
When it comes to workplace safety and personal protection of
employees, Dräger provides full-scale safety consultancy and out-
sourced services as part of an end-to-end safety solution. A complete
range of gas detection devices, respiratory protective devices and
personal protection equipment can help keep workers and facilities
safe.
For more information on Dräger consulting services for safety and
emergency management, visit www.draeger.com/en_uk/Safety/
Safety-and-Emergency-Management.
Learn more about hydrogen
safety for the industry,
click here or scan:
© Drägerwerk AG & Co. KGaA 7