Ammonia Process Safety

Management

Mark Roxburgh
Mercury Technologies Ltd.

Safe Management of Ammonia Refrigeration Systems – May 2017 in Grantham

PSM – What is it?

 Set of tools for managing a hazardous process

 Hardware & Procedures

 Preventive & Reactive

 It is an ongoing programme

 Not a “Snapshot” risk assessment

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PSM – The Tools
 1. Information
 2. Mechanical integrity
 3. Operating procedures
 4. Training
 5. Employee participation
 6. Incident investigation
 7. Management of change
 8. Non-routine work authorisations
 9. Contractors
 10. Emergency response
 11. Pre-commissioning review
 12. Review
 13. Hazard analysis

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1. Information...

 MSDS
 Flow diagrams & P&IDs
 Drawings
 Press/temp limits posted
 Test certificates
 Manuals
 Load and charge calculations

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2. Mechanical integrity...
Major hardware
 Inspections – each item of hardware
 Daily log
 PM
 PSSR
 Calibrations
 Manuals up-to-date

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2. Mechanical integrity...
peripheral hardware
 Ventilation
 Ammonia detection
 Beacons & alarms
 Relief valves
 Signage, labels, tags
 PPE
 Building layout, lighting

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3. Operating procedures...

 Start & stop, normal & emergency

 Oil drain
 Charging
 LOTO
 Confined space
 Opening the system
 Ammonia leak
 First aid

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4. Training...

 Operation & maintenance

 Ammonia awareness
 Emergency response teams
 Use of PPE
 Evacuation
 Spills
 Refreshers for ALL
 Records kept?

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5. Employee participation...

 Is the a system in place to communicate safety

information across the facility?
 Are all level of employees involved?
 Is information readily available to all
 Are there clear channels of communications
 Televisions

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6. Incident investigation...

 System in place?
 Begin in a timely manner
 Team make-up – contractor
 Report
 Implementation of recommendations
 Further actions

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7. Management of change...

 Changes approved by all parties

 Time enough for change
 H&S impact investigated
 Procedures modified
 PM modified
 Training modified
 Safety hardware modified

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8. Non-routine work
authorisations...
 Permit to work
 Is a system in place?
 Relevant to ammonia
 Monitored and recorded
 Time, date, place
 Hot work
 Fire prevention

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9. Contractors...

 Provide them H&S information

 They provide you H&S information
 Training
 Induction
 Monitoring

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10. Emergency response...

 Is there a plan?
 Is there a team?
 Instructions for all groups?
 Communication
 Training – drills
 First aid

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10. Emergency response...
 Plume modelling
 Extent and severity
 AEGLs

 Plant room leak

 Pressure relief valve
 Major outdoor spill

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10. Emergency response - AEGLs
 AEGL-1 is the airborne concentration, expressed as parts per million or
milligrams per cubic meter (ppm or mg/m3) of a substance above which it is
predicted that the general population, including susceptible individuals,
could experience notable discomfort, irritation, or certain asymptomatic
non-sensory effects. However, the effects are not disabling and are
transient and reversible upon cessation of exposure.

 AEGL-2 is the airborne concentration (expressed as ppm or mg/m3) of a

substance above which it is predicted that the general population, including
susceptible individuals, could experience irreversible or other serious, long-
lasting adverse health effects or an impaired ability to escape.

 AEGL-3 is the airborne concentration (expressed as ppm or mg/m3) of a

substance above which it is predicted that the general population, including
susceptible individuals, could experience life-threatening health effects or
death.

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10. Emergency response - AEGLs
 AEGL-1 reversible upon cessation of exposure

 AEGL-2 irreversible and/or impaired ability to escape

 AEGL-3 death

10min 30min 60min 4hr 8hr

AEGL-1 30 30 30 30 30
AEGL-2 220 220 160 110 110
AEGL-3 2,700 1,600 1,100 550 390

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10. Emergency response...

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10. Emergency response...

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10. Emergency response...

 Modify hardware accordingly

 Feedback into emergency response plans

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10. Emergency response...

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10. Emergency response...

 Detailed responses for all groups

 Full response documentation file

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11. Pre-commissioning...

 As many of these risk management tools in place as

possible
 Design DSEAR RA, HA and OCA outputs in place
 Testing, NDT approved
 Commissioning procedures approved
 Site awareness

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12. Reviews...

 1yr – 2 yr – 3yr
 Following significant changes
 Following significant events
 Procedure used - relevant

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13. Hazard analysis...

 Various techniques
• HAZOP – Hazard and Operability Analysis
• FMEA – Failure Mode and Effects Analysis
• FTA – Fault Tree Analysis
• Checklist
• What-If

• What-If Checklist best suited

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13. Hazard analysis...

 Each major item of equipment

 Human factors
 Site issues
 Instrumentation
 Shutdown/Start-up
 Emergency situations

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13. Hazard analysis...

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13. Hazard analysis...

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Finally...

 Since DSEAR makes reference to many of the above, a

DSEAR risk assessment can now be carried out

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