Risk Analysis for a Research Laboratory

Turkchem 28 Sep 2018 49 6 dk okuma

TURKCHEM

Abstract

Risk management is defined as "all attempts aimed at improving and maintaining job security measures within an organization". The purpose of occupational health and safety risk management is to identify the causes of workplace accidents and occupational diseases, and to establish an effective safety network by collecting current and accurate information to prevent unforeseen hazards. In this project, risk analysis and applications were performed for a sample research laboratory. The laboratory was investigated with regard to occupational health and safety requirements and necessary measures were implemented. Potentially hazardous situations were identified, risk tables were created, and required actions were applied to eliminate these hazards. A floor plan was drawn to facilitate laboratory evacuation in case of emergency. HAZOP was used for risk analysis. These applications are essential for risk analysis studies in research laboratories in accordance with Turkey's Occupational Health and Safety Law No. 6331. Conducting such work in a high-risk laboratory is important and necessary, and although universities are classified as the least dangerous sector, this is an issue that deserves greater attention.

1. Introduction

A hazard is any source of potential damage, harm or adverse health effects on something or someone under certain conditions at work. Essentially, a hazard can cause harm or adverse effects (to individuals as health effects or to organizations as property or equipment losses). Sometimes a hazard is referred to as the actual harm or health effect it caused rather than the hazard itself. For example, the disease tuberculosis (TB) might be called a hazard by some, but in general the TB-causing bacteria would be considered the "hazard" or "hazardous biological agent"[1]. Risk analysis is conducted in two significant ways: qualitative and quantitative risk analysis. The objective of conducting a qualitative risk analysis is to obtain protection against identified risks and to increase the alertness of management, team members, and all personnel who may be exposed to them. This method of risk analysis is designed to identify issues that are viewed as project management impediments, but have the potential to become definite risk factors. A detailed qualitative analysis will also examine the resources which are more susceptible to such risks. The purpose is to identify corrective measures that can be incorporated to restrict or eliminate the causes that have given rise to such risks and to ensure that these safety measures become part of risk-related analytical protocols for future reference. Quantitative risk analysis is more focused on the implementation of safety measures that have been established in order to protect against every defined risk. By using a quantitative approach, an organization is able to create a very precise analytical interpretation that can clearly represent which risk-resolving measures have been most suitable for various project needs.

This makes the quantitative approach favored by many management teams since risk assessments can be clearly represented in empirical forms such as percentages or probability charts, since it emphasizes the use of tools such as metrics [2].

Hazard and Operability Studies or HAZOPs have been used extensively in the chemical industries to examine what impact deviations can have on a process. The basic assumption when performing a HAZOP is that normal and standard conditions are safe and hazards occur only when there is a deviation from normal conditions. A HAZOP can be conducted during any stage of a project although it is most beneficial during the later stages of design. The properties can be flow, level, pressure, concentration or temperature. What-if guide words are used to identify possible deviations. HAZOP is a structured and systematic technique for system examination and risk management. In particular, HAZOP is often used as a technique for identifying potential hazards in a system and identifying operability problems likely to lead to nonconforming products. HAZOP is based on a theory that assumes risk events are caused by deviations from design or operating intentions. Identification of such deviations is facilitated by using sets of "guide words" as a systematic list of deviation perspectives. A risk matrix is a matrix that is used during risk assessment to define the various levels of risk as the product of the harm probability categories and harm severity categories. This is a simple mechanism to increase visibility of risks and assist management decision making. Although many standard risk matrices exist in different contexts, individual projects and organizations may need to create their own or tailor an existing risk matrix [3-5]. As a qualitative risk analysis method, an L-type matrix was used in this project.

In the scope of this work, firstly, potential hazards were identified, and then the results of these hazards led to the determination of possible risky situations. A risk table was created and necessary methods were investigated to resolve these risks. While the risk table was created, risks were identified and divided into categories.

These categories were transferred to the risk table as hygiene and occupational scheme, machines and hand tools, electrical, chemical, and psychosocial factors. Each risk category was scored in terms of probability and severity. These categories are shown in detail in Table 1 [6]. Multiplication of the probability and severity value gives the risk value. According to the L-type risk matrix, these risk levels were categorized as negligible, low, medium, high, very high and cannot be tolerated [7].

Table 1. Assessment of Severity and Probability.

The aim of this study is to investigate the hazards and take necessary measures in a research laboratory according to occupational health and safety requirements. For this purpose, risks were determined in terms of the likelihood that an uncontrolled event will occur and the consequences of that event occurring. Two different risk analysis methods were applied to the experimental set-ups, reactors, chemicals, and physical conditions of the laboratory.

2. Results and Discussion

In this project, risk analysis and applications were performed for a research laboratory. The laboratory was investigated with regard to occupational health and safety and necessary measures were taken to implement the OHS Law No. 6331. Potentially hazardous and risky situations were identified, risk tables were created, and required actions were performed to eliminate these risks (Table 2).

Table 2. Risk Assessment Table

HAZOP was applied to the research laboratory which has two types of reactors: fixed-bed and trickle-bed reactors. The HAZOP study was conducted around these reactors. The experimental setup of the fixed-bed reactor consists of a reactor, peristaltic pump, preheater, flow meter, and gas cylinder. HAZOP was applied to this system with guide words as flow, pressure and temperature. Possible causes, consequences and safeguards were arranged in terms of flow, temperature and pressure (Table 3). HAZOP identifies hazards and provides suggestions on improvements to reduce the hazard. The risk associated with each deviation can be categorized according to Table 3. Determining the risk category allows a convenient method to prioritize corrective action [8]. HAZOP was applied to the trickle-bed reactor, with guide words as flow, pressure and temperature. The experimental setup consists of a fixed-bed reactor and HPLC (pressure) pump. Possible causes, consequences and safeguards were arranged in terms of flow, temperature and pressure around the reactor. Dr. Canan Uraz Chemical Engineering Department Engineering Faculty Ege University

Table 3. Risk determination and assignment