Process Safety Incident Prevention Project: An Initiative to Reduce Incidents across Dow Laboratories

Abstract

The intrinsic nature of Research and Development (R&D) activitiesthe continuous use of new chemicals and development of cutting-edge, sustainable processes at a rapid pacecan increase the potential for Process Safety and Reactive Chemicals accidents. Industrial and academic laboratories have experienced several significant laboratory accidents and near misses. In an effort to decrease laboratory incidents, Dow, with a large global R&D presence, reviewed internal Root Cause Investigations which indicated that improvements were needed in chemical hazard recognition skills, chemical storage and handling, and inventory management. This paper presents a Dow initiative to address and combat such incidents through the charter of a multidisciplinary team composed of Reactive Chemicals, Process Safety, and Environment, Health, & Safety experts along with R&D researchers, who have collaborated to develop and deliver training modules which focus on high-interest safety topics. Module topics were chosen based on recurrence metrics and potential event severity. Modules provide laboratory personnel with basic topic knowledge, specific hazard awareness regarding the topic, and guidance on how to implement appropriate safeguards. The long-term objective is reducing the number and severity of incidents. Over two years, 10 modules have been delivered in various media; at least a quarter of global Dow R&D personnel have independently engaged with this training content, in addition to those directed to it by leaders, peers, safety experts, or training requirements. In addition to the development of enhanced training delivered via multiple platforms, the team has identified and recommended improvements or additions to existing safety management systems designed to identify hazards and control risk.

Of People, Programs, and Priorities: The Impact of Organizational Culture in Industrial Research and Development Laboratories

“…Examples can be both feed-forward and feed-back driven. For example: the R&D Process Safety Containment Event Prevention Project (P3) is an excellent example of a feed forward improvement based safety program . By encouraging researchers to share expertise in specific subject areas (either due to prior knowledge or independent study), P3 provides an opportunity to educate the research community as a whole with the goal of preventing future incidents.…”

“…For example: the R&D Process Safety Containment Event Prevention Project (P3) is an excellent example of a feed forward improvement based safety program. 21 By encouraging researchers to share expertise in specific subject areas (either due to prior knowledge or independent study), P3 provides an opportunity to educate the research community as a whole with the goal of preventing future incidents. Similarly, Dow's Laboratory Safety Expertise Center (LSEC) provides a compendium of information assembled by subjectmatter experts with the goal of improving awareness of the technical community overall.…”

“…The P3 project is an ongoing project that examines incident and near miss performance, combined with subject-matter expertise and leadership feedback to prioritize development of training materials that address knowledge gaps among researchers. 21 This tool permits enhancement and periodic refreshment of safety topics discussed in the R&D community.…”