Hazard identification and risk evaluation

The potential major hazard and the consequences if the hazard occurs in our plant was

determined by risk assessment. Hazard identification is the process finding, listing and

categorization of hazard. Thus, this method is important to eliminate the hazard or control the

risk that cannot be eliminate.

Hazard Possibility and Consequences Analysis

The potential major hazard from each equipment’s in the plant will be analysed to identify

the possibility and consequence. The classification of the possibility and severity of the

hazard stated at table below:

Table 1: Hazard Possibility

Possibility/Frequency Description
Level A Frequent Likely to occur frequently
Level B Probable Will occur several times
in life of production
Level C Occasional Likely to occur sometime
in life of production
Level D Remote Unlikely, but possible to
occur in life of production
Level E Improbable Unlikely, assume no
occurrence

Table 2: Hazard Severity

Severity Description
Class I Catastrophic Death
Loss of System
Class II Critical Severe injury or morbidity
Major damage to the system
Major loss of production
Class III Marginal Minor injury or morbidity
Minor damage to the system
Minor loss of production
Class IV Negligible No injury or morbidity
No damage to the system
Table 3: Risk Assessment criteria

Severity
Possibility/Frequency
Catastrophic (I) Critical (II) Marginal (III) Negligible (IV)
Frequent 1A 2A 3A 4A
Probable 1B 2B 3B 4B
Occasional 1C 2C 3C 4C
Remote 1D 2D 3D 4D
Improbable 1E 2E 3E 4E

Table 4: Suggested criteria

Risk Colour Code Criteria

1A, 1B, 1C, 2A, 2B, 3A Unacceptable

1D, 2C, 2D, 3B, 3C Undesirable

1E, 2E, 3D, 3E, 4A, 4B Acceptable with review by

management
4C, 4D, 4E Acceptable without review
 Table 5: Hazard identifications and risk evaluations.
Equipment Major Possible Hazards Consequence Possibility Severity Level Justification/ Safety
Hazardous Acceptance Features
Chemical
MTBE Reactor Isobutylene Overpressure The reaction vessel Remote Critical 2D Installation of
(R-101) Methanol system may be damage pressure control,
MTBE and rupture high pressure alarm
and pressure relief
valve and the
appropriate
mechanical design
Exothermic Thermal runaway Remote Negligible 4D Installation of flow
reaction due to controller and high
failure of cooling flow alarm
water
Piping leakage Fire and explosion Occasional Catastrophic 1C Health hazard could
can occur due to occur due to
methanol and emission of
isobutylene methanol and
leakage isobutylene
Reactor leakage Fire and explosion Remote Catastrophic 1D
can occur due to
methanol and
isobutylene
leakage
Emission of Remote Marginal 3D Health hazard due
methanol and to little emission of
isobutylene to the methanol and
environment isobutylene
 Process runaway Possible Remote Negligible 4D Installation of
overheating of temperature
system controller and high
temperature alarm
MTBE separation MTBE Overpressure The distillation Remote Critical 2D Installation of
column (D-101) Isobutylene system vessel may be pressure control,
Methanol damaged and high pressure alarm
Mixed rupture and pressure relief
C4’s Explosion of the Remote Critical 2D valve and the
vessel cause the appropriate
emission of mechanical design
MTBE, Methanol,
mixed C4’s to the
environment
Piping leakage Fire and explosion Occasional Catastrophic 3D Health hazard due
can occur due to to little emission of
methanol, MTBE methanol, MTBE
and isobutylene and mixed C4’s
leakage
Column leakage Emission of Remote Marginal 3D  Health hazard
MTBE, Methanol, due to little
mixed C4’s to the emission of
environment methanol and
Fire and explosion Remote Catastrophic 1D mixed C4’s to
can occur due to environment
flammable  Monthly
chemical (MTBE, maintenance
methanol and and appropriate
mixed C4’s) mechanical
design
 Leak or excessive Thermal runway Remote Negligible 4D Installation of flow
fill from liquid controller and high
utility system flow alarm
Water wash Methanol Overpressure Rupture of Remote Critical 2D Installation of
column (D-102) Mixed system equipment will pressure control,
C4’s cause explosion high pressure alarm
and plant fire and pressure relief
valve and the
appropriate
mechanical design
Piping leakage Fire and explosion Occasional Catastrophic 1C Health hazard due
can occur due to to little emission of
methanol, MTBE methanol, MTBE
and C4’s leakage and mixed C4’s
Column leakage Emission of Remote Marginal 3D  Health hazard
methanol and due to little
mixed C4’s to the emission of
atmosphere methanol and
Fire and explosion Remote Catastrophic 1D mixed C4’s to
can occur due to environment
flammable  Monthly
chemical maintenance
(methanol and and appropriate
mixed C4’s) mechanical
design
Methanol Methanol Overpressure The distillation Remote Critical 2D Installation of
recovery column system column may be pressure control,
(D-103) rupture and high pressure alarm
damaged and pressure relief
Explosion of Remote Critical 2D valve and the
distillation column appropriate
cause by emission mechanical design
 methanol to the
environment
Piping leakage Fire and explosion Occasional Catastrophic 1C Health hazard due
can occur due to to little emission of
methanol methanol and
mixed C4’s
Column leakage Emission of Remote Marginal 3D  Health hazard
methanol to the due to little
environment emission of
Fire and explosion Remote Catastrophic 1D methanol and
can occur due to mixed C4’s to
flammable the environment
chemical  Monthly
(Methanol) maintenance
and appropriate
mechanical
design
Leak or excessive Thermal runaway Remote Negligible 4D Installation of flow
fill from liquid controller and high
utility system flow alarm
Justification
The most possible hazard for this MTBE plant is identified according on the
probability, consequence analysis, severity and level of acceptance. The major hazard that
occur in this plant is fire and explosion. This is because methanol, isobutylene, mixed C4’s and
MTBE are flammable component and also can cause explosion when exposed to the open air.
Moreover, the inhalation of these chemical component can cause health hazard that toxic to the
lung, the nervous system, mucous membranes. Repeated or prolonged exposure and inhalation
to the substance may lead to chronic respiratory irritation and organ damage.

In addition, some of the unit operation of MTBE plant operated at high pressure and
temperature that may leads to the failure of the maintenance and the design of the vessel. The
high pressure may cause the rupture of the vessel that lead to explosion due to emission of
chemical substances to the atmosphere for example methanol, MTBE, isobutylene and mixed
C4’s. The high temperature can cause the thermal runaway. However, some precaution steps
should be consider to avoid this accident occurs for example, installation of temperature, flow
and pressure sensor. Furthermore, installation of high pressure alarm, high temperature alarm
and high flow alarm to alert the operator. Lastly, monthly maintenance and inspection of all
equipment in order to lower the possibility of accident.