Measuring risk of renewable diesel production processes using a multi-criteria decision strategy.

This study proposes measuring the risk of five alternative renewable diesel production technologies using a multi-criteria decision matrix strategy. Evaluated criteria include environmental, economic, technological, social, and process safety risks. The subjective Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) with stakeholder input provides criteria and sub-criteria weightings and the Technique for Order of Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS) ranks alternatives. Alternative renewable diesel options are Green Diesel from first, second, and third-generation feedstocks, Fischer-Tropsch Diesel from second-generation biomass, and the transesterification of vegetable oils (VO) to make biodiesel. This study is a response to an earlier work measuring the sustainability of the same renewable technologies. While the previous work indicated Fischer-Tropsch Diesel as the most sustainable, this current work indicated the process as the "most risky," suggesting that risk is a significant driver of decision making over sustainability, and newly developed decision tools should address both perspectives.

Development and validation of a task load index for process control room operators (PCRO-TLX).

Process control room operators (PCRO) perform a range of complex cognitive safety-critical tasks. The aim of this exploratory sequential mixed methods study was to develop an occupation specific tool to measure the task load of PCRO using NASA Task Load Index (TLX) methodology. Participants were 30 human factors experts and 146 PCRO at two refinery complexes in Iran. Dimensions were developed via a cognitive task analysis, a research review, and three expert panels. Six dimensions were identified: perceptual demand, performance, mental demand, time pressure, effort, and stress. Data from 120 PCRO confirmed that the developed PCRO-TLX has acceptable psychometric properties, and a comparison with the NASA-TLX confirmed that perceptual, not physical, demand was relevant for measuring workload in PCRO. There was a positive convergence of scores of the Subjective Workload Assessment Technique and the PCRO-TLX. This reliable tool (α = 0.83) is recommended for risk assessing the task load of PCRO.Practitioner summary: There are benefits of having a specific tool to measure task load in safety critical roles. Thus, we developed and validated an easy-to-use targeted tool, the PCRO-TLX, for process control room operatives. Timely use and response will assure optimal production alongside health and safety in an organisation.Abbreviations: PCRO: process control room operator; TLX: task load index; PCRO-TLX: process control room operator task load index; NASA-TLX: National Aeronautics and Space Administration task load index; SWAT: subjective workload assessment technique; DALI: driving activity load index; SURG-TLX: surgery task load index; SIM-TLX: virtual reality simulation task load index; VACP: visual, auditory, cognitive and psychomotor; CVI: content validity index; CVR: content validity ratio; RMSEA: root mean square of error approximation; GFI: goodness of fit index; AGFI: adjusted goodness of fit index; CFI: comparative fit index; ANOVA: analysis of variance; CI: confidence interval.

Differences in perception of the importance of process safety indicators between experts in Iran and the West.

INTRODUCTION: The importance of safety in high-risk industries such as oil and gas facilities has been reported previously. Process safety performance indicators can provide insight into improving the safety of process industries. This paper aims to rank the process safety indicators (metrics) by Fuzzy Best-Worst Method (FBWM) using the data gathered through a survey. METHOD: The study uses a structured approach considering the UK Health and Safety Executive (HSE), the Center for Chemical Process Safety (CCPS), and the IOGP (International Association of Oil and Gas Producers) recommendations and guidelines to generate an aggregate set of indicators. It calculates the level of importance of each indicator based on the opinions of experts from Iran and some Western countries. RESULTS: The findings of the study demonstrate that some lagging indicators such as the number of times processes do not proceed as planned due to insufficient staff competence and the number of unexpected disruptions of the process due to failure in instrumentation and alarms are important in process industries in both Iran and Western countries. Western experts identified process safety incident severity rate as an important lagging indicator, whereas Iranian experts considered this as relatively unimportant. In addition, leading indicators such as sufficient process safety training and competency, the desired function of instrumentation and alarms, and proper management of fatigue risk play an important role in enhancing the safety performance of process industries. Experts in Iran viewed permit to work as an important leading indicator, while experts in the West focused on fatigue risk management. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: The methodology used in the current study gives a good view to managers and safety professionals in regard to the most important indicators of process safety and allows them to focus more on important process safety indicators.

Explaining of the experts' points of view about the types and importance of man-made hazards in Iran's process industries: A qualitative study.

Introduction: Process industries may have different hazards that can cause serious injury to humans, the environment, and the economy. Considering the importance of man-made risks in process industries, Experts' Points of View should be considered to apply risk reduction strategies Hence, the present study was performed to explain the views of experts regarding the types and importance of man-made hazards in process industries. Materials and methods: This study was conducted using a qualitative method of directed content analysis with a deductive approach. The participants included 22 experts in the field of process industries. The selection of samples started purposeful and continued until data saturation. Data collection was done through semi-structured interviews. Results: Based on experts' points of view, 5 man-made hazards in process industries were classified into 14 subcategories. The man category was divided into three subcategories: human error, technical knowledge error, and management error, the Material category was divided into 3 sub-categories of leakage and rupture, chemical properties, physical properties, Medium category was divided into two sub-categories of incorrect location selection and placement and harmful environmental factors, Machines category was divided into three sub-categories of failure in design, failure in Preventive Maintenance (PM), failure in Safety Instrumented System (SIS), and the Methods category was classified into three sub-categories: defects in inspection, defects in information, defects in executive instructions. Conclusion: Technical training to reduce personnel errors, conducting risk-based inspections to control leaks and possible ruptures, careful design and site selection in the initial phase of the project, is recommended. The use of engineering methods and artificial intelligence to obtain the risk number and control methods to reduce the harmful effects of risks can be helpful.