TABLE OF CONTENTS Plant and equipment design are regulated by substantial legislation. In the UK this includes: The Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974, the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998, the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 1999, the Factories Act 1961, the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989, the Fire Precautions Act 1971, together with specific legislation, e.g. the Highly Flammable Liquids and LPG Regulations 1972.
Common matters, e.g. ventilation, temperature and lighting; floor, wall and ceiling surfaces; workspace allocation; workstation design and arrangement; floors and traffic routes; safeguards against falls or being struck by a falling object; glazing; doors and gates; travelators and escalators; sanitary and washing facilities; drinking water supply; accommodation for clothing; facilities for changing, resting and meals; are all covered by the Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare Regulations) 1992.
To ensure safety consult flowsheets/engineering line diagrams and consider both the materials (raw materials storage, processing, product storage, disposal and transportation) and the process details (scale, batch vs continuous, temperature, pressure, materials of construction, monitoring, safety features, e.g. fail-safe or 'second chance' design). See Table 12.1. Subject the proposals to detailed scrutiny, as in Table 12.2 or using a HAZOP study, fault tree analysis, etc. for both the planned operation and anticipated major deviations from normal operation (Table 12.3).
| Are unstable reactions and side reactions possible, e.g. spontaneous combustion or polymerization? Could poor mixing or inefficient distribution of reactants and heat... |
