Using the ALARP principle for safety management in the energy production sector of chemical industry. (January 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Abrahamsen, Eirik Bjorheim; Abrahamsen, Håkon Bjorheim; Milazzo, Maria Francesca; Selvik, Jon Tømmerås
• Is Part Of: Reliability engineering & system safety. Volume 169(2018)
• Page Start: 160
• Page End: 165
• Publication Date: 2018-01
• Subjects: Reliability (Engineering) -- Periodicals; System safety -- Periodicals; Industrial safety -- Periodicals; Fiabilité -- Périodiques; Sécurité des systèmes -- Périodiques; Sécurité du travail -- Périodiques; 620.00452
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ress.2017.08.014
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0951-8320

Abstract

Highlights: We discuss the use of the ALARP principle for safety management in chemical industry. The appropriateness of the principle strongly depends on implementation. A way to adopt the ALARP principle as a general decision-making principle is shown. Abstract: In the context of chemical industry, in particular in high hazard industries, the adoption of safety measures is essential to reduce risks and environmental impacts, due to the release of dangerous substances, at level that is reasonably practicable. The ALARP (As Low As Reasonably Practicable) principle is broadly used for decision-making in safety management, supported by cost-benefit analyses and the grossly disproportionate criterion, but without paying the proper attention to the decision frame (defined by the level of uncertainty and knowledge of the chemical phenomena, the use of best available technologies, the potential of major losses due to the release of hazardous materials and other items). In this paper, by examining the energy production sector of chemical industry, it will be argued that the decision context makes the application of the ALARP principle not always proper, whereas a dynamic interpretation, in which decisions are made oscillating between two borderlines, where in one case reference is made to expected values and in the other one to the precautionary principle, is more appropriate.