1. SEVESO Expert Group
Brussels, 19 January 2017

2. PROGRAM FOR RISK ASSESSMENT OF MAJOR ACCIDENTS HAZARDS
IN INDUSTRIAL SITES THAT CAN POSE
SUCH HAZARDS OFF-SITE
Project no DOB-BIO7/09/03/2015
Financed by the National Centre for
Research and Development in

3. Project implemented within the consortium:
Scientific and Research Centre for Fire Protection - National Research Institute (Leader)
National Centre for Research and Development (Member)
Warsaw University of Technology (Member)
BERA SYSEMS Sp. z o.o.
(Member)

4. Main goal Priority research area
Innovative technologies and solutions for detecting, combating and neutralizing threats
Main goal
Development of a program for assessing risks in the establishments posing major accidents hazards off-site, using risk analysis methods.

5. Detailed objectives
1. Analysis and development of risk assessment methodology in the industrial sites. 2. Development of assummptions for the creation of representative accident scenarios associated with a defined industrial infrastructure. 3. Development of numerical models to assess the scale of the consequences of hazardous substances releases. 4. Development of IT tool to calculate ranges of the effects of industrial accidents, including safety distance, and development of recommendations on spatial zoning.
Estimated time of project implementation
36 months
The target end-user
State Fire Service

6. Profits for security and state defense
Unification of qualification criteria of „non-seveso” establishments by inspection services operating in the area of industrial safety;
Coordination of the inspections carried out by the above mentioned services;
Unification of the scopes of inspections;
Improving safety in establishments,
Early identification and assessment of risks „on site”.
Improving conducting rescue and fire-fighting operations, planning evacuation in advance,
The environmental hazards assessment.

7. EXPECTED BENEFITS
Development of tools for land-use planning as regards investments,
Effective identification of hazards arising from the use of hazardous substances in industrial facilities,
Efficient inspections in the area of industrial safety,
Effective rescue operations on the basis of data obtained from the program,
Consolidation and implementation of integrated safety management systems in certain industrial groups.

8. Main planned results
Risk assessment methodologies in the industrial sites;
Database with industrial accidents;
Database with accident scenarios, including representative scenarios;
Methods for identification of sites that may pose hazards off-site;
Assumptions for numeric models for consequence assessment of accidents

9. Planned results
Database with probability values for accident scenarios occurrence;
Database with consequences of accidents;
Database with threshold values of effects parameters for dangerous substances released and matching them with consequences of such releases;
Methods for assessing safety distances;
Recommendations for possible law amendments;

10. The end user will receive a tool allowing to:
INNOVATION
The end user will receive a tool allowing to:
assign appropriate models of accident scenarios to a particular type of facility/ installation,
calculate the final probability of the event of emergency,
calculate the range of the zones of threats for the selected emergency scenarios,
determine the effects of emergency events for the people, environment and property (thresholds for thermal radiation, temperature, pressure, toxicity),
calculate the risk of emergency event as well as to assess the risk in terms of acceptability in the given conditions,
put together ranges of the accidents’ consequences and the level of risk with safe distance,
clearly visualize the results and to create a map of the hazards.

11. Companies from the design sector, Investors,
STAKEHOLDERS
Public administration (authorities competent in the field of spatial planning, risk assesment, threats identification),
Rescue services,
Companies from the design sector,
Investors,
Existing establishments with hazardous substances on site.

12. Fire involving peroxides
Date: 23rd of May 2016
Chemical plant; lower-tier establishment; medium size company;
Production of pharmaceutical ingredients, organic peroxides, fine chemicals,
Substances involved:
Dibenzoyl peroxide 75% (Org. Perox., Aquatic Acute 1);
Dibenzoyl peroxide 50% with dicyclohexyl phthalate (Org. Perox., Aquatic Acute 1, Aquatic Chronic 3)

13. Source: http://chorzow.naszemiasto.pl/

14. Source: http://chorzow.naszemiasto.pl/

15. Source: http://chorzow.naszemiasto.pl/

16. Source: http://chorzow.naszemiasto.pl/

17. Circumstances
On the day of accident there were problems with power supply,
Sprinkle system was working correctly;
The workers were wearing antistatic clothes and shoes and were trained;

18. Circumstances
The fire occurred in the place where peroxides were sifted; spread of the fire was caused by the initiation of decomposition of the peroxides in the other barrels stored nearby, what as a consequence led to temp. rise and initiation of thermal decomposition of a peroxide in a dryer.

19. Causes
Mostly probable fire was initiated by: electric spark; short circuit; overload of the sifter’s engine causing temp. rise, friction of the steel elements of the sifter; lightning; temp. rise inside the sifter;
It was not assessed which was the actual cause;

20. The consequences No injuries;
Evacuation of 146 people from the near rest home;
Combustion of 400 kg of Dibenzoyl peroxide 75% and kg of Dibenzoyl peroxide 50% with dicyclohexyl phthalate;
Installations completely damaged;
No production until today,
Damages on site: c.a Euro

21. Measures preventing the reoccurrence – to be taken while rebuilding the site
Separation of the production installations (in two different buildings)
Application of one-piece-flow rule in order to minimize the quantity of dangerous substances present;
Sprinkler system densification in the critical parts of the production process;
Double protection measures for process temperature control in order to prevent overheating and loss of process control

22. Measures preventing the reoccurrence – to be taken while rebuilding the site
Creation of „independent fire zones” allowing separation of process phases (synthesis, washing, product packing);
Arrangement of the production unit on a greater space (~500 m2) – bigger distance between pieces of equipment;
Change in drying phase – application of dryer with a small working load;
Shortening of the periods between technical checks of the equipment,
More trainings for the staff.

23. Thank you
for your attention