Chemical Industry Safety in Saudi Arabia - Thesis Proposal Example

CHEMICAL INDUSTRY SAFETY IN SAUDI ARABIA A project dissertation submitted in part fulfilment of the requirements for the Master of Science degree in Process Safety and Loss Prevention of the University of Sheffield. Date ii SHORT SUMMARY OF DISSERTATION Safety in chemical industries has been of a concern worldwide and this project has its focus on Saudi Arabia. The project has put its main focus on Saudi Arabian chemical industries and has outlined the major causes of accidents and some of the causes to this effect. The use of questionnaires was employed to obtain first hand relevant data as well as conducting interviews in some of the industries. Information was also obtained from the Department of Civil Defence to aid in the project. It was important to obtain information from some previously done research prior to the commencement of the project hence relevant articles and journals were used to this effect. After review of the availed data, safety parameters in a chemical industry was reached at as the main project goal. Analysis of these parameters was divided into four categories. These are risks the chemicals impose on human lives, measures necessary to avoid chemical risks, fire and explosion prevention and general safety within the factories. The recommendation from the study was a challenge to the Saudi government to ensure relevant industrial laws are enforced. iii TABLE OF CONTENTS CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION 1.1 Background It is important to note that Saudi Arabia has made significant growth economic wise, an important aspect which can be attributed to the firm industrial base. Saudi Arabia has emerged to be among the few countries in the region that are in full support of their industrial sector. One of the beneficiaries of this support are the chemical industries which have significantly grown throughout the years courtesy of a supportive Saudi government. In spite of all these, the chemical industries have posed to be among the most delicate industries in terms of safety due to the various hazardous chemicals dealt with. A part from this being a major concern, research has proven that accidents in industries are being caused by: human errors, working environment and poor management in terms of safety. It is conclusive to say that productivity of various industries is largely dependent on the safety of employees. Safety is therefore paramount and should be handled above any other thing. Chemical industries have been reported over the years as having the worst accidents as compared to other industries due to the intensity of the chemicals handled there. Injuries from these accidents can either result to death or permanently cripple an individual. It is the severity of these accidents that should make a wakeup call to all stakeholders in the chemical industries to safety a priority. It is important to note that all accidents have a root cause and there is something that can be done to prevent future occurrences. The boldest step in averting the rate of accidents is to try and identify the leads to such accident occurrences with the sole intention of minimizing the frequency of happening. It should be the obligation of all the stakeholders involved in the chemical industries to offer regular dissemination of information regarding safety of all workers. Concerned governments should make it their priority in availing resources channeled towards educating all persons employed in a chemical industry. The government should be more concerned when it comes to the safety of her workforce. Injuries sustained can lead to a significant drop in an individual’s productivity and the most worrying part is that unproductivity in the industrial sector is likely to hurt the economy slowly but steadily. It is important to note that the worker cannot be blamed for the accidents that are likely to occur at the workplace. Most worker lack proper knowledge on how to handle their safety while at the workplace. The manner in which workers are supervised is likely to influence the occurrence of particular accidents if the supervisor or employer does not follow some of the safety rules and regulations. Safety cannot be left to one party but should be considered as a collective responsibility and proper measures should be adopted for purposes of safety education and awareness. 1.2 Problem Statement Data provided by the Department of Civil Defence shows worrying trends in relation to the rate of occurrence of accidents in industries. The chemical industry recorded the worst statistics in the whole industrial sector as the leading sector in the number of injury cases and deaths. Apart from injuries and death cases, most companies have been recording significant drop in their general performance which was found to be directly related to these accidents. It was conclusive to say that the root cause of deaths and accidents can be linked to the partial implementation of important safety regulations. The rate at which injuries occur in Saudi Arabia has created a huge gap between the stakeholders involved and the safety regulations. Hence there is need for creating awareness and education with the aim of minimizing accident related industries. According to statistics, there has been an increase in the number of accidents and injuries reported. A comparison between two years, 2003 and 2004 shows an increase in the number of reported fire accident cases by 3397. Insurance firms have not been spared either. According to statistics, more than $USD485 million was spent in a span of ten years as compensation for the number of accidents reported. Report by GOSI outlines that there were beneficiaries of $USD42 million as compensation to industry related accidents. This was implemented under occupational hazard scheme (OHS) in the year 1998. Careful analysis of most of the accident cases reported are traced back to lack or insufficient knowledge by workers on some industrial safety regulations. Research conducted between 1990 and 2000 shows that the number of accidents in chemical industries had the possibility of being avoided had correct safety procedures been followed. The table below is a summary of accidents in Saudi Arabia obtained from the chemical industries. Table 1.1 Accident numbers in chemical factories during the years 1998 to 2008 in Riyadh city. Year 1998 1999 2000 2002 2003 2004 2005 No. of accident 40 13 18 21 14 22 20 Carelessness in the workplace caused about 18 of the 148 accidents. Among the 18 accidents, 6 were chemical explosions caused by cigarettes. Had the workers been subjected through constant safety education, such cases would have not been reported. As much as the regulating authority in the Kingdom, Saudi Arabian Standards Organization has taken the initiative of publishing and availing important regulation standards, there is still a weak link when it comes to implementation. In other cases, such regulations and safety standards have been misunderstood totally by the workers creating need for thorough education schemes. Research has also shown that other accidents are caused by negative perception on regulations. Apart from their availability, others considering ignoring them and preferring shortcuts for completion of particular tasks since there is no strong body ensuring whether they are followed or not. 1.3 Significance of the Study Responsible companies need to be thoroughly instructed by relevant authorities on the need to implement safety rules and regulations in their working environment. Accidents have proven to be a major obstacle to the achievement of both personal and industrial growth. Prevention of the occurrence of accidents is the best way of tackling safety and this can significantly aid in growth since accidents can be costly in terms of a company’s financial status. Thorough awareness mechanisms need to be put in place by the government to ensure concerned chemical industries strictly adhere to regulations and regular educative awareness on the same are implemented. It is important to note that most accidents occur as a result of a breach of a regulation by an individual or an unhealthy working environment in terms of the hazard caused. To create a healthy environment capable of evading common accidents, unsafe environmental conditions need to be identified and completely eliminated. Success to this effect can only be realized by identifying current safety conditions in Saudi Arabia and creating educative awareness among those employed in such industries. 1.4 Objective of the Study The study has a main purpose of identifying and presenting the positive attributes associated to safety in Saudi Arabian chemical industries. Comprehensive research and analysis of previously done research relating to chemical industries are areas this paper has focused on with the aim of presenting information constituting Saudi Arabia’ industrial safety. The paper is therefore focusing on safety measures and precautions relating to chemical industries and measures that can be taken to avoid accidents. CHAPTER 2: THE PRESENT STATUS OF SAFETY AND SECURITY IN THE CHEMCIAL INDUSTRIES IN THE KINGDOM OF SAUDI ARABIA The study has put its main focus on the level at which safety measured are understood in an industrial working environment in conjunction to their impact. Some of which are:- 2.1. Policy and Rules Positive Results: 1- The Protective policy has been adopted for the purpose of protecting the petrochemical plants and the workers involved, a positive initiative of the administration responsible for industrial security. 2- Qualified personnel have been introduced to the petrochemical plants courtesy of The Supreme Agency of Industrial Security to conduct general inspection and educate workers on the safety measures that need to be adhered to aid in minimizing accidents at work. 3- Petrochemical industries have the capacity to enjoy specified working conditions necessary for the minimizing the number of accidents by offering direction on safety measures. 2.2. Fire Incidents Fire incidents have become a common occurrence in most of the petrochemical plants in Saudi Arabia as researched. Some of the major causes of fire incidents include: a) Unattended to gas and oil leakages. b) Self-ignition of highly flammable gases c) Carelessness at work d) Contact of oil/gas with electrical sparks e) Thunderbolts f) Smoking in unauthorized locations. g) Destruction h) Unavoidable natural calamities Apart from just outlining the causes, the researcher identified tangible solutions necessary for the protection of petrochemical industries. This is through: 1) Careful identification of a suitable site for locating a petrochemical facility. 2) Functional fire extinguishers within the facility at all times. 3) Introduction of emergency sections within the facility to deal with all accident incidences. 4) Proper interlink between various departments of a facility to help initiate emergency drills for preparedness of any emergency. Read More