Collaboration on Safety of Dutch Chemical clusters

Master thesis (2022)

Authors

M.A. Bom Technology, Policy and Management

Contributors

M. Yang (mentor)
A.R. Gammon (graduation committee member)
U. Pesch (graduation committee member)
Faculty
Technology, Policy and Management, Technology, Policy and Management
Copyright: © 2022 Mitchel Bom
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Published Date

17-05-2022

Language

English

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Faculty

Technology, Policy and Management

Abstract

This project aims to answer the question of how cross-plant safety can be improved in a general way, including the prevention of domino effects. The main research question is: How do we improve collaboration between companies in a chemical cluster, in so that an overall safety gain is achieved? From the literature review and the interviews a list of the main drivers and impediments have been created.

There are 10 drivers that drive cross-company collaboration on safety: (1) Economic benefits, (2) Reduction of safety and security risk, (3) Support of decision-making on the prevention of domino effects, (4) Improvement of efficiency in safety training, (5) Improvement of efficiency
of safety management, (6) Improvement of safety inspection and maintenance of infrastructure, facilities and services that are related to domino effect prevention, and a few more that are removed due to confidential matters.

Additionally ten impediments have been found that hamper collaboration on cluster safety: (1) Communication and information sharing impediment, (2) Knowledge gaps, (3) Mistrust among companies, (4) Collaboration costs, (5) Difference in interest, (6) Insufficient policy and legislation support, (7) Cluster risk identification and recognition gaps, (8) Confidential issues and restrictions from mother company, and a few more that are removed due to confidential matters.

The conventional QRA framework is not build for cluster-wide safety and could be improved. The improved QRA includes a loop for additional analysis of installations that are affected by escalations of other installations. Further research could be done in analysing the link between types of collaborations (sharing information, learning from each other, sharing facilities & equipment, etc.) and the drivers and impediments.