Integrating System Safety into Programmatic Closure Planning for Chem Demil Plants

摘要

In a paper presented by this author at the 2009 ISSC, a case was put forth that the “inherent” safety hazards associated with the decommissioning and closure of chemical agent demilitarization (Chem Demil) plants could significantly reduced through the integration of previous experience lessons learned with an aggressive System Safety Engineering effort early on in the process. This paper is in one sense a follow-up to that paper. It is also report on how collective system safety engineering, health and safety, and risk management experiences leveraged and integrated into the successful development of a major engineering effort for the programmatic decommissioning and closure program for four similar U.S. Chem Demil plants. System safety engineering and management techniques, methodologies, tools, and products that may be used in the closure of other hazardous materials processing plants are also presented. It should be noted that this paper does not address chemical warfare weapons, chemical warfare agents, or the technology associated with their demilitarization and destruction.