Improved Safety at Reduced Operating Costs in a German Chemical Plant

摘要

Fire and explosion protection is one of the most important management goals in the chemical industry, especially when flammable liquids and gases are utilized in the process. In Germany even small sites therefore traditionally employ a costly full time professional fire brigade, which is a requirement of operating permits mandated by local and regional authorities. Based on a joint fire and explosion hazard review, equipment and management systems have been significantly improved at the Merkenich Cologne Chemical Park where the Air Products Polymers emulsions plant is located along with other chemical companies. This resulted in a completely new combined approach to fire protection utilized by the tenant companies and has made a reduction of fire brigade manpower and thus costs of fire protection feasible, with improved safety. Measures include improvement of the fire resistance of civil engineering structures (walls, doors, tanks, etc). Extensive use was made of gas sensors and fire detector systems that were designed based on model calculations of hypothetical accident scenarios. Identified key hazards were additionally protected by semiautomatic sprinkler systems. The emergency response system and other management systems of the tenant companies had to be modified in order to match the new safety concept as were interfaces to the municipal fire authorities. The project was characterized by the stringent German and European environmental and safety related legal requirements (e.g. Council Directive 96/82/EC, the so-called Seveso II Directive). The operating permit was modified in close cooperation with all responsible authorities in what is believed to be a precedent setting change in Germany.