Hydrogen Safety:Hydrogen Safety:From Policies to Plans to PracticesFrom Policies to Plans to Practices

Hydrogen Safety:Hydrogen Safety:From Policies to Plans to PracticesFrom Policies to Plans to Practices

Steven C. Weiner, Richard Kallman,Antonio Ruiz and Jesse Schneider

presented to the

International Conference on Hydrogen Safety

Pisa, ItalySeptember 9, 2005

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Hydrogen SafetyHydrogen SafetyHydrogen SafetyHydrogen Safety

Plans

Practices

Policies

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The Context for Safety and The Context for Safety and the Hydrogen Economythe Hydrogen Economy

The Context for Safety and The Context for Safety and the Hydrogen Economythe Hydrogen Economy

Hydrogen use has enjoyed a notable safety record.Introduction of hydrogen as a commercial energy carrier is a “whole new ballgame.”Safety with hydrogen is as important now if not more so than when the hydrogen economy becomes a reality.Public trust can be a fragile commodity.Catastrophic accidents may delay or even preclude hydrogen’s intended implementation.

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Hydrogen Safety Program GoalHydrogen Safety Program GoalHydrogen Safety Program GoalHydrogen Safety Program Goal

Develop and implement the practices and procedures that will ensure safety in the operation, handling, and use of hydrogen and hydrogen systems for all DOE projects and to utilize these practices and lessons learned to promote the safe use of hydrogen throughout the emerging hydrogen economy

Ref: HFCIT Multi-Year Program Plan, Nov 15, 2004

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Hydrogen Safety Review PanelHydrogen Safety Review PanelKey ObjectivesKey Objectives

Hydrogen Safety Review PanelHydrogen Safety Review PanelKey ObjectivesKey Objectives

Provide expertise and guidance to the DOE and assist with identifying areas of additional research, learnings and best practices.Integrate safety planning into all DOE project-funding procurements to ensure that all projects address and incorporate hydrogen safety requirements.Provide input for a handbook of “Best Management Practices for Safety” (2007)

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Hydrogen Safety Review PanelHydrogen Safety Review PanelHydrogen Safety Review PanelHydrogen Safety Review Panel

Addison Bain, Chair NASA (ret.)

Carol Bailey Sentech

Harold Beeson NASA White Sands

Don Frikken Becht Engineering

Jim Hansel Air Products and Chemicals

Richard Kallman City of Santa Fe Springs, CA

Harold Phillippi ExxonMobil Research and Engineering

Jesse Schneider DaimlerChrysler

Rody Stephenson Motor Vehicle Fire Research Institute

Bob Zalosh Worcester Polytechnic Institute

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An Overview of Panel InitiativesAn Overview of Panel InitiativesAn Overview of Panel InitiativesAn Overview of Panel Initiatives

Project Safety Plans Guidance for Safety Aspects of Proposed Hydrogen

Projects Provide review and comment

Safety Reviews – Telephone Interviews and Site Visits Share and discuss learnings and new insights that bear

on safety Address project-specific safety issues Identify project-specific findings that can have a broader

benefit in the DOE program

Project Safety Questionnaires

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Identifying and AnalyzingIdentifying and AnalyzingSafety VulnerabilitiesSafety Vulnerabilities

Identifying and AnalyzingIdentifying and AnalyzingSafety VulnerabilitiesSafety Vulnerabilities

The right team, the right leader, the right techniquesDocumentation with sufficient detailTimePitfalls Lack of understanding by management of the time

commitment needed to produce a successful study Lack of experience by the team leader Use of outdated documents Failure to address all aspects of operation Failure to consider existing safeguards

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Safety Plan ExpectationsSafety Plan ExpectationsSafety Plan ExpectationsSafety Plan Expectations

Does the plan provide a good sense of how the policies and procedures of the organization are implemented down to the project and staff levels for the specific project?Does the plan reflect the key areas of sound and thoughtful identification and analysis of safety vulnerabilities, risk mitigation and communications?Does the plan reflect a desired nature that it be a “living document” and therefore, discuss safety considerations relevant to the course of the project, e.g. management of change, dissemination of learnings, etc.?

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Site Visit TemplateSite Visit TemplateSafety Planning and Q&ASafety Planning and Q&A

Site Visit TemplateSite Visit TemplateSafety Planning and Q&ASafety Planning and Q&A

Safety Vulnerabilities How do you assess the safety risks that are/will be present

during the implementation of your project? Do you use established qualitative or quantitative measures or one(s) of your own design?

Risk Mitigation What approaches and methodologies are used to reduce

the identified risks?

Communications How are safety reviews conducted during the design,

development and operating phases of the project? How are safety incidents and near-misses documented and reported and the resulting “lessons learned” shared?

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Observations and LearningsObservations and LearningsObservations and LearningsObservations and Learnings

Equipment Maintenance and Sensor CalibrationManagement of ChangeSafety Event Reporting

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Safety Event ReportingSafety Event ReportingIncidents and Near-MissesIncidents and Near-Misses

Safety Event ReportingSafety Event ReportingIncidents and Near-MissesIncidents and Near-Misses

An incident is an event that results in a lost-time accident and/or injury to personnel, damage and/or unplanned downtime for equipment,

facilities or property, impact to the public or environment, any hydrogen release that unintentionally ignites or is

sufficient to sustain a flame if ignited, any hydrogen release which accumulates above the

lower flammability limits within an enclosed space.

A near-miss is an event that under slightly different circumstances could have become an incident.

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SummarySummarySummarySummary

Identification and analysis of safety vulnerabilities, risk mitigation, and communications are critical topics.A safety plan should be a “living” document.A safety plan is a tool that should be utilized to make sure overall safety practices are in order and that safety is a priority.

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Hydrogen SafetyHydrogen SafetyHydrogen SafetyHydrogen Safety

Plans

Practices

Policies

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Acknowledging….Acknowledging….Acknowledging….Acknowledging….

U.S. Department of Energy’s Hydrogen, Fuel Cells and Infrastructure Technologies Program Office Steven Chalk, Program Manager Pat Davis, Manager, Safety, Codes and Standards

My co-authorsInternational Conference on Hydrogen Safety