Glossary

This Glossary contains Process Safety terms unique to this CCPS publication. The CCPS Process Safety terms in this publication are current at the time of issue. For other CCPS Process Safety terms and updates to these terms, please refer to the CCPS Process Safety Glossary [1].

Term Definition Acceptable Risk The average rate of loss that is considered tolerable for a given activity. Accident
(See Incident) An incident that results in a significant consequence involving:
human impact,
detrimental impact on the community or environment,
property damage, material loss,
disruption of a company's ability to continue doing business or achieve its business goals Biosafety Level (BSL) A biological risk management category used to identify the protective measures needed in a laboratory setting to protect workers, the environment, and the public. Causal Factor A major unplanned, unintended contributor to an incident (a negative event or undesirable condition), that if eliminated would have either prevented the occurrence of the incident, or reduced its severity or frequency. Competent Individual having the necessary ability, knowledge, or skill to do something successfully [2]. Consequence The undesirable result of a loss event, usually measured in health and safety effects, environmental impacts, loss of property, and business interruption costs. Exothermic A physical or chemical change accompanied by the evolution of heat. Exothermic Reaction A reaction involving one or more chemicals resulting in one or more new chemical species and the evolution of heat. Explosion A release of energy that causes a pressure discontinuity or blast wave. Explosion The bursting or rupture of an enclosure or container due to the development of internal pressure from a deflagration. Finding A conclusion reached by an auditor or investigator based upon data collected and analyzed during an audit or investigation.
Note: Findings can be positive or negative. Negative Findings describe a deficiency or gap between the current state and the expected state. Fire A combustion reaction accompanied by the evolution of heat, light, and flame. Fire Triangle [A triangle diagram showing] the three basic conditions that are required for a fire to take place. These conditions are fuel, oxygen, and heat. Flash Fire A fire that spreads by means of a flame front rapidly through a diffuse fuel, such as a dust, gas, or the vapors of an ignitable liquid, without the production of damaging pressure. Hazard An inherent chemical or physical characteristic that has the potential for causing damage to people, property, or the environment. Hazard Identification Part of the Hazards Identification and Risk Analysis (HIRA) method in which the material and energy hazards of the process, along with the siting and layout of the facility, are identified so that a risk analysis can be performed on potential incident scenarios. Hazard Identification and Risk Analysis (HIRA) A collective term that encompasses all activities involved in identifying hazards and evaluating risk at facilities, throughout their life cycle, to make certain that risks to employees, the public, or the environment are consistently controlled within the organization's risk tolerance. Health Hazard Exposure Control Band (HHECB) A risk-based approach used to help manage inhalation risks when exposed to new substances that have little or no available hazards information. Hierarchy of controls A way of determining which actions will best control exposures [3]. Impact A measure of the ultimate loss and harm of a loss event.
Note: Impact may be expressed as the number of injuries and/or fatalities, the extent of the environmental damage, or the magnitude of the loss, such as property damage, material loss, production loss, market share loss, and recovery costs. Incident
(See Accident) An event, or series of events, resulting in one or more undesirable consequences, such as harm to people, damage to the environment, or asset/business losses.
Or
An unusual, unplanned, or unexpected occurrence that either resulted in, or had the potential to result in harm to people, damage to the environment, asset/business losses, or loss of public trust or stakeholder confidence in a company's reputation. Kilo-prep lab A lab used in scale-up between laboratory and pilot plant, with typical batch sizes of 2-3 kg. Often used to produce sufficient product for initial testing. Laboratory A facility where the containers used for reactions, transfers and other handling of chemicals are designed to be easily and safely manipulated by one person. A laboratory is a workplace where chemicals are used or synthesized on a nonproduction basis [4]. Laboratory And Pilot Plant (LAPP) A LAPP includes all laboratories, pilot plants, and research facilities that stand-alone or are a part of a commercial manufacturing site, government establishment, or academic institution. Loss of Containment
(or Loss of Primary Containment) An unplanned or uncontrolled release of material from [primary] containment, including non-toxic and non-flammable materials (e.g., steam, hot condensate, nitrogen, compressed CO2 or compressed air). Mitigative Safeguard A [safeguard] designed to interrupt the chain of events after a loss event, given that there has been a loss of containment of a hazardous material or energy.
Note: Specific to a hazards evaluation of an incident sequence, a mitigative [safeguard] is in between the loss of event (the loss of containment) and the scenario's impact, helping reduce the consequences of the incident scenario, and thus, helping reduce the scenario's risk. Near-miss An incident in which an adverse consequence could potentially have resulted if circumstances had been slightly different. Observation A conclusion reached by an auditor based upon data collected and analyzed during the audit. Observations can be positive or negative. Negative Observations may indicate opportunities for improvement. Pilot Plant An experimental assembly of equipment for exploring process variables or for producing semi-commercial quantities of materials [4]. Polariscope A polariscope is composed of two polarized lenses and a light source mounted behind one lens. The glass item to be examined is placed between two lenses and viewed through the lens opposite the light source lens.
Note: Polariscopes work based on the principle of stress induced birefringence, the phenomenon in which light passing through a homogenous material under stress exhibits two refractive indices. Preventive safeguard A [safeguard] designed to interrupt the chain of events leading up to a loss event, given that an initiating event has occurred.
Note: Specific to the hazards evaluation of an incident sequence, a preventive [safeguard] is in between the initiating event (the cause) and a loss event, helping reduce the frequency of the incident scenario, and thus, helping reduce the scenario's risk. Process Hazard Analysis (PHA) An organized effort to identify and evaluate hazards associated with processes and operations to enable their control.
This review normally involves the use of qualitative techniques to identify and assess the significance of hazards. Conclusions and appropriate recommendations are developed. Occasionally, quantitative methods are used to help prioritized risk reduction. Protection Layer A concept whereby a device, system, or human action is provided to reduce the likelihood and/or severity of a specific loss event. Qualitative Risk Analysis An analysis method based primarily on description and comparison using historical experience and engineering judgment, with little quantification of the hazards, consequences, likelihood, or level of risk. Quantitative Risk Analysis (QRA) The systematic development of numerical estimates of the expected frequency and severity of potential incidents associated with a facility or operation based on engineering evaluation and mathematical techniques. Recommendation A proposed action intended...