Dynamic Risk Assessment and Inherent Safety

The progress of chemical and energy technologies results in an increasing complexity of industrial processes. In this evolving framework, enhancing the safety standards of process technologies is needed to grant the social acceptability of industrial activities, in particular when hazardous substances are handled or stored. Advanced process safety tools are needed to effectively identify, assess and control the emerging risks that may affect these industrial activities. Innovative approaches, as dynamic risk assessment and inherent safety are key elements to support the progress of process safety.

The activities carried out in this research area are aimed at:

• Development of methods for inherently safer design
• Development of inherent safety metrics aimed at the assessment of the safety performance assessment of alternative technological solutions
• Development of tools to support ex-ante inherent safety application in conceptual and basic design
• Analysis and comparison of the inherent safety footprint of alternative design concepts
• Development of approaches for the dynamic modelling of accident scenarios based on the coupling of tools for process simulation and consequence analysis
• Development of dynamic models based on advanced techniques as Bayesian techniques

Research and Industrial Projects on this topic address:

• Total Safety Management for Industrial Organizations (EC-FP7)
• NEST: Network 4 Energy Sustainable Transition (PNRR PE02, 2022 – 2025)