Abstract
During the last decade biodiesel production facilities have had a fast growth all over the world. Production levels and installed capacity have increased continuously to respond the demands of renewable oils. This growth has been accompanied by increasing accident rates. This fact raises the necessity of understand accidental causes in order to eliminate or diminish them. The present study applies the Reason’ Swiss Cheese model of Human Error to a series of accidents that have taken place at biodiesel facilities in the period 2003 to January 2014. It allows identifying the unsafe acts and latent conditions that have conducted to accidents, and implementing tools to manage them.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
References
International Energy Statistics: U.S. Information Administration. Available at www.eia.gov. Accessed Sept 2014
Argentina biodiesel: taxes, domestic mandates and production. Biodiesel magazine, 30 Apr 2014. Available at www.biodieselmagazine.com. Accessed Sept 2014
Rivera, S.S., Núñez Mc Leod, J.E.: Human error in biofuel plants. Lecture Notes in Engineering and Computer Science: Proceedings of Lecture Notes in Engineering and Computer Science: Proceedings of World Congress on Engineering 2008, pp. 1214–1219. London, 2–4 July 2008
Rivera, S.S., Núñez Mc Leod, J.E.: Recommendations generated about human reliability on biodiesel plants. Lecture Notes in Engineering and Computer Science: Proceedings of Lecture Notes in Engineering and Computer Science: Proceedings of World Congress on Engineering 2012, pp. 588–593. London, 4–6 July 2012
Calvo Olivares, R.D., Rivera, S.S., Núñez Mc Leod, J.E.: Database for accidents and incidents in the biodiesel industry. J. Loss Prev. Process Ind. 29, 245–261 (2014)
Van Gerpen, J., Shanks, B., Pruszko, R., Clements, D., Knothe, G.: Biodiesel Production Technology Report, July 2004, NREL/SR-510-36244
Marlair, G., Rotureau, P., Breulet, H., Brohez, S.: Booming development of biofuels for transport: is fire safety of concern? Fire Mater. 33(1), 1–19 (2009)
Salzano, E., Di Serio, M., Santacesaria, E.: Emerging risks in the biodiesel production by transesterification of virgin and renewable oils. Energy Fuel. 24(11), 6103–6109 (2010)
Salzano, E., Di Serio, M., Santacesaria, E.: Emergency safety issues for biodiesel production plant, Florence, vol. 19 (2010)
Salzano, E., Di Serio, M., Santacesaria, E.: State-of-art and historical analysis for the safety of biodiesel production by trans-esterification of virgin and renewable oils, Prague (2010)
Gerpen, J.V.: Biodiesel processing and production. Fuel Process. Technol. 86(10), 1097–1107 (2005)
Hagen, E.W. (ed.): Human reliability analysis. Nucl. Saf. 17, 315–326 (1976)
Williams, H.L.: Reliability evaluation of the human component in man–machine system. Electrical Manufacturing, pp. 78–82, Apr 1958
Dhillon, B.S.: Human Reliability with Human Factors. Pergamon Press, New York (1986)
Isaac, A., Shorrock, S.T., Kennedy, R., Kirwan, B., Andersen, H., Bove, T.: Technical Review of Human Performance Models and Taxonomies of Human Error in ATM (HERA), European Organization for the Safety of Air Navigation, pp.6–7, 19–51 (2002)
Rivera, S.S., Núñez Mc Leod, J.E., Calvo Olivares, R.D.: IAENG Transactions on Engineering Sciences: Special Issue of the International MultiConference of Engineers and Computer Scientists 2013 and World Congress on Engineering 2013, Chapter: Causes of latent failures on biodiesel plants and accepted practices to diminish them. In: Sio-Iong Ao, Alan Hoi-Shou Chan, Hideki Katagiri, Li Xu (eds.), pp. 225–234. Taylor & Francis Group, London (2014)
Baziuk, P., et al.: Toward a unified human reliability model. Advances in Safety, Reliability and Risk Management, pp. 119–126. London (2012)
Kirwan, B.: A Guide To Practical Human Reliability Assessment, pp. 81–90. Taylor & Francis Group, London (1994)
Swain, A.D.: Modelling of response to nuclear power plant transients for probabilistic risk assessment. Proceedings of the 8th Congress of the International Ergonomics Association, Tokyo, Aug 1982
Swain, A., Guttmann, H.: A handbook of human reliability analysis with emphasis on nuclear power plant applications. NUREG/CR-1278, USNRC, Washington (1983)
Spurgin, A.J., Lydell, B.D., Hannaman, G.W., Lukic, Y.: Human Reliability Assessment: A Systematic Approach. In Reliability ‘87, NEC, Birmingham (1987)
Lasswell, H.D.: The structure and function of communication in society. In: Bryson, L. (ed.) The Communication of Ideas. Harper and Row, New York (1948)
Shannon, C., Weaver, W.: The Mathematical Theory of Communication. University of Illinois Press, Urbana (1949)
Dance, F.E.X.: Human Communication Theory. Holt, Rinehart and Winston, New York (1967)
Berlo, D.K.: The Process of Communication: An Introduction to Theory and Practice. Holt, Rinehart and Winston, New York (1960)
Andersch, E.G., Staats, L.C., Bostom, R.N.: Communication in Everyday Use. Holt, Rinehart and Winston, New York (1969)
Broadbent, D.E.: Perception and Communications. Pergamon, London (1958)
Wickens, C.: Engineering Psychology and Human Performance, 2nd edn. Harper-Collins, New York (1992)
Reason, J.: Human Error. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK (1990)
Hollnagel, E.: Human Reliability Analysis: Context and Control. Academic, London (1993)
Rasmussen, J.: Human Errors. A Taxonomy for Describing Human Malfunction in Industrial Installations. Risø National Laboratory, DK-4000, Roskilde (1981)
Rasmussen, J.: Human errors: a taxonomy for describing human malfunction in industrial installations. J. Occup. Accid. 4, 311–335 (1982)
Rasmussen, J.: Information Processing and Human-Machine Interaction: An Approach to Cognitive Engineering. North Holland, New York (1986)
Pew, R., et al.: Evaluation of Proposed Control Room Improvements Through Analysis of Critical Operator Decisions. Electric Power Research Institute, Palo Alto (1982)
Norman, D.A.: Categorization of action slips. Psychol. Rev. 88, 1–15 (1981)
Dougherty, E.M.: Human reliability analysis – where shouldn’t thou turn? Reliab. Eng. Syst. Saf. 29, 283–299 (1990)
Reason, J.T.: Generic error-modelling system: a cognitive framework for locating common human error forms. In: Rasmussen, J., Duncan, K.D., Leplat, J. (eds.) New Technology and Human Error. Wiley, Chichester (1987)
Reason, J., Hollnagel, E., Paries, J.: Revisiting the ‘Swiss Cheese’ model of accidents. Eurocontrol Experimental Center, EEC Note No. 13/06, Oct 2006
Reason, J.: Human error. West. J. Med. 172(6), 393–396 (2000)
Reason, J.: Human error: models and management. BMJ 320, 768–770 (2000)
Shappell, S.A., Wiegmann, D.A.: The Human Factors Analysis and Classification System-HFACS. FAA. US Department of Transportation (2000)
Rivera, S.S., Núñez Mc Leod, J.E., Calvo, D.R.: Latent Failures on Biodiesel Plants. International Association of Engineers; Lecture Notes in Engineering and Computer Science, London (2013)
Calvo Olivares, R.D., Rivera, S.S., Núñez Mc Leod, J.E.: Analysis of Active Failures and Latent Conditions on Biodiesel Production Facilities, Lecture Notes in Engineering and Computer Science: Proceedings of the World Congress on Engineering 2014, pp. 1013–1017. WCE, London, 2–4 July 2014
Leiden, K., Ronald Laughery, K., Keller, J., French, J., Warwick, W.: A review of Human Performance Models for the Prediction of Human Error. Ann Harbor, Sep 2001
Department of Ecology, State of Washington, USA: Ecology settles penalty with Seattle Biodiesel. Available: www.ecy.wa.gov (2013). Accessed May 2013
The Seattle Times: Biodiesel fuel plant between Aberdeen and Hoquiam explodes. Available: http://seattletimes.com (2013). Accessed May 2013
Chi Town Daily News: OSHA launches investigation at plant that exploded. Available: www.chitowndailynews.org (2013). Accessed May 2013
The Press- Enterprise: TEMECULA: fire damages biodiesel business. Available: www.pe.com (2013). Accessed May 2013
European Commission: Chemical Accident Prevention & Preparedness- Major accidents involving contractors. Number 2, Dec 2012
Pioneiro: Tanque explode e mata uma pessoa na Oleoplan em Veranópolis. Available: http://pioneiro.clicrbs.com.br/rs (2013). Accessed May 2013
Herald Sun: Man critical after factory explosion. Available: www.heraldsun.com.au (2013). Accessed May 2013
Folha de S. Paulo: Explosão em fábrica de biodiesel deixa três mortos em Formosa. Available: www.folha.uol.com.br. Accessed May 2013
WESM 91.3 FM: 1 dead after explosion at Princess Anne biodiesel plant. Available: http://wesm913.org/news (2013). Accessed May 2013
Canada.com: One dead as blast rips biodiesel plant in High River. Available: www.canada.com (2013). Accessed May 2013
News 12: EPD finds environmental threat at biodiesel plant. Available: www.wrdw.com (2013). Accessed May 2013
Casper Star-Tribune: Explosion, fire at biodiesel plant kills one. Available: http://trib.com/ (2013). Accessed May 2013
Biodiesel Magazine: Chemical Safety Matters. Available: www.biodieselmagazine.com (2010). Accessed 7 Nov 2010
Occupational Safety and Health Administration Website. Available: www.osha.gov
The Star-Ledger: Sulfuric acid explodes in Newark plant, injures employee. Available: www.nj.com (2013). Accessed May 2013
WFTV Channel 9 (abc): Explosions Rock Biodiesel Plant in Osceola County. Available: www.wftv.com (2013). Accessed May 2013
Newschannel 5 (WTVF-TV): Crews Battle Large Chemical Fire in Coffee County. Available: www.newschannel5.com (2013). Accessed May 2013
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2015 Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht
About this paper
Cite this paper
Calvo Olivares, R.D., Rivera, S.S., Núñez Mc Leod, J.E. (2015). An Approach to Modelate Human Error on Biodiesel Plants: Analysis of Active Failures and Latent Conditions. In: Yang, GC., Ao, SI., Gelman, L. (eds) Transactions on Engineering Technologies. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-017-9804-4_26
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-017-9804-4_26
Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht
Print ISBN: 978-94-017-9803-7
Online ISBN: 978-94-017-9804-4
eBook Packages: EngineeringEngineering (R0)