human safety factor in control room design and location

8/10/2019 Human Safety Factor in Control Room Design and Location

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The Human Safety Factor in Control Room Design andLocation

Ian NimmoSenior Engineering Fellow

Honeywell IAC

16404 N. Black Canyon Highway

Phoenix Ari!ona "#0#$ %SA

&E'()*+S

Con,rol *oom- Hman Fac,or- /igh,ing Frni,re Si,a,ion Awarene-- /oca,ion Bla-, Area

ABS*AC

hi- aer will 2i-c-- ,he la,e-, ,hogh,- an2 ,echni3e- in Con,rol *oom 2e-ign. o2ay

legi-la,or- are orcing ,he re52e-ign o con,rol room- o,h in,ernally an2 ex,ernally. hey are

orcing manac,rer- ,o mo7e away rom ,he o,en,ial la-, area an2 ,hi- i- ha7ing a ma8or imac,

on ,he way eole work an2 commnica,e.

he aer will 2i-c-- ,he ro- an2 con- o con,rol room loca,ion ,he nee2 or a eole rege on

,he lan,. he ,ren2- in con,rol room 2e-ign an2 a -y-,ema,ic 2e-ign me,ho2ology or con,rol

room-. he la,e-, IEC 2ra, -,an2ar2- ,ha, -eem ,o ha7e -,alle2 in commi,,ee.

IN*)+%CI)N

Acci2en,- re-l,ing in ma8or 2amage ,o occie2 il2ing- are rare , when ,hey occr ,he re-l,-

can e ,ragic an2 2i-a-,ro- a- we wi,ne--e2 in ,he Hick-on 9 (elch :1;;< = %&> ,he o,al /a

?e2e *einery :1;;$ = France> an2 inally ,he Phili- Pa-a2ena exa- :1;;< = %SA>. In each ca-e

more ,han i7e eole 2ie2 a- a 2irec, re-l, o eing in a il2ing on a Chemical Proce-- In2-,ry

-i,e. ?o-, a,ali,ie- in il2ing- re-l,e2 rom @aor Clo2 Exlo-ion- or Boiling /i3i2

Exan2ing @aor Exlo-ion- :B/E@E->. So ,he ea-y -ol,ion i- ,o mo7e ,he il2ing well o,-i2e

,he o,en,ial la-, area an2 ,ha, -hol2 e an en2 ,o ,he rolem.

%nor,na,ely we ha7e ,o con-i2er non5igni,e2 ga- -orce rom a ,oxic ga- -orce an2 how locallan, eole e-cae rom ,he 2anger. ?o-, comany- -,a,e ,ha, emloyee- nee2 ,o wa,ch ,he win2

-ock- on ,he lan, an2 rn win2 ,o -ae,y. I- ,hi- a goo2 -ol,ion In ,he a-, ,he con,rol room

wa- a rege rom ire ga- an2 exlo-ion an2 now we in,en2 ,o no, il2 a rege. I ha7e

wi,ne--e2 many ro8ec,- il2 a con-oli2a,e2 con,rol room o ,he lan, an2 a, a la,er 2a,e ha- ha2

,o il2 a -hel,er or local eole a,er a -mall inci2en,. he -hel,er ecome- a -el re-i2ence an2

,he iel2 oera,or- call or local +CS -er In,erace eca-e o commnica,ion rolem- e,ween

,he con,rol room an2 ,he iel2. Any -a7ing- -ogh, on il2ing economy are now gone , ,he

con,rol room oera,or- are Sae , i-ola,e2 rom ,he ac,ion.


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I- i, o--ile ,o il2 a con,rol room ,o wi,h-,an2 a lan, ca,a-,rohe ?any comanie- an2

archi,ec,- elie7e -o we are le, wi,h ,he 3e-,ion wha, are we ,rying ,o achie7e

hi- i- ,he 3e-,ion ,ha, many comanie- ne7er a-k. Some re-on2 ,o in2-,rial ,ren2- an2 elie7e

lin2ly ,ha, con-oli2a,e2 i- ,he e-, rac,ice or con,rol room- ,ha, i, i- cheaer ,o il2 a non5la-,

roo il2ing away rom ,he lan,. hi- may e ,re , no, wi,ho, a rice. (e nee2 ,o ha7e a

me,ho2ology ,ha, gi2e- 2e-igner- an2 owner- ,hrogh a roce-- ,o 2i-co7er ,he real re3iremen,-an2 aly ,o2ay- real e-, rac,ice-.

A Pro,o,yical Ergonomic Sy-,em +e-ign Aroach

he In,erna,ional 2ra, S,an2ar2 IS)C+ 11064 co7er- rincile- or ,he 2e-ign o con,rol cen,er-

an2 ha- a large nmer o -or, -ec,ion- which co7er ligh,ing ,he room layo, an2 con-ole-

2e-ign recommen2a,ion- howe7er ,he -,an2ar2 aear- ,o ha7e -,alle2. hi- 2oe- no, mean ,o -ay

,ha, ,he work 2one ,o 2a,e i- no, -el. In ac, in many lace- i, i- recogni!e2 a- a e-, rac,ice

n,il -ome,hing el-e relace- i,. I in2 ,he 2ra, -,an2ar2 rich an2 ll o -el -gge-,ion- or ,he

2e-igner. I, -,ar,- y alying a recogni!e2 e-, rac,ice in Proce-- Sae,y ?anagemen, which i-

on2e2 on Emloyee Par,icia,ionD ,hi- i- calle2 problem definition and shared vision.

he 2e-igner i- ,hen encorage2 ,o re7iew any exi-,ing room- an2 rac,ice- an2 2e7elo a system

description and task analysisca,ring ,he ,hing- ,ha, work well an2 2e-igning o, ,he ,hing- ,ha,

ca-e rolem- hence ,he nee2 or emloyee ar,icia,ion. ?o-, new room- in7ol7e -ome,hing

el-e new e.g. a con,rol -y-,em gra2e -,aing change- -o ,he 2e-igner m-, now exam ,he in,en2

-e an2 2o a new task allocation and understand job roles and responsibilities. A, ,hi- oin, ,he

2e-igner can -,ar, ,o con-i2er ,he detailed control center designan2 -i,,ing 2own wi,h an archi,ec,

who n2er-,an2- an2 -eciali!e- in il2ing con,rol room-. hi- i- an imor,an, oin, ,o make 8-,

any archi,ec, i- no, nece--arily goo2 enogh. he con,rol room i- -o 2ieren, rom any o,her

il2ing an2 ,he n5ini,ia,e2 col2 in,ro2ce -ome -erio- 2e-ign law- ,ha, l,ima,ely col2 co-,

-omeone ,heir lie.

A,er 2oing ,he ini,ial 2e-ign ,he 2e-igner i- encorage2 ,o present the design back to the userso

,he il2ing. (e ha7e a lan , when 2i2 we 2eci2e on ,he loca,ion o ,he con,rol room he

2ra, -,an2ar2 2oe- no, really a22re-- ,hi- i--e a- ar a- I ha7e -een rom coie- o ,he 2ra,

-,an2ar2. he ,r,h i- i, i- ar, o each o ,he ha-e- o,line2 ao7e. Par, o ,he rolem 2eini,ion

-hol2 incl2e ,he nee2 ,o ro,ec, eole an2 cri,ical e3imen,. In mo-, lan,- ,hi- i- 2ri7en y

-ome orm o ri-k a--e--men, ,o 2e,ermine ,he lan,- hilo-ohy. he ma8or eor, o oera,ing

comanie- i- 2irec,e2 ,o re7en,ion o e7en,- ,ha, ,rigger ma8or inci2en,-. A ri-k a--e--men, will

e ale ,o 2eine ,he roaili,y o an e7en, haening an2 -eciy ,he il2ing ro,ec,ion a-e2 on

,he nee2- o ,ha, a--e--men,. hi- i- in keeing wi,h ,he rincile- o *e-on-ile Care whichmch o ,he CPI ha- emrace2.

*e-on-ile Care call- or comanie- ,o aly Inheren, Sae,y rac,ice-. In ,hi- ca-e ,he amon, o

ha!ar2o- ma,erial -hol2 e minimi!e2 an2 ,he nmer o eole exo-e2 ,o chemical lan,

ha!ar2- o ,he ,ye reerre2 ,o -hol2 e minimi!e2. o mi,iga,e ,he ha!ar2- ,ha, canno, e

remo7e2 Ha!ar2 I2en,iica,ion echni3e- an2 Ha!ar2 ?anagemen, Prac,ice- -hol2 e a2o,e2.

hi- in,ro2ce- ,he ir-, ma8or i--e ,o re-ol7e. he clo-er ,he il2ing ,o ,he lan, ,he more

eec,i7e ,he occan,- col2 e in oera,ing an2 main,aining ,he lan, y eing clo-er ,o ,he

har2ware ,hey manage or ,he eole wi,h whom ,hey in,erace. I, i- argale ,ha, ,here i- le--

likelihoo2 o ,here eing an acci2en, 2e ,o e,,er commnica,ion- e,ween key gro- o eole.


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he clo-er ,he eole are ,o ,he lan, ,he higher ,he ri-k ,hey rn o eing exo-e2 ,o ,he

con-e3ence- o ,he ha!ar2- o ,he lan, -hol2 ,he-e con-e3ence- e reali!e2. o alance ,he-e

ha!ar2- i, i- imor,an, ,o con-i2er ,he ro,ec,ion gi7en ,o ,he eole y ,he il2ing ,hey occy.

he clo-er ,o ,he ha!ar2- ,he more ro,ec,ion ,he il2ing m-, ro7i2e an2 hence ,he more i, will

co-,. Howe7er i ,he 2eci-ion i- ma2e ,o re2ce co-,- an2 ,hen la,er il2 a il2ing or ,he iel2

oera,or- an2 main,enance olk- ,he-e co-, -a7ing- -oon 2i-aear.

)r mo,i7a,ion -o ar ha- een ,he -ae loca,ion o eole. ),her enei,- come rom con-oli2a,ion

,ha, may imac, oera,ing eiciency an2 ,ha, i- ,he oor,ni,y or -,ream 2own-,ream an2

,ili,ie- con-ole oera,or- ,o collaora,e. Howe7er re5loca,ing -e7eral gro- o con-ole oera,or-

in,o a -ingle con,rol room will no, en-re collaora,ion. (e ha7e wi,ne--e2 many 2e-ign i--e-

in-i2e a -ingle room ,ha, ha7e re5enorce2 -egrega,ion o con-ole oera,or-. ?inor i--e- -ch a-

2ieren, ligh,ing re3iremen,- 2ieren, en7ironmen,al re3iremen,- :-ome like i, ho,> 2i-r,i7e

main,enance ac,i7i,ie- in one area con-,an, iel2 ra2io- commnica,ion like- an2 2i-like- o

ackgron2 m-ic exce--i7e alarm ac,i7a,ion-. Figre 1 -how- a con,rol room il, wi,h a lo, o

ore,hogh, ,o ,he nee2- o ,he lan, howe7er collaora,ion wa- no, high on ,he -er- agen2a an2

,he ro,ine commnica,ion i- -,ill 2one y ,elehone 2e ,o ,he 2i-,ance e,ween con-ole gro-.)era,or- ac,ally i-ola,e ,hem-el7e- y lling 2own -creen- which were only in,en2e2 or -e

2ring ,rnaron2-.

Figre 1 No7a Chemical- Sarnia Cana2a


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A- ,he 2e-igner in7e-,iga,e- ,he ,a-k- an2 8o nc,ion- ,he imor,ance o ,he nee2- or

collaora,ion workloa2 -haring an2 commnica,ion are ex,remely imor,an, an2 wi,h managemen,

commi,men, can e ma2e ,o work ,o ,he lan,- a27an,age.

he oc- -hol2 no, e limi,e2 wi,hin ,he il2ing , -hol2 ex,rac, ,he nee2- o ,he iel2 ,o

con,rol room collaora,ion an2 commnica,ion-. he con-ole oera,or nee2- ,o ha7e ,he iel2oera,or- er-ec,i7e on ,he con2i,ion an2 loca,ion o lan, e3imen,. Imor,an, inorma,ion

-ch a- who wha, where an2 when o main,enance ac,i7i,ie- nee2- ,o e n2er-,oo2 an2

moni,ore2. he hy-ical ,ime re3ire2 or a ,a-k ,o e comle,e2 or examle ,aking -amle-

-wi,ching e3imen, in an2 o, o -er7ice nee2- ,o e comrehen2e2 -o ,ha, ,he con-ole oera,or

n2er-,an2- ,he hy-ical limi,a,ion- o ,he iel2 ,a-k-. (i,h local con,rol room- ,he iel2 oera,or-

ha2 a ca-al an2 rien2ly raor, , a- ,he 2i-,ance increa-e- ,he-e ca-al commnica,ion- ecome

more 2iicl, an2 only ormal commnica,ion ,ake- lace. he -haring o g, eel an2 in-,inc,

ne7er ge, commnica,e2 in ormal commnica,ion- an2 we ha7e -een rom recen, in-,alla,ion-

ma8or rolem- an2 an increa-e in inci2en,- 2e ,o ,hi- rolem.

he oera,or- in ,he con,rol room ecome more an2 more i-ola,e2 an2 mo,i7a,ion goe- 2ownwhich al-o imac,- hman erormance an2 may lea2 ,o increa-e2 inci2en,-. A e-, Prac,ice i-

,o ro,a,e all ,he oera,or- reglarly ,o re7en, -ome o ,he-e rolem-. Howe7er i ,he con,rol

room i- a -igniican, 2i-,ance rom ,he lan, we in2 ,ha, ,hi- rac,ice i- le-- likely ,o e

imlemen,e2.

/o-- o ,eamwork i- r,her comon2e2 y ,he ac, ,ha, con-ole oera,or- in cen,ral con,rol

room- are o,en rnning namiliar ni,-. +een2ing on ,he ex,en, o con-oli2a,ion an2 ,he

re-ence o nion -eniori,y rle- ,he ni,- may al-o e -,ae2 y ewer iel2 oera,or- an2 ,he

iel2 oera,or- may al-o e new ,o ,he ni,.1

he rolem i- no, only ,echnical i, i- cl,ral an2 i i, i- no, new i, will o,en ha7e a lo, o

re7io- aggage. hi- i- why we m-, 2e,ermine wha, work- an2 ,ran-er ,hem a- e-, rac,ice-.

hen i2en,iy wha, nee2- ,o e imro7e2 an2 -e ,hi- oor,ni,y ,o imro7e. raining i- alway-

goo2 or a ew oor,ni,ie- an2 i yo are con,emla,ing mo7ing ,he con,rol il2ing o5-i,e yo

m-, i2en,iy ,he ramiica,ion o ,ha, mo7e on ,he ,raining acili,ie- or examle com,er-

reerence ook- an2 o,her re-orce- may ha7e een cen,rally loca,e2 an2 now nee2 ,o e

2lica,e2. How 2o oera,or- rac,ice ,raining exerci-e- ,oge,her A Be-, Prac,ice i- or ,he iel2

an2 con-ole oera,or- a, ,he eginning o a -hi, ,o re7iew ,he crren, Plan, S,a,e an2 ,o work

,oge,her ,hrogh wha,5i exerci-e- an2 -ae,y awarene-- re7iew-.

he-e i--e- can e challenging , when re-ol7e2 can e 7ery rewar2ing an2 an imro7emen, onexi-,ing rac,ice-. A- ,he 2e-igner work- -y-,ema,ically ,hrogh ,he re3iremen,- an2 n2er-,an2-

,he ,a-k- ,he eole role- an2 -ine-- nee2- ,he loca,ion o ,he con,rol room will ecome le--

comlex. An ea-y comari-on wi,h o-i,i7e an2 nega,i7e i--e re7eal- i, i- ea-ier ,o ge, a -hare2

7i-ion an2 y5in rom each o ,he gro- in7ol7e2.

he gro nee2- ,o now con-i2er ,he role o ,he il2ing once i, ha- een loca,e2 or examle i i,

i- 7ery remo,e i, no, likely ,ha, main,enance work coor2ina,ion an2 i--ing o work ermi,- wol2

e 2one in ,he con,rol room. he ,eam can now ca,re ,he commnica,ion- re3iremen,- an2 ,he

1Cen,ral Con,rol *oom- an2 Pe,rochemical Plan,-G Co-,- an2 Benei,- = P ?illner = Che7ron %SA 9 Bllemer 9

Cochran Honeywell HC %SA


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,ye- o e3imen, a7ailale ,o re-ol7e ,he i2en,iie2 rolem- ,o -elec, rom a range o

,echnologie- -ch a- ra2io- a22re-- -y-,em- ager- ,elehone- 7i2eo conerencing caaili,y

han2 hel2 com,er- e,c.

he il2ing an2 ,he con,rol room ha7e 2ieren, nee2- ,he con,rol room i- a


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Electrical and Electronic Incor7orated Engineers" and a senior mem

human safety factor in control room design and location

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