Title: Graphical process safety techniques for strengthening safety and resilience in Austrian SMEs

Authors: Alexander Stolar; Anton Friedl

Addresses: Vienna University of Technology, Institute of Chemical, Environmental and Bioscience Engineering, Getreidemarkt 9/166, 1060 Vienna, Austria; Störfallmanagement Stolar e.U., Freyungplatz 2, 4850 Timelkam, Austria ' Vienna University of Technology, Institute of Chemical, Environmental and Bioscience Engineering, Getreidemarkt 9/166, 1060 Vienna, Austria

Abstract: In most countries, small and medium-sized enterprises are the backbone of economic performance. While progress and innovation are born in these companies, process safety often takes a back seat due to a lack of risk awareness, resources or experience. Risk assessments using process safety techniques are typically considered too complicated, time-consuming, or expensive. While large companies employ their own staff for this purpose, SMEs get along with the protective measures required by law. The paper aims to select techniques from industrial practice in order to provide SMEs with a path to a more safe future. In addition to a literature study on process safety techniques, their applicability is evaluated with a survey in SMEs using graphical process safety techniques. The study showed a high level of agreement among the participants on the proposed techniques and examples. More public awareness work regarding useful process safety techniques would be a future task.

Keywords: process safety techniques; SMEs; resilience engineering; process safety management.

DOI: 10.1504/IJBCRM.2023.132905

International Journal of Business Continuity and Risk Management, 2023 Vol.13 No.3, pp.248 - 271

Received: 19 Apr 2022
Accepted: 08 Nov 2022
Published online: 16 Aug 2023 *

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