Systems and Methods for Improving Process Safety in an Industrial Environment

Abstract

Systems and methods use for preventing work accidents. In one implementation, a system may determine least one characteristic of a task scheduled to take place in an industrial environment. The system may use first synergy data from at least three types of safety-related information and the at least one characteristic of the task to determine that a predicted risk score of the scheduled task is below a first threshold. Thereafter, the system may obtain real-time information indicative of human error of at least one employee associated with the task. The system may use second synergy data from the at least three types of safety-related information and real-time information to determine that an actual risk score of the task has changed from the predicted risk score. When the actual risk score of the task is above a second threshold, the system may initiate a remedial action to prevent an accident.

1 . A system for improving process safety in an industrial environment with a plurality of the industrial apparatuses, the system comprising:
 a network interface configured to receive data from a plurality of sensors located in the industrial environment, the received data is indicative of integrity of the plurality of the industrial apparatuses, at least some of the plurality of sensors including Global Positions Systems (GPS) receivers configured to provide geographic location data associated with a respective industrial apparatus;   a memory configured to store data associated with the industrial environment;   at least one processor configured to:
 receive from the network interface data acquired by the plurality of sensors in a geographic location of at least one industrial apparatus; 
 analyze the received data to derive real-time information associated with the at least one industrial apparatus; 
 retrieve from the memory data associated with the industrial environment, the retrieved data includes process safety data associated with the at least one industrial apparatus; 
 use the real-time information and the process safety data to identify a situation in which the at least one industrial apparatus is used or maintained without complying to regulations; and 
 based on the identified situation, update a risk score of a task scheduled to take place in the geographic location to prevent an accident involving the at least one industrial apparatus. 
   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the real-time information is derived from data received from operational technology (OT) sensors associated with the plurality of the industrial apparatuses. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the real-time information is derived from additional data received from at least one of: a plurality of cameras located in the industrial environment, one or more communication devices of employees in the industrial environment, wearable sensors of employees in the industrial environment, environmental sensors, or sensors associated with working tools. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the real-time information includes indications of employees actions that deviate from process safety procedures, and wherein the at least one processor is configured to use the indications of employees actions to identify the situation in which the at least one industrial apparatus is used or maintained without complying to regulations. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the retrieved process safety data includes infrastructure blueprints of the industrial environment, and wherein the at least one processor is configured to use the retrieved infrastructure blueprints to identify the situation in which the at least one industrial apparatus is used or maintained without complying to regulations. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the retrieved process safety data includes regulations about using and maintaining the at least one industrial apparatus, and wherein the at least one processor is configured to use the retrieved regulations to identify the situation in which the at least one industrial apparatus is used or maintained without complying to regulations. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the process safety data includes restrictions associated with the geographic location, and wherein the at least one processor is configured to use the restrictions associated with the geographic location to identify the situation in which the at least one industrial apparatus is used or maintained without complying to regulations. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein to identify the situation in which the at least one industrial apparatus is used or maintained without complying to regulations, the at least one processor is configured to determine a behavior baseline for employees handling the at least one industrial apparatus based on the retrieved process safety and to use the real-time information to determine if a deviation exists 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein updating the risk score includes updating an actual risk score of an ongoing task, and wherein the at least on processor is configured to determine the actual risk score for the ongoing task using the real-time information. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein updating the risk score includes updating a predicted risk score of a scheduled task, and wherein the at least on processor is configured to determine the predicted risk score for the scheduled task using at least one characteristic of the task and safety-related information. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the at least one characteristic of the task includes at least one of: an estimated start time of the task, a type of industrial apparatus expected to be utilized in the task, an expected time duration of the task, potential accidents associated with the task, potential accidents associated with the type of industrial apparatus, types of materials expected to be used in the task, or types of tools expected to be used in the task. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the safety-related information includes at least three of the following: work procedures associated with the task, information associated with a type of industrial apparatus expected to be utilized in the scheduled task, information associated with a location of the scheduled task, information associated with the scheduled task, information associated with tools expected to be used in the scheduled task, information associated with materials expected to be used in the scheduled task, information associated with a time of the scheduled task, information about calendar events, information associated with a weather expected to be during the scheduled task, information from periodic inspection tours, or information associated with the industrial environment. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one processor is configured to initiate a remedial action to manage a hazard associated with the integrity of the at least one industrial apparatus for preventing the accident involving the at least one industrial apparatus. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein initiating the remedial action includes identifying an employee that responsible of handling the hazard; and transmitting a message to the identified employee, wherein the message includes the geographic location. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein initiating the remedial action includes providing to an employee associated with the task personalized training based on previous incidents associated with a type of the at least one industrial apparatus, and recommendations on how to execute the task according to work procedures. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein initiating the remedial action includes displaying the geographic location on a personalized map together with a visual indicator of the real-time hazard's severity. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein initiating the remedial action includes creating customized inspection tour based on the geographic location. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein initiating the remedial action includes performing an automatic shutdown of the at least one industrial apparatus. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein initiating the remedial action includes:
 identifying an employee located within a safety distance of the geographic location, wherein the safety distance is determined based on type of the hazard; and   transmitting a personalized location-based evacuation map to the identified employee.