Overview

Layers of Protection Analysis (LOPA) has successfully been applied to chemical plant design and modification projects since late 1990s in order to control the process hazards. Considering COVID virus infection as a ‘risk’ and protection safeguards such as ‘social distancing’, ‘hand Hygiene’, etc as independent layers of protection, similar methodology can be applied to control the risk of infection. This methodology closely follows the original LOPA. The outcome is a COVID Fatality Metrics which assesses the likelihood of COVID death in comparison to death from common flu. Then the object is to design the ‘control measures’, so the risk becomes comparable to death due to common flu.

Demonstration of how to use public data available from the UK Office of National Statistics (ONS) together with the parameters of the work situation, modified by a testing regime, to evaluate the risk to a particular individual of encountering a person who is infected with COVID, and therefore a potential hazard to them. The purpose is to identify and assess ways of reducing the encounter rate and therefore the risk.

Speakers

• Ali Mokhber, Safety Freelance Consultant and Visiting Lecturer
• CG Ross, Project Coordinator, IChemE/ISPE COVID-19 Volunteer Response
• Pablo Garcia-Trinanes, Moderator and Chair of the London & South East Coast Members Group

Suggested reading

Please see this article written by the speakers from the March 2021 issue of The Chemical Engineer.