[redacted]: Embedding process safety modules within core CHE courses

Chris Barr; Laura Hirshfield; H. Scott Fogler

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Conference: 2022 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition
Location: Minneapolis, MN
Publication Date: August 23, 2022
Start Date: June 26, 2022
End Date: June 29, 2022
Conference Session: Chemical Engineering Division Poster Session
Page Count: 8
DOI: 10.18260/1-2--40512
Permanent URL: https://peer.asee.org/40512
Download Count: 366

Paper Authors

biography

Chris Barr University of Michigan

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Chris Barr is the CHE lab manager at University of MIchigan. Previous to Michigan, Chris has taught or managed CHE labs at University of Toledo, where he earned his Ph.D, and Trine University, where he earned his Bachelor’s degree. As the lab supervisor, Chris’ main responsibilities focus around the successful operation of the undergraduate chemical engineering laboratories. This includes (but is not limited to) chemical safety within the laboratory, ensuring equipment is functioning properly, assisting students with both experiment-based and theory-based questions, and assisting faculty of the development of new experiments to incorporate in the undergraduate labs. In addition to the labs, Chris focuses on safety within the labs as part of the departmental safety committee, managing a safety demonstration lab for training new graduate students, and leading the SAFEChE initiative (safeche.engin.umich.edu) and Visual Encyclopedia of Chemical Engineering Equipment (https://encyclopedia.che.engin.umich.edu/)

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Laura Hirshfield University of Michigan

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H. Scott Fogler University of Michigan

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Abstract

The conversation over how to implement process safety education within the chemical engineering curriculum has been on-going for many years. Most professors and industry personnel would state that safety education is critical. However, many do not have sufficient in-depth safety knowledge required to implement safety education. Some universities have implemented stand-alone courses (either required or elective) or have put the process safety focus within the unit operations laboratory or senior design courses. While each of these later options (design and unit operations lab) have their own beneficial aspects because they are required courses, course instructors generally have limited time to get in depth, instead focusing on lower-order thinking skills [1] such as remembering and understanding. This is one of the major issues with current process safety resources according to a presentation by Carter et al at the 2019 ASEE National Conference [2]. Additionally, other process safety resources, such as the Safety and Chemical Engineering Education (SAChE) Certificate Program [3], have historically been a large time commitment and, while focusing on a lot of different topics, have mostly focused on the educating students to the Bloom’s “understanding” level of thinking as well.

The SAFEChE initiative [4] was started to provide faculty and students safety resources that can be more effectively and efficiently implemented in chemical engineering courses throughout the entire curriculum. The website was launched by Professor Scott Fogler at University of Michigan in order to increase the safety education of chemical engineering students throughout the world. As a result, it is therefore free and accessible to all.

Modules have initially been built to be used as homeworks and are based on videos and incident reports of actual industrial accidents investigated by the U.S. Chemical Safety Board [5]. Each SAFEChE module consists of viewing a Chemical Safety Board Video, filling out an analysis of the accident, doing course specific calculations, assessing a chemical hazard, and filling out a Bow Tie Diagram for the incident. Additionally, some courses have interactive simulation built with Wolfram and optional Hazard and Operability (HAZOP) or Layers of Protection (LOPA) study sections. To assist in completion of these modules, the SAFEChE website has tutorials and quizzes for these components as well. Suggested solutions to the homework problems are also available via password-protected webpages for instructor use.

This poster gives an overview of the initiative and website with a goal of highlighting available resources and generating discussion with educators to gather input on their use of the course content. This will help guide future direction and usability of the website. An oral presentation on the educational assessment of some of the SAFEChE modules is planned for the ASEE 2022 National conference.

References: [1] B.S. Bloom (ed.). Taxonomy of Educational Objectives. Vol. 1: Cognitive Domain. New York: McKay, 1956

[2] Carter, T. L., & Wilson, S. A., & Azarin, S., & Brennan, J., & Karlsson, A. J., & Barr, C. (2019, June), Work in Progress: Utilizing Change Strategies and Chemical Process Safety Resources to Incorporate Process Safety Education in the Unit Operations Courses in Public and Private Universities Paper presented at 2019 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition , Tampa, Florida. 10.18260/1-2--33578

[3] AICHE. “Safety and Chemical Engineering Education (SAChE) Certificate Program.” https://www.aiche.org/ccps/education/safety-and-chemical-engineering-education-sache-certificate-program [4] University of Michigan. SAFEChE Initiative. https://safeche.engin.umich.edu/

[5] U. S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Identification Board, “Investigations,” U. S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Identification Board. https://www.csb.gov/investigations/current-investigations/.

Citation
Format

Barr, C., & Hirshfield, L., & Fogler, H. S. (2022, August), [redacted]: Embedding process safety modules within core CHE courses Paper presented at 2022 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition, Minneapolis, MN. 10.18260/1-2--40512

TY - CPAPER
AB - The conversation over how to implement process safety education within the chemical engineering curriculum has been on-going for many years. Most professors and industry personnel would state that safety education is critical. However, many do not have sufficient in-depth safety knowledge required to implement safety education. Some universities have implemented stand-alone courses (either required or elective) or have put the process safety focus within the unit operations laboratory or senior design courses. While each of these later options (design and unit operations lab) have their own beneficial aspects because they are required courses, course instructors generally have limited time to get in depth, instead focusing on lower-order thinking skills [1] such as remembering and understanding. This is one of the major issues with current process safety resources according to a presentation by Carter et al at the 2019 ASEE National Conference [2]. Additionally, other process safety resources, such as the Safety and Chemical Engineering Education (SAChE) Certificate Program [3], have historically been a large time commitment and, while focusing on a lot of different topics, have mostly focused on the educating students to the Bloom’s “understanding” level of thinking as well.

The SAFEChE initiative [4] was started to provide faculty and students safety resources that can be more effectively and efficiently implemented in chemical engineering courses throughout the entire curriculum. The website was launched by Professor Scott Fogler at University of Michigan in order to increase the safety education of chemical engineering students throughout the world. As a result, it is therefore free and accessible to all.

Modules have initially been built to be used as homeworks and are based on videos and incident reports of actual industrial accidents investigated by the U.S. Chemical Safety Board [5]. Each SAFEChE module consists of viewing a Chemical Safety Board Video, filling out an analysis of the accident, doing course specific calculations, assessing a chemical hazard, and filling out a Bow Tie Diagram for the incident. Additionally, some courses have interactive simulation built with Wolfram and optional Hazard and Operability (HAZOP) or Layers of Protection (LOPA) study sections. To assist in completion of these modules, the SAFEChE website has tutorials and quizzes for these components as well. Suggested solutions to the homework problems are also available via password-protected webpages for instructor use.

This poster gives an overview of the initiative and website with a goal of highlighting available resources and generating discussion with educators to gather input on their use of the course content. This will help guide future direction and usability of the website. An oral presentation on the educational assessment of some of the SAFEChE modules is planned for the ASEE 2022 National conference.

References:
[1] B.S. Bloom (ed.). Taxonomy of Educational Objectives. Vol. 1: Cognitive Domain. New York: McKay, 1956

[2] Carter, T. L., & Wilson, S. A., & Azarin, S., & Brennan, J., & Karlsson, A. J., & Barr, C. (2019, June), Work in Progress: Utilizing Change Strategies and Chemical Process Safety Resources to Incorporate Process Safety Education in the Unit Operations Courses in Public and Private Universities Paper presented at 2019 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition , Tampa, Florida. 10.18260/1-2--33578

[3] AICHE. “Safety and Chemical Engineering Education (SAChE) Certificate Program.” https://www.aiche.org/ccps/education/safety-and-chemical-engineering-education-sache-certificate-program

[4] University of Michigan. SAFEChE Initiative. https://safeche.engin.umich.edu/

[5] U. S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Identification Board, “Investigations,” U. S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Identification Board. https://www.csb.gov/investigations/current-investigations/.

AU - Chris Barr
AU - Laura Hirshfield
AU - H. Scott Fogler
CY - Minneapolis, MN
DA - 2022/08/23
PB - ASEE Conferences
TI - [redacted]: Embedding process safety modules within core CHE courses
UR - https://peer.asee.org/40512
DO - 10.18260/1-2--40512
ER -