How to economically optimize the management of safety barriers for domino effects in chemical industries

Safety is of utmost importance in the chemical industry due to the potential hazards associated with the handling and processing of chemicals. One significant safety concern is the risk of domino effects, where a single incident can trigger a series of events, resulting in catastrophic consequences. To mitigate this risk, safety barriers are used to prevent or mitigate the effects of an accident. In this research work, we propose an economic optimization model using MILP and stop principle to manage safety barriers for domino effects in chemical industries. The study aims to identify the safety barriers used for domino effects, their benefits and costs, and how to optimize their management to reduce the risk of accidents. Despite the significant progress in preventing and minimizing domino effects, economic concerns are often overlooked in decision-making, even though financial aspects play an essential part in the decision-making process regarding protection solutions. Therefore, this study will help decision-makers to make informed decisions regarding the effective protection of their facilities against domino effects while considering the budget set aside for health and safety. A case study based on a real scenario was presented to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed model. The results showed that the optimization model can help industries optimize their safety barrier management while reducing the risk of accidents.