A HAZOP-based hazard identification model for urban gas accidents: Development and empirical validation

Area of Science:

• Urban safety engineering
• Risk management systems
• Gas infrastructure integrity

Background:

• Urban gas accidents present substantial risks to public safety and infrastructure.
• Traditional hazard identification relies on manual methods, often yielding incomplete or inconsistent results.
• Existing approaches lack standardization and struggle with dynamic risk factors.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a structured hazard identification model for urban gas systems.
• To enhance the accuracy, comprehensiveness, and efficiency of hazard identification processes.
• To provide a standardized tool for urban gas safety management.

Main Methods:

• Utilized Hazard and Operability Analysis (HAZOP) deviation theory.
• Integrated human, machine, environment, and management dimensions into a comprehensive framework.
• Defined system nodes, selected parameters, and applied guide words for standardized hazard identification.

Main Results:

• Identified 65 potential gas-related hazards in a restaurant case study, exceeding traditional methods eightfold.
• Demonstrated significant improvements in the comprehensiveness and accuracy of hazard identification.
• Validated the model's effectiveness in dynamic adjustment for different scenarios.

Conclusions:

• The proposed model offers a practical and standardized approach to urban gas safety management.
• It supports hazard screening across diverse sectors like residential buildings, schools, and commercial complexes.
• The study lays groundwork for integrating quantitative risk assessment and AI for future gas safety governance.