(58c) Process Safety At the University of South Carolina

Since 1990, the University of South Carolina has required a three credit hour chemical process safety course.  Topics considered in the course include: toxicology, hazard analysis models, dispersion models, fires / explosions, designing for safety, relive valves, hazard identification, HAZOP analysis, reliability and risk assessment, and case history analysis.  Special emphasis is given to the Guidelines for Chemical Process Quantitative Risk Analysis (CPQRA), Risk-Based Process Safety, and SACHE Modules.

Professor Vincent Van Brunt (currently Distinguished Professor Emeritus) originally created and offered this course.  Process Safety is typically taken in the Spring semester of a student's senior year.  The course is similar to a capstone design course in that it requires students to draw from many various chemical engineering courses to solve and analyze problems. Student evaluation consists of two tests and one final exam for evaluation of student performance, along with numerous (> 20 ) homework assignments and a course project.  Lectures draw from the instructor's many years serving as a consultant for chemical process safety topics.  Video and still images of chemical process accidents are used in class to demonstrate the potential impact of engineering safety.  Videos are also used for informational purposes for some topics such as active suppression systems and dust explosion safety.