(54h) On the Use of CSB Videos for Reflective Learning in Teaching Process Safety

The objective of this presentation is to demonstrate the pedagogical value of videos produced by the United States Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board (US Chemical Safety Board or CSB) in teaching process safety to chemical engineering undergraduate students. Drawing on the author’s experience over the past 20 years teaching process safety at Dalhousie University (Amyotte, 2013), the usefulness of these videos in a reflective learning mode is described.

As indicated on its web site (www.csb.gov), the CSB is an independent, nonregulatory federal agency that investigates the root causes of major chemical incidents. The CSB is a valuable source of process safety information and case studies in both written and video formats (Amyotte and Khan, 2021). CSB videos have been recognized globally for their educational value. They are also free to access and use.

Noted chemical engineering educator Richard Felder has commented on the importance of teaching to all types (Felder, 1996). It is important to provide opportunities for both reflection (thinking) about course material and active participation in discussing course concepts (Felder, 1996). While there has been a welcome shift in recent years to increased emphasis on active learning, the coronavirus pandemic has necessitated a return, in part, to reflective learning via online teaching. A side-benefit for the current author has been the recognition that while active learning is indeed an engaging mode of course delivery, reflection can also be highly beneficial in helping students learn.

For the past three years, the author has allocated 20% of the overall process safety course grade to a series of ten video reflections (200 words each). Students briefly describe the video itself and then reflect on the key takeaway lessons for them personally. Videos are, for the most part, drawn from the CSB video room (www.csb.gov) and are viewed together in a classroom setting. Selection of the video for reflection is left to the student’s choice from among the videos watched in a given course module:

• 1. Introduction to Process Safety
• Back to School Safety Message (CSB)
• After the Rainbow (CSB)
• Preliminary Animation of Philadelphia Energy Solutions Refinery Fire (CSB)
• Wake Up Call: Refinery Disaster in Philadelphia (CSB)
• 2. Loss Causation
• Chevron Richmond Refinery Fire Animation (CSB)
• 3. Process Safety Management
• Process Safety: Who’s Responsible? (Yut Art)
• Courage for Safety (Woodside)
• 4. Incident Investigation/Hazard Identification
• Mixed Connection, Toxic Result (CSB)
• Hot Work: Hidden Hazards (CSB)
• 5. Hazard Identification/Practices and Procedures
• No Escape: Dangers of Confined Spaces (CSB)
• Spiral to Disaster (BBC)
• 6. Communications/Training/Emergency Preparedness
• Hazards of Nitrogen Asphyxiation (CSB)
• Lockout/Tagout (Coastal)
• Emergency Response Safety Message (CSB)
• 7. Inherently Safer Design
• Inherently Safer: The Future of Risk Reduction (CSB)
• Inherently Safer Process Design (IChemE)
• 8. Fires and Explosions
• Filling Blind (CSB)
• Deadly Contract (CSB)
• Inferno: Dust Explosion at Imperial Sugar (CSB)
• Explosion Protection (ESCIS)
• 9. Risk Assessment and Management
• Process Safety: Managing Risk in High-Hazard Sectors (WorkSafeBC)
• Uncovered Hazards: Explosion at the DeRidder Pulp and Paper Mill (CSB)
• 10. Case Studies
• One Night in Bhopal (BBC)
• Anatomy of a Disaster (CSB)

Student feedback on the video reflections, as well as examples of their work, will be given during the presentation. Conclusions will also be made on the use of visual media in a process safety educational environment. Overall, the experience has been highly positive from both student and instructor perspectives.

References

Amyotte, P.R., Process Safety Educational Determinants, Process Safety Progress, 32, 126-130 (2013).

Amyotte, P.R. and Khan, F.I., The Role of Inherently Safer Design in Process Safety, Canadian Journal of Chemical Engineering, 99, 853-871 (2021).

Felder, R.M., Matters of Style, ASEE Prism, 6 (4), 18-23 (1996).