CCPS Process Safety Incident Database (PSID)

The Center for Chemical Process Safety (CCPS) of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE) has developed a Process Safety Incident Database (PSID). The database system has been designed to collect high learning value process safety incidents from participating companies, to consolidate these in a confidential database, and to allow these same participating companies to analyze the resulting data and information for trends and lessons learned. The Process Safety Incident Database is based on Exxon's Incident Reporting and Analysis System (IRAS), which has been modified to suit the needs of CCPS. This paper will examine the attributes that contribute to the effectiveness of incident databases and the value that can be obtained from their analyses. The paper will describe the features and capabilities of IRAS and how Exxon uses the system for reporting and analyzing incident information. Finally, the paper will describe how IRAS was adapted into the CCPS Process Safety Incident Database, the process that is being used to develop and maintain the database, and the expected benefits to participating companies.