DCC_ProcessSafety_BookletInner_DCC007_5.0
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SWISS<br />
CHEESE?<br />
The Swiss cheese model is a common tool<br />
used to explain how a number of connected<br />
systems need to be maintained to achieve<br />
process safety. In this model, the barriers<br />
that prevent major accidents are depicted<br />
as slices (of cheese), each one with a<br />
number of holes in it. These holes represent<br />
imperfections in the barrier. The better<br />
managed or maintained the barrier is, then<br />
the smaller the holes will be.<br />
When a major accident does happen,<br />
it will invariably be because the<br />
imperfections (the holes) in the barriers<br />
have ‘lined up’ to allow a hazard or risk<br />
to become an accident. But what is very<br />
important to understand here, is that we<br />
are one of the barriers.<br />
Every one of us has a role to play. So if we<br />
all understand what process safety is and<br />
the kind of risks that we face, then the<br />
better we can maintain all the barriers.
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