Risk Assessment by the Fault Tree Analysis (FTA) and Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) of Dust Explosion in the Process of Tapioca Starch Production

Abstract

The purpose of this cross-sectional study was to integrate the fault tree analysis and analytic hierarchy process for assessing the risk of dust explosion in the process of Tapioca Starch Production. Assessing the risk of dust explosion used the hazard identification technique by analyzing the fault tree and conducting the analysis of the cause of dust explosion until the basic event and taking analytic hierarchy process applied to determine the relative importance (weights) of these basic events. The risk assessment results showed that six events of machinery and control equipment were broken slinger, tapioca starch stuck in the front of the slinger, motor burns in the slinger, motor burns in the screw plug, fuel oil leak at the burner, and motor burns at the burner had a high-risk level. There were six events of machinery and control equipment had a moderate risk level were temperature indicator controller for drying has failed, tapioca starch stuck in the front of the hopper bin, motor burns at exhaust fan, tapioca starch stuck at the screw plug, burner fail to temperature indicator controller, and motor burns at the burner. This research demonstrates the risk of dust explosion caused by the machinery and equipment that must be minimized and controlled to an acceptable level to prevent the occurrence of dust explosion which has a serious impact on both life and property.