Inherently Safer design (ISD) is a strategic approach to eliminate hazard and reduce severity and/or likelihood of hazardous events when applied early in the life cycle of a project.  This can effectively address process risks and minimize impact to personnel, environment and reputation. Implementing ISD approach across the life cycle can significantly reduce life cycle cost and yield higher returns. While ISD will not eliminate all risks, it will reduce hazards and risks to As low as reasonably practicable (ALARP), thereby improving overall safety.

In recent years there have been a number of high-profile process safety incidents e.g., BP’s Macando Blowout, Beirut-Lebanon explosion that resulted in a significant number of fatalities, environmental damage, onslaught of stringent regulations, and adverse impact on industry reputation that could have been avoided if Inherently Safer design (ISD) principles were considered during the decision-making process.