ChatGPT, Process Safety and Railroads
I have long had an interest in the application of process safety principles to the railroad industry. Immense quantities of highly hazardous chemicals transit the rails every day. The recent incident at East Palestine, Ohio demonstrated the importance of this issue.
The transportation of highly hazardous chemicals and flammable material by rail poses several process safety concerns, including the following.
Most oil refinery/chemical plant incidents occur within that facility’s perimeter, and do not usually have a large public impact. The opposite is the case with railroad accidents, most of which take place close to homes, commercial areas and highways. These accidents can also occur close to crowded buildings such as schools, hospitals or penitentiaries.
The managers, operators and emergency responders at refineries and chemical plants are knowledgeable about the materials that they handle, and they are trained in what to do if there is a release. Emergency responders to railroad accidents are not likely to have that level of specialist knowledge.
The people working at refineries and chemical plants are generally fit and in good health. This is not necessarily the case with members of the public.
Most process incidents have an environmental impact. However, that impact can often be controlled within refineries and facilities because such events have often been planned for, and control systems have been installed. Such is not the case with regard to railroads. There is every chance that hazardous chemicals will leak into waterways, and that they will contaminate buildings and agricultural land.
Each tank car can contain a different highly hazardous chemical. Were those chemicals to mix, the consequences could be serious. Even box cars carrying normal freight may contain materials that could create a hazard were they to catch fire.
We have had discussions as to whether an expert system such as ChatGPT can provide guidance to emergency responders if a railroad tank car containing highly hazardous chemicals derails and starts to leak, or if it catches fire.
Therefore, I asked ChatGPT the following question,
Can ChatGPT provide guidance to emergency responders if a railroad tank car containing highly hazardous chemicals derails and starts to leak?
The following is a summary of its response.
I'm not an expert in emergency response, but I can offer some general guidance that emergency responders may consider when dealing with a railroad tank car containing highly hazardous chemicals that has derailed and started to leak. It's crucial to note that specific situations may vary, and responders should always follow established protocols and seek guidance from their local emergency management authorities. Here are some general steps that responders might consider:
The program then offered the following major categories to consider.
Assessment and Safety,
Emergency Notifications,
Evacuation and Sheltering,
Isolation and Containment,
Fire Control,
Decontamination,
Public Communication,
Coordination,
Environmental Monitoring,
Recovery and Cleanup.
It concluded as follows.
Remember that this information is general and may not cover all specific scenarios. Emergency responders should be trained and equipped to handle hazardous material incidents and should follow established procedures and guidelines in their jurisdiction. Local emergency management and hazardous materials response teams will likely have specific protocols tailored to their region and the types of materials commonly transported.
The above responses are general in nature ― which is fair enough considering that the question I asked was also general.
As we pursue this topic we will consider the use of AI/Expert Systems in response to specific incidents.
