Effective Criteria for the Location of Safe Assembly Points: A Comprehensive Review and Delphi Study
Emergency management in process industries and refineries is critical and the designation of safe assembly points is a core principle in handling such situations. This study identifies the key criteria influencing the safe assembly points location using a Delphi study approach.
This descriptive-exploratory study was conducted at the National Petrochemical Company. In the first phase, a comprehensive literature review was performed to identify and extract criteria for locating safe assembly points based on standards, guidelines, and scientific protocols. In the second phase, these criteria were systematically evaluated, screened and refined through a Delphi study involving 15 emergency management experts to establish a finalized list of criteria.
Following a thorough literature review, the initial Delphi phase resulted in a tool containing 21 criteria, which were classified into two groups: internal factors (12 criteria) and external factors (9 criteria). This tool was then shared with the expert panel. Ultimately, after two rounds, the Delphi study concluded with 10 internal and 7 external factors, yielding 17 effective criteria for determining safe assembly points in process industry emergencies.
Criteria such as personnel capacity, vulnerability to incidents, ease of access, evacuation time, visibility, monitoring capabilities, alternative emergency assembly sites within the facility, and the number of safe assembly points on-site can significantly support the effective positioning of safe assembly points in process industries.