DOMIRISK: A User-Friendly Domino Effect Decision Support System

Abstract The continuous development of modern industry has potential hazard, of which domino effect is a major threat that could result in catastrophe. Moreover, domino accidents will endanger the environment and human health. Some decision support systems for preventing the domino effect have been developed, while most of them are too theoretical and have obvious limitations, such as ignoring the influence of personnel, operational, and other real factors in the actual industrial production process. This paper emphasizes the causes of potential domino accidents and the construction of the accident chain. A system called DOMIRISK is designed which can: 1) quantify the domino effect of the entire plant; 2) identify the root cause of potential domino accidents; 3) build the accident chain of domino effect; 4) assess the environmental risk of the domino accident. A chemical plant is used as an example to illustrate how the system provides practical decision support for controlling the occurrence and spread of domino accidents and protecting environment.