Historical Information about the RAST/CHEF Software and Associated Documentation Development within Dow Chemical
The Risk Analysis Screening Tool (RAST) software and the Chemical Hazard Engineering Fundamentals (CHEF) documentation were donated to CCPS/EPSC by The Dow Chemical Company consistent with the CCPS Mission/Vision and the EPSC Objectives for:
- Collaboratively fostering knowledge, understanding, and implementation of process safety
- Advancing process safety technology
This donation follows prior generous and much appreciated The Dow Chemical Company-developed process safety tool donations to both industry and academia which benefit and help all industry members striving to continuously improve their process safety performance. Prior tool donations from The Dow Chemical Company include the Fire and Explosion Index (F&EI) tool and the Chemical Exposure Index (CEI) tool. These tools and associated literature are available through AIChE:
- Dow’s Fire and Explosion Index Hazard Classification Guide (1994)
- Dow’s Chemical Exposure Index Guide, First Edition (1998)
Ken First (retired) was Dow Chemical Company’s primary RAST/CHEF author and trainer with development assistance provided by Kevin Shaughnessy and Kevin Hersey.
RAST is intended as a productivity tool for following the basic steps in performing a Hazard Identification and Risk Analysis (HIRA) study. The intended audience for this tool is personnel performing screening level hazard evaluation or risk analyses for existing and future manufacturing facilities.