ABSTRACT
Simpler plants are safer than more complex ones because they contain less equipment that can leak and provide fewer opportunities for human error. In that sense, they are inherently safer. However, they may still contain large inventories of hazardous materials at high temperatures and pressures. If we cannot avoid these hazards, we may have to add equipment to control them, even though a more complex plant will result. A truly inherently safer plant would avoid the use of hazardous materials (or contain very little).
