Articles
DOI DOI: 10.62441/actainnovations.v63i.1281

OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY CHALLENGES IN GREEN HYDROGEN PRODUCTION: A REVIEW OF ENVIRONMENTAL STRESSORS AND IMPLICATIONS FOR THE UNITED ARAB EMIRATES (UAE)

Yousef Jasim Alhosani 1, Ioannis Savvaidis 1
  1. 1 Department of Environmental Health, University of Sharjah, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates.

Abstract

The UAE decarbonization plan is increasingly making use of green hydrogen; However, the challenges in using it focus on complex Occupational Safety issues. The present Systematic literature review investigates the impact of extreme ambient temperatures (over 45°C) and renewable energy intermittency, along with water and energy nexus limitations, on the safety performance of electrolysis systems, including proton exchange membrane (PEM), alkaline, and Solid oxide electrolysis cell (SOEC) systems. The analysis comprised 18 peer-reviewed studies (2021-2026), included a PRISMA-based search, and was thematically synthesized around several themes. Results show that the most significant safety constraint is thermal, with temperatures approaching the 90 °C limit and localized hot spots at levels higher than those in bulk operations (e.g., >2% H2 in O2). Renewable intermittency is also an issue for safety, with rapid solar changes causing hydrogen crossover to exceed the 2% limit of hydrogen in oxygen during transient use. Thermal failures require predictive control windows of about 10 min. Mechanical risks are raised with high-pressure operations (>700 bar) and structural deformation due to clamping, resulting in leakage pathways. The process safety analysis (PSA) highlights areas of vulnerability associated with the use of desalinated water, such as scaling, bubble formation leading to reduced heat transfer, and cooling inefficiencies. It also sets a spatial risk factor with a minimum distance of 1 Kilometer between nuclear and hydrogen plants in integrated energy systems. The review concludes that there is a need to transform UAE-specific Occupational Safety frameworks, which requires predictive, AI-assisted controls, human verification, and hazard modeling tailored to the specific conditions of the desert to enable sustainable Green Hydrogen (GH) use.

How to Cite

Alhosani , Y. J., & Savvaidis , I. (2026). OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY CHALLENGES IN GREEN HYDROGEN PRODUCTION: A REVIEW OF ENVIRONMENTAL STRESSORS AND IMPLICATIONS FOR THE UNITED ARAB EMIRATES (UAE). ACTA INNOVATIONS, 63, 1044–1056. https://doi.org/10.62441/actainnovations.v63i.1281
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