HAZOP
Our HAZOP study gives your team a clear view of process risks and the steps needed to manage them, guided throughout by an expert facilitator.
What is HAZOP?
HAZOP stands for Hazard and Operability Study and is a system of identifying potential hazards and operational issues within workplaces and functional procedures.
The process is a risk assessment tool that examines what could go wrong if a process deviates from its design intent, and the impact on people, equipment and the work environment.
HAZOP Assessment
Our experts at F.E.S. (EX) apply the Hazard and Operability (HAZOP) study as the first step in a functional safety management process.
We have extensive experience in leading HAZOP studies for several types of hazardous processes:
Already know the area you need our experts to assess?
Assessment of flammable areas such as fuel tank farms, aero-engine test beds and engine test benches.
Assessing risks when applied in aero-engine fan-blade containment tests, such as ‘blade off testing’.
Such as the chemical etching of titanium alloy aero-engine blades.
Such as electrolyser plants and hydrogen refuelling stations.
Covering a range of substances including hydrofluoric acid and nitric acid.
This could include acrylic esters.
Specific substances, such as liquid oxygen, peroxides or concentrated nitrates, and how they are stored or handled.
Includes boilers, steam distribution and heating systems.
Including, but not limited to, fibre dust and aluminium dust.
Such as nitrogen, argon and carbon dioxide, which could pose a risk.
HAZOP Process
There are two main components of risk when performing a HAZOP study:
- Probability: how likely is this event to occur
- Consequence: what is the outcome if this risk becomes reality
Consequences can include fatalities, injuries, equipment repair or replacement costs and damage to brand or business reputation.
A HAZOP needs shared perspectives to be effective. A multidisciplinary team works together, led by a facilitator who guides the discussion and makes sure decisions are reached within a set timeframe.
HAZOP Study
F.E.S. (EX) provides expert facilitators to work with your teams and create a HAZOP study that is both efficient and effective.
We believe every HAZOP should be simple enough for everyone to understand, but detailed enough to cover all possible risks.
- Identify risk by examining factors that could cause a hazardous event, thinking of specific process deviations
- Identify the consequences of the hazardous event, should it occur, and assign a severity level
- Identify the probability of the hazardous event occurring
- Identify the level of risk based on severity and probability if no rectification steps are taken
- Identify what steps need to be taken to reduce the risk of a hazardous event, or whether the risk is acceptable
- Implement recommended steps
Where the team can’t agree on a course of action, the facilitator makes the final call so the study keeps moving.
HAZOP Risk Matrix
HAZOP risk matrices allow for a uniform approach to risk management and display it in a visual way that is easy to understand.
Specifically, the use of guide words is essential when completing a HAZOP Study as they are universally used across all disciplines. These are used to identify potential deviations from standard procedures.
The basic guide words are no, more, less, as well as, part of, reverse, and other than, and there are some used for specific industries, such as Electrical.
By using widely accepted language and visual representation of risks, a HAZOP Matrix provides a clear focus for the prioritisation and management of resources.
Why Choose F.E.S. (EX)?
Completing a HAZOP isn’t straightforward, as it needs input from several people, all of whom have specific insights within their respective fields.
An effective HAZOP study needs experts who can analyse information across disciplines and identify the key risk factors in every process.
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