We carry out hazard studies at different stages of a project lifecycle.
In our experience, unless a company has an experienced project team, a well-planned project and a study process, a HAZOP at the detailed design phase is often the first time a process risk assessment is carried out.
The implementation of a more thorough study allows the concept of inherent safety to be introduced into the lifecycle and ensure the HSE’s requirement of a “suitable and sufficient” risk assessment has been addressed.
One weakness we see in a lot of systems is the failure to effectively close out the actions raised in HAZOP. We support our clients to:
⚙ Carry out the HAZOP, produce the reports and action lists and have no close out involvement.
⚙ Facilitate close out meetings, where action response sheets are reviewed by a HAZOP team
⚙ Review action responses on a tracker spreadsheet or response form remotely, with no team review but in the role of independent HAZOP facilitator
We always recommend action responses are reviewed by a suitable team to ensure the intent has been achieved and the desired risk reduction or design improvement, have been implemented. This also allows the chance to discuss what to do if an action isn’t progressed, for whatever reason.
If you are not completing a full HAZOP action review and close out process, who is signing off on the risks which are not being minimised?
We have heard of instances where due to failure to close out actions, designs have been non compliant and led to issues at a later date when this is discovered. This can put everyone in a difficult position and lead to unnecessarily high risks (which have already been formally identified).
The same reasoning also applies to LOPA actions, to ensure LOPA studies are accurate and safety instrumented systems are not being subject to excessive demand.
Once all actions have been closed, the HAZOP report should also be updated to a “closed out” status.
Need advice on implementing an adequate and complaint HAZOP procedure, including close out, contact our Process Safety Lead Owen Llanwarne.
