HAZOP

Business Challenge

Most industrial licensing authorities and insurance companies require operating companies to carry out hazard studies and risk assessments during a facility design, as well as prior to construction and during operation. The authorities require that the hazard studies be recorded and acted-upon, and that they be subject to management audit and approval.

Prior to the construction and operation of a facility (design phase), most industrial licensing authorities and insurance companies require operating companies to carry out hazard studies and risk assessments. Authorities require hazard studies to be recorded, acted upon and subject to management audit and approval. 

Solution

What is HAZOP?

A HAZOP study is a well-proven team-based method structured to identify facility hazards during process design completion or planned modifications. Special techniques are used to conduct detailed examinations of process and engineering intentions for new or existing facilities. These techniques help to identify the hazard potential of operations that may occur outside the design intentions or malfunctions of individual items of equipment and their consequential effects on the facility and surrounding area.

HAZOP studies are lead by experienced facilitators. Core teams typically consist of personnel from various departments including Project Engineering and Operations. These studies may also require the involvement of process technologists, environmental specialists and corporate Health & Safety and Environment (HSE) staff.

What are the key benefits?
Comprehensive hazard identification is the cornerstone of effective risk management. If a hazard has not been identified, measures can not be put in place to mitigate the risk. A hazard that has been overlooked can have a significant impact on the overall success of the venture. An effective HAZOP study provides the most incisive design review, covering safety, environment, operations, and maintenance.

HAZOP ensures that:

• Potential deviations from intended design functions are identified and corrected;

• HSE processes and equipment hazards are revealed;

• Actions for necessary processes or instrumentation improvements can planned;

• Action responses are auditable by Management and Legislative Inspectors.
  

Why Choose Bureau Veritas?

Bureau Veritas has planned, managed, delivered, and reported hundreds of HAZOP studies throughout the world. In many cases these have then been followed by response tracking and validation, to help ensure that the project is sufficiently acceptable for design completion, procurement, and construction. Our experience involves providing the necessary personnel to participate in HAZOP studies according to client or designer needs.

FAQ - Frequently Asked Questions

• How long does a HAZOP study take?

  • For the installation of an oil & gas unit on an existing site, each P&ID (piping & instrumentation diagram) might take 5 or 6 hours to study.
  • For the installation of a major new unit on an existing refinery or of the topsides on an offshore platform, 6 to 8 weeks may be required.

• Are you able to give recommendations on the different types of hazard studies and risk assessments required for our project and its location?

  Yes, we can give recommendations on legislative requirements, legislative changes, and good practice compliance in most parts of the world.