Hazard study actions left open
HAZOP and HAZID recommendations sit in a register for years while the plant runs with the risk they were meant to remove.
PS · Process safety & risk
Process safety and risk management for high-hazard plants.
We help operators prevent major accidents by building process safety management programmes that work on the plant floor, not just on paper. Every study and programme is led by a certified practitioner with decades of operating experience.
Overview
What we do, and why it matters.
Most major accidents in the process industries trace back to a small set of failures: hazards that were identified but never closed out, changes made without review, equipment started before it was ready, and contractors working outside the safety system. Our process safety practice is built to find and fix those failures before they become incidents.
Our lead principal implemented DuPont’s 22-element process safety framework at QAFAC, a Qatari methanol and MTBE producer, and has facilitated hazard studies for more than three decades across Canada, the Gulf and Pakistan. The team has also supported PSM baselining for FFBL and process safety assessments across TAKREER assets in Abu Dhabi.
NODE 3 MORE PRESSURE → PSV-104
The challenges
Where clients come to us.
Change without control
Modifications are made as “like-for-like” or under schedule pressure, bypassing management of change and pre-startup review.
Contractors outside the system
Permits, isolations and competence checks vary between contractors, and serious injuries concentrate in those gaps.
What we deliver
Services and deliverables.
Hazard studiesHAZOP, HAZID, LOPA, bow-tie and SIL determination, facilitated by a principal and fully documented.
PSM programme designGap assessment against CCPS Risk Based Process Safety or the DuPont 14/22-element model, then a staged rollout.
MOC and PSSRProcedures, authorisation workflows and training built for the way operators actually work.
Contractor safetyPrequalification, induction, permit-to-work and competence verification across every contractor on site.
Incident investigationIndependent root-cause analysis with corrective actions tracked through to verified closure.
Safety cultureLeadership engagement, behaviour-based observation and front-line supervisor coaching.
Our approach
How an engagement runs.
Baseline
We assess your current programme against recognised PSM elements and rank the gaps by major-accident risk.
Hazard studies
We facilitate or revalidate HAZOP, HAZID and LOPA studies and build an action register with named owners.
Implement
We write procedures, set up MOC and PSSR, and train supervisors and operators to use them.
Verify
We audit closure in the field and track leading and lagging indicators so leadership can see the programme working.
Standards
Anchored in recognised frameworks
- CCPS Risk Based Process Safety
- OSHA 29 CFR 1910.119 (PSM)
- API RP 754 process safety indicators
- IEC 61511 functional safety
- ISO 45001
- World Bank EHS Guidelines
Sectors and clients
Who we work with
Ammonia and urea, petrochemicals, refining, gas processing and LNG, power generation, chemicals and pharmaceuticals.
Selected experience
Led by our principals
- DuPont 22-element PSM implementation at QAFAC, Qatar
- PSM baselining and implementation support for FFBL, Pakistan
- Process safety assessments across TAKREER assets, Abu Dhabi
- HAZOP, PHA and process safety training for major industrial operators
Questions
Frequently asked questions.
What is the difference between a HAZOP and a HAZID?
A HAZID is a high-level review that identifies the major hazards of a facility or project, usually early in design. A HAZOP is a systematic, node-by-node review of a detailed design, using guidewords to find deviations, their causes and consequences, and the safeguards in place. Most projects need both, at different stages.
How long does a HAZOP study take?
It depends on the number of nodes and the complexity of the design. A mid-sized process unit typically needs one to three weeks of facilitated sessions, plus preparation and reporting. We scope the duration from your P&IDs before we quote.
Do you revalidate existing HAZOPs?
Yes. Good practice, and regulations such as OSHA’s PSM standard, call for process hazard analyses to be updated and revalidated at least every five years, and after significant changes. We review the original study, the changes made since and the incident history, then revalidate.
Can you investigate an incident independently?
Yes. A principal who has no stake in the outcome leads the investigation, identifies root causes and system failures, and tracks the corrective actions to verified closure.
Related services
One integrated mandate.
See the risk before it rises
Speak with a principal about your project.
We scope the conversation to your sector, your project stage and the standards you answer to, with no obligation.