Hazard Identification
What are the hazards?
What can go wrong?
What are the chances?
What are the consequences?
Process Safety Assessment
Qualitative
◦ Hazard identification: identification of Hazards and
taking measures to minimize the negative
consequences of hazards.
Quantitative
◦ Risk assessment: determination of the events that
can produce an accident, the probability of those
events and the consequences-known as quantitative
risk analysis (QRA).
◦ QRA expresses the risk in numbers and asks for
modifications in
process/plants/operations/emergency responses that
reduces the risk to a lower acceptable number.
Hazard identification and Risk assessment can
be performed independently or carried out together
Hazard Identification and Risk
Assessment Procedure
System description
Hazard identification
Scenario identification
Accident probability Accident consequences
Risk determination
Modify
no 1. process or plant
Risk and/or hazard 2. process operation
acceptance 3 emergency response
4 other
yes
Build and/or operate
system
Hazard Identification Methodologies
Factors Affecting Selection of Methods
Classical Limitations of Hazard
Evaluation Studies
Hazards and Operability (HAZOP)
Studies
Documents: PFD, P&ID, Plant Layout
Begin with a detailed flow sheet and break the flow
sheet in to a number of process units
Choose a study node (Vessel, line etc.)
Pick a process parameter: flow, level, T, P, concentration,
pH, viscosity , reaction etc
Apply a guide word to suggest possible deviation
If the deviation is applicable determine possible causes
and note any protective system
Evaluate the consequences
Recommend action
Record all information
HAZOP Table
Study node:
Para Guide Possible Possible Existing Required actions/
meter word causes consequences safeguards recommendations
(deviation)
Example of HAZOP Matrix
Guide
word
No Low High Part of Also Other than Reverse
Process-
variable
No Low High Missing Wrong Reverse
Flow flow flow flow ingredients Impurities material flow
Low High Low High - -
Level Empty interface interface
level level
Open to Low High - - -
Pressure atmosphere pressure pressure Vacuum
Temperature Low High - - - Auto
Freezing temp. temp. refrigeration
No Poor Excessive Irregular- Foaming - Phase
Agitation mixing mixing
agitation mixing separation
No Slow "Runaway Partial Side Wrong Decom-
Reaction reaction
reaction reaction reaction" reaction reaction position
Utility External External - - Start-up -
Other Shutdown
failure leak rupture
Maintenance
Example: DAP Process
HAZOP Analysis Worksheet-
Worksheet-I
HAZOP Analysis Worksheet-
Worksheet-II
DAP Plant
Phosphoric acid tank Ammonia tank
Granulator DAP reactor
Example: Cooling
Consider the reactor system shown in Figure 10-8. The
reaction is exothermic, so a cooling system is provided to
remove the excess energy of reaction. In the event that the
cooling function is lost, the temperature of the reactor would
increase. This would lead to an increase in reaction rate, leading
to additional energy release. The result would be a runaway
reaction with pressures exceeding the bursting pressure of the
reactor vessel. The temperature within the reactor is measured
and is used to control the cooling water flowrate by a valve.
Perform a HAZOP study on this unit to improve the safety of
the process. Use as study nodes the cooling coil (process
parameters: flow and temperature) and the stirrer (process
parameter: agitation).
Example: Cooling
HAZOP Analysis Worksheet-
Worksheet-I
Examples
Storage Tanks
◦ Parameters: Level ,Temperature, Pressure
◦ Action: Relief valve (to flare)
Distillation column
◦ Parameters: Level ,Temperature, Pressure
◦ Action: Relief valve (to flare)
Volatile solvent heating system
A heat exchanger is used to heat
flammable, volatile solvents, as
shown in Figure 10-15. The
temperature of the outlet stream
is measured by a thermocouple,
and a controller valve manipulates
the amount of steam to the heat
exchanger to achieve the desired
set point temperature.
◦ Identify the study nodes of the
process
◦ Perform a HAZOP study on the
intention "hot solvent from heat
exchanger." Recommend possible
modifications to improve the safety
of the process.
HAZOP
Study nodes: volatile solvent outlet from
heat exchanger
Recommendations
◦ Relief valve connected to flare
Risk Assessment
Risk assessment includes
◦ Incident identification: describes how an
accident occurs and analyses probabilities
◦ Consequence analysis: describes the expected
damage, including loss of life, damage to
environment or capital euipment and days
outage
Fault Trees Method
Fault trees are a deductive method for
identifying ways in which hazards can lead
to accidents.
It started with a well-defined accident, or
top event, and works backward toward
the various scenario that can cause the
accident
Example: Chemical Reactor with an
Alarm
Fault Trees
Inherently safer system
Inherent Safety Technique
Depends on chemistry or physics to prevent accidents
rather than on control system, interlocks, redundancy, special
operating procedures
It specially directed to process design features , for example:
◦ Minimize:
reduce storage, hold-up, inventory of hazardous material
◦ Substitute:
use chemicals with higher flash points, use water as heat transfer
fluid instead of oil
◦ Moderate:
reduce process temperature & pressure, control room away
from operations
◦ Simplify:
keep piping system neat and visible
