Process Hazards Analysis
Process Hazards Analysis (PHA) is a component of both Process Safety Management (PSM) and Risk Management Programs (RMP).
Our approach to risk management emphasizes:
- Minimizing personnel exposure
- Minimizing quantities of hazardous materials
- “Safety by Design”
- Accurate procedures and standards
- Rigorous personnel training.
Proper risk management focuses on not only normal operations/conditions but also abnormal operations/conditions, equipment design, human factors, standard operating and contingency procedures, maintenance operations, and facility design and siting.
The Safety Management Services, Inc. (SMS) approach to risk management focuses resources on addressing critical credible failure scenarios. This is accomplished by prioritizing operations/equipment based on perceived risk and material type and quantity, identifying and ranking potential hazards using qualitative methodologies, and then using quantitative methodologies to evaluate the critical scenarios. This type of review is known to industry as risk assessment or Process Hazards Analysis (PHA). These PHA services may be used independently or in conjunction with our explosive characterization, incident investigation, facility siting, and other analysis services.
The following are examples of the risk assessment and hazards analysis methodologies that our personnel are trained in:
Qualitative Risk Assessment
- Job Safety Analysis (JSA)
- Logic diagrams
- What-if/Checklist
- Failure Modes and Effects Analysis (FMEA)
- Hazard and Operability Study (HAZOP)
Quantitative Risk Assessment
- Fault Tree Analysis (FTA)
- Probit statistical analysis
- In-process energy modeling
- Event probabilities
- Risk/cost trade-off
SMS has unique capabilities and experience comparing in-process energies to the material’s explosive response. We have developed effective methods for measuring, calculating, and/or modeling the normal and potential abnormal in-process energies in engineering units. Our methodology allows us to compare this information with the explosive response data, which is also in engineering units.
SMS performs consequence analysis on incident scenarios to determine the potential effects of thermal flux, fragments, and overpressure on personnel, equipment, and facilities. Understanding the nature of potential failure scenarios, in-process energies, material response and consequences allows SMS personnel to make recommendations for process/equipment design, system operating parameters, and facility design and siting.
SMS takes considerable pride in assisting our clients in identifying risk-minimizing solutions that are based on sound engineering principles and are cost effective. We can team up with your personnel to provide a thorough analysis of planned, modified, or existing processes.
