What is a process hazard analysis and when it must be conducted?

Process hazard analysis, also known as PHA, is one of the most critical elements of process safety management. This method of analysis identifies safety hazards and possible contributing factors within areas of expertise such as engineering, operations, and chemical manufacturing. A process hazard analysis needs to be conducted for processes that have the potential to release hazardous energy that presents a risk to employees and is part of an overall process safety management program. A process hazard analysis must also be conducted for a new or altered process before it begins operating. Keep in mind that process hazard analyses are required with some of the more common processes, but there are many other processes that need to have a process hazard analysis conducted as well.

There are many reasons for the presence in any production facility of people whose duties might be characterized as hazardous. In such places, there are also safety hazards associated with some of the equipment, operations, and materials used in the manufacturing processes. A process hazard analysis helps to identify and evaluate these hazards. This is because it creates a visual representation of a process. By seeing a process laid out in this way, a team can then look at all stages of the process that may lead to injury or damage if action is not taken to prevent it.

7 items to address in your PHA

·         The hazards of the process

·         Any previous incident that resulted in disciplinary action against the employee outside of the workplace

·         A full complement of safeguards, monitoring systems, and procedures are implemented to ensure continued compliance with regulations.

·         Failure to achieve high availability and disaster recovery could impact a company's reputation. It could cost money, time, and resources.

·         Facility siting

·         Human factors

·         A qualitative evaluation

Need of process hazard analysis

No business is an exception from risk and harm. And the ever-increasing penetration of IT into areas of business operations increases the scope of associated hazards in process design and execution.     This makes companies search for an effective conceptual framework and practical techniques for performing hazardous processes analysis (HPA) to ensure safety by eliminating, controlling, or mitigating hazards. Many organizations fail to accurately assess process hazards because they don't have a framework to follow, they are unaware of the specific steps and tools required to perform process hazard analysis.

It is to be noted that the process hazards analysis is not an attempt of a company to identify all possible types of risks/accidents related to its organization and to come up with mitigative corrective and preventive measures for them. Although such considerations are also essential, the primary objective of this analysis is to somehow handle the inherent potential issues which can widen the scope of accident practice and can cause bigger losses in the future.

Process hazards (also known as process risks or process risk management) are threats to the profitability, safety, or well-being of a process. The hazards can be caused by a variety of factors and can appear in several different forms from simply being too dangerous or messy to damage an industrial machine to outright disasters. Industrial engineers, including me, view these risks as opportunities to improve product quality and increase efficiency.

When process hazard analysis must be conducted?

In any industry, it is really necessary to be aware of the process hazards and conducting a Process Hazard Analysis (PHA). PHA is a procedure that helps in identifying the potential hazards within a process and reducing them. This article tells you about when process hazard analysis must be conducted, so that, you can take some steps to avoid any incidents or accidents.

Analyzing the operations of any business will expose different types and levels of risks. Some of these risks are so high in nature that they need to be taken seriously right away. No company can ignore them and move on with their daily activities. This is when the process hazard analysis must be conducted so that everyone gets to know all the inherent dangers which they face on a daily basis and how to handle them in a proper manner. Process Hazard Analysis is a mandatory procedure that should be performed by all organizations for every process, as per the Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA), prior to any maintenance or operators training/familiarization being conducted.

Advantages of process hazard analysis

Process hazard analysis is a form of workplace hazard analysis that focuses on specifically identifying and dealing with risks involved in a particular process. It is best known for its use in manufacturing facilities to increase worker safety and even ensure a companies compliance with regulatory standards.

Process hazard analysis, when applied to equipment and processes, is a tool that aims to identify potential hazards, especially those that have implications for health, safety, or the environment. Often abbreviated as PHA, process hazard analysis is undertaken in many industries and sectors, not just the chemical sector. In this article, we take an illustrated look at some of the key advantages of process hazard analysis.

Defining and describing the hazards in a workplace is valuable. The way we go about managing the risks of these hazards, on the other hand, is what makes it worthwhile. Process hazard analysis (PHA) is a method that focuses on identifying and managing the hazards in a factory. It involves an elementary description of processes contributing to product safety. Once identified, PHA goes on to formulate strategies for the reduction of human errors and also helps us minimize risks associated with these hazards. A PHA can be performed at any phase of the product development life cycle. If a process has safety requirements in its design and engineering documents, these can be used during the PHA process to ensure that all hazards are identified. Occasionally a hazard that has not been considered may be identified in the PHA process, and it is important that these are evaluated in order to reduce the likelihood of the risk occurring during operation.

How we can help

·         Online/Onsite Training and Certifications

·         Audit and Documentation

·         Implementation

To conduct PHA in your organization, please contact us at info@thesafetymaster.com or +91 7665231743.

HAZOP STUDY: The Cornerstone of Effective Risk Management by TSM TheSafetyMaster

The HAZOP study gives the risk manager an opportunity to examine all critical design, operating, and maintenance aspects of a process system concurrently with their interactions, interrelationships, and interdependence. It provides an opportunity for thorough examination of all factors that affect plant safety and productivity in order to identify, quantify and control true hazards in the most efficient manner possible.

Risk is everywhere, and engineers instinctively know that there are risks involved when they design and operate products, facilities, and processes. There is a need to assess and quantify the risk of new projects or process changes so as to mitigate these potential hazards. It´s a systematic approach to investigating the potential risks and incidents that may happen within a particular operational condition.

HAZOP is a useful methodology for assessing the hazards and operational problems that can occur during normal operations, those events which are unlikely to have long-term effects and not likely cause an accident. Hazop study includes assessment of hazardous effects, initiating events that could jeopardize the chain of events, analyzing risk exposures, etc. A systematic approach is used which methodically identifies sources of potential accidents and forms a basis for evaluation and development of strategies to eliminate or reduce them. HAZOP studies also help the analysts or investigators to arrive at the probable cause of accidents as well as their contributing conditions.

The basic purpose of HAZOP is to define the safe conditions around a plant through methods including ID the hazards, impact of adverse events, and identify measures to mitigate the risk. HAZOP helps separate "signal from the noise" so that risks can be assessed properly by focusing on how losses can occur rather than on what might cause them.

How we can help

·         Onsite/ Online Training

·         Proper Documentation for Hazop study

·         Providing consultation and conducting Hazop study

For more details, please feel free to contact us at info@thesafetymaster.com or +91 7665231743.

What is a health and safety audit, and why have one ? by TheSafetyMaster

Health and safety auditing is perhaps the best way to ensure that the workplace remains a safe place for both employees and customers. Examples of health and safety risks can be anything from poor lighting to slippery floors and unsafe working heights. These hazards can result in a number of injuries or accidents, some of which could have been prevented by a regular health and safety audit or safety audit. Health and safety auditing is perhaps the best way to ensure that the workplace remains a safe place for both employees and customers.

Health and safety training can save your company thousands of dollars in fines, in addition to helping you to identify areas where you could be operating more safely. Health and safety audits help to confirm that standards are being met in all areas. Hiring an independent auditor is often more affordable than purchasing the equipment and materials needed for self-auditing. Hire an auditor, let them teach you what safety standards are, and save your company money and help move it towards an even safer environment.

TheSafetyMaster is a top safety consultant that provides health and safety audits with regards to a construction site and any other hazardous premises. A safety audit is a tool for identifying safety hazards in the workplace and effective corrective measures are incorporated. Keeping yourself and those around you safe is essential. Health and Safety audits are an important aspect of this but often overlooked. TheSafetyMaster specializes in auditing your facility, ensuring that you know exactly where you stand and can implement any necessary changes to stay safe. To maintain a healthy workplace, ensure safe working conditions and implement accident prevention programs, you need advice and support from professionals. The safety professionals of TheSafetyMaster are committed to protecting people before accidents happen. By conducting regular workplace occupational health and safety management audits and by giving safety training in your place of work, we can help you reach your goals.

How we can help?

• Online/Onsite Training
• Safety Audit
• Implementation
• Documentation and Report
  
  

For more information, send us your enquiry to info@thesafetymaster.com or +91 7665231743.

Benefits of Process Hazard Analysis by TheSafetyMaster

Most organizations fail to conduct process hazard analysis (PHA) because they are not sure of the benefits they will get from it. This article details the benefits of process hazard analysis so that you can find out if your organization needs to conduct it. If you are unfamiliar with the hazard analysis process and how it can be used, you’re not alone. Many companies struggle to comprehend the necessity of such a process. The benefits of process hazard analysis are often glossed over. Process hazard analysis is aimed at identifying, analyzing, and reducing potential failures in a process.

The nature of business has changed over the years especially with the entry of several manufacturers across the globe. Since they are dealing with different types of clients, it has created a demand for new ways of doing things. In this regard, process hazard analysis has been pivotal in helping some businesses to provide a better service to their clients. Process hazard analysis (PHA) is considered to be one of the critical components in the analysis and design of process safety management (PSM). It is defined by ISO as 'a systematic approach to assessing the potential for hazardous incidents which result from failure of a process to perform in accordance with its intended goals'. Protecting people, property, natural environment, etc. through prevention or mitigation of hazardous industrial incidents can help in safeguarding profitability as well.

Process hazard analysis is a detailed study of every possible thing that can go wrong in a process and how to handle those problems. The purpose of process hazard analysis is to take a broad look at what goes into a process, point out potential problems, help eliminate or reduce risk and find ways to improve performance or quality. A PHA can reduce the risk of incidents that cause death, injuries, and property damages. PHAs are performed to identify the "root causes" of incidents or near-misses in order to eliminate the root cause and prevent a recurrence. PHAs should be performed during each design stage. However, they can also catch bigger problems in the operational stage, before reaching catastrophic proportions.

TheSafetyMaster, a top safety consultant provides process hazard analysis and fire audit services. Process hazard analysis is part of risk management in business and industry. Process hazards are unsafe conditions or events that can cause a process accident if they are not identified and corrected. Process safety management commonly involves the use of a process flow diagram to identify the potential hazards that could occur in a specific process or operation.

How we can help:

·         Process hazard analysis and audit

·         Onsite/Online Training

·         Proper Documentation

For more details, contact us at info@thesafetymaster.com or +91 7665231743

How our behavior-based safety methodology benefits your organization by TheSafetyMaster

In any body of work, you will always have the risk of human error. Whether that be in a manufacturing facility, service industry, or even IT support. This is true in the office as well. In fact, research shows that some of the most dangerous threats in any environment come from inside your office walls. Behaviour Based Safety (BBS), much like traditional safety procedures, focuses on eliminating risk by predicting and reinforcing positive behavior.

There is a growing trend around Behavior-Based Safety (BBS) in the workplace and it relates to how organizations are responding to safety issues within their workplace. For example, one organization implemented a sophisticated Telematics System that provides drivers of company vehicles with real-time feedback on driving performance, general vehicle performance, and statistics about previous trips. Another organization decided to create a team responsible for accident prevention at the local plant. In this environment, the group decided to change the behaviors of drivers by approaching the problem from both a fundamental and cultural perspective.

Behavior-based safety (BBS) has become a widely accepted standard in today's industry and is commonly used to prevent or correct unsafe behavior resulting in injuries or deaths or exposure to hazardous conditions. People make mistakes, people are human. BBS can be an effective tool in training employees to recognize and modify high-risk behaviors that put them at a greater risk of injury or death. Behavior-based safety (BBS) is a robust methodology for defining, measuring, and improving safety behavior through a collective effort. It is more than what people may think and requires a systematic approach to develop, implement and maintain it in an organization. A BBS program can ensure effective communication across organizations, reduce overall injuries, increase productivity, etc. It can be said that BBS serves as a bridge between organizational goals and individual goals as it aligns both the factors in achieving desired results.

How we can help

·         Onsite/Online Training

·         Documentation and audit

·         Behavior-based safety consultancy

For more details, contact us info@thesafetymaster.com or +91 7665231743

Lockout Tagout Services by TheSafetyMaster

When equipment or machines are being prepared for service or maintenance, they often contain some sort of hazardous energy that may cause harm to people within the area. Lockout / Tagout, also known as LOTO, is a set of safety procedures utilized to control and isolate hazardous energy. The LOTO program defines the kinds of employees: authorized employees, affected employees, and other employees. It also covers sorts of energy sources, LOTO machinery, equipment and devices that require an energy control plan, and also training and accident prevention. TheSafetyMaster conduct training for LOTO System and safety.

It is a very serious safety practice that helps to give protection to employees. Equipment and machinery identified for LOTO are capable of unexpected start-ups which can end in the harmful release of hazardous energy. It is very dangerous to leave the hazardous machines or equipment out on the industrial work floor with just a verbal warning to employees to not use it. Workers may forget or simply ignore warnings and become injured by an unexpected outburst of hazardous energy. This is why the lock and tag are so important to employee and visitor safety. Specified workers like electricians with proper maintenance training or engineers and technical backgrounds are suitable to approach and provide possible servicing when it includes servicing of LOTO  equipment,

Without the utilization of correct and proper LOTO safety procedures, the equipment can unexpectedly starts or otherwise release these sorts of energy. This can cause injuries and even death to the people performing on the machine and even to others working within the area or living within the community.

Lockout Tagout is an important part of electrical safety and referred to the precise practices that protect employees from sudden and unexpected start-up of machinery; this re-energization might be dangerous for people within proximity of the machine. Lockout Tagout particularly applies within any workplace with industrial machinery and should be utilized alongside other safety regulations like wearing the proper personal protective equipment (PPE).

How TheSafetyMaster can Help:

⦁ We cover the lockout/Tagout (LOTO) safety procedures to use when working with electrical equipment.

⦁ TheSafetyMaster will help you to recognize electrical hazards, to understand how LOTO safety can affect you.

⦁ We provide a LOTO system and safety Training.

⦁ We also provide standard document development for LOTO.

Please contact us at info@thesafetymaster.com or 7665231743 with your inquiry.

Process Safety Management: What is it and why do we need it? By TheSafetyMaster

 Throughout the industrial world, organizations are facing some of the most complex challenges in a generation. Changing demographics and disruptive technology are changing the way that all of us must do our business. Process Safety Management can help our industry create products and services that sustain our marketplace for future generations. The topic of process safety management is a complex one that can raise more questions than provide answers. Process safety management basically boils down to the safety of humans and the environment. This includes those who work in, those who come in contact with, or those who live near a facility where a process occurs or is located.

Process safety management includes all aspects of process design, operation, and maintenance, including hazard identification, plant design, equipment selection, safe operating procedures, training of personnel, provision for emergencies, monitoring of plant activity, and control equipment calibration.
In the modern world where everything is automated and computerized, different sectors of industries try to minimize the chances of human error or equipment failures. Most of them are utilizing systems based on hi-tech technology to avoid any kind of disaster. Things can go wrong when people get involved and try to find a solution for the caused problem – what process of safety management (PSM) is supposed to deal with. Process Safety Management (PSM) is a framework for analyzing and managing the hazards that may arise in the operations of a chemical process. It can also refer to specific procedures designed to prevent, contain, and respond to chemical or physical hazards at regulated facilities.
Why do we need Process Safety Management? Actually, this is the key question for any type of risk management. In simple words, if you are wondering why you need to practice Process Safety Management as well as what it is – you need to read a bit further. Certainly, process safety involves continuous monitoring and reporting the potential threats to personnel and the environment along with providing every possible protection measure. Here we can say that the actions are aimed at preventing the shutdown of your facility during a multi-year term.
A PSM program can improve process safety performance at lower costs by providing leadership and resources for the continuous improvement of safe processes, safe systems, and safe facilities. Fundamentally, process safety management is about an activity-based single management system that supplies flexibility in managing the risk to people, property, and environment from processes and involves all personnel in the implementation of this system. Hence, it is a comprehensive set of activities that include performing audits of processing equipment. The top process safety management framework is based on the identification and assessment of risks within an organization’s operations which can be compromised by preventing people, procedures, and systems or by an external event. It is widely accepted that process safety management is a systematic approach to provide an integrated method that allows effective control over potential hazards from equipment failures at every stage of a facility’s operation.
How we can help
1. Onsite/ Online Training
2. Process safety management audit and documentation
3. PSM implementation and handholding
For more details: –
Visit Us: – https://www.thesafetymaster.com/