Chapter # 7

HAZOP STUDY

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Introduction:
HAZOP stands for "hazards and operability studies". This is a set of formal
hazard identification and elimination procedures designed to identify
hazard to identify people, process plants, and the environment. The
techniques aim to simulate in a systematic way the imagination of
designers and people who operate plants or equipment so they can identify
potential hazards. In effect, HAZOP studies make the assumption that a hazard
or operating problems can arise when there is a deviation from the design or
operating intention.
Corrective actions scan be made before a real accident occurs. The
primary goal in performing a HAZOP study is to identify, or quantify the hazards
in a process. The end project of a study is a list of concerns and
recommendations for prevention of the problem, not an analysis of the
occurrence, frequency overall effect, and the definite solution.
HAZOP is a formal procedure that offers a great potential to improve
the safety, reliability, and operability of the process plant by recognizing and
eliminating potential problems at the design stage. It is not limited to the design
stage however it can be applied any where that a design intention can be
defined, such as; Continuous or batch process is being designed or operated.
A HAZOP study is conducted in the following steps:

 Operating procedures.
 Maintenance procedures.
 Mechanical equipment design.
 Critical instrument systems.
 Development of process control computer code.
 Emergency response procedures.
 Safety and training manuals.
 Process control logic diagrams. etc

CONCEPTS OF HAZOP STUDY

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These studies make use of combined experience and training of graining of
group of knowledge able people in structured setting. Some key concepts are:

1. Intention:
Defines how the part or process is expected to operate.
2. Guide Words:
Simple words used to qualify the intention in order to guide and
stimulate creative thinking and so discover deviations

3. Deviations:
Departures from the intention discovered by systematic application
of guide word.

4. Causes:
Reasons that deviations might occur.
5. Consequences:
Results of deviations if they occur
6. Actions:
Presentation, mitigation and control.
Prevent causes.
Mitigate the consequences.
Control action, e.g., provide alarms to indicate things out of control.
The HAZOP study is not complete until response to action has been
documented. Initial HAZOP planning should establish the management follows
up procedure that will be used. The guide words can be used on broadly
based intentions, but when intentions are expressed in fine detail, some
restrictions or modifications are necessary for chemical process, such as:
 No flow.
 Reverse flow.
 Less flow.
 More temperature.
 Less temperature.
 Composition change.
 Sampling.
 Corrosion/ erosion.

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This give the process plant a specific HAZOP guide word list with process
variables,
Plant condition or an issue.
HAZOP studies may be made on batch as whole as continues process.

AIMS OF HAZOP STUDY:

There are four overall aims to which any HAZOP study should be addressed:
1. Identify as many deviations as possible from the way the design is expected
to work, and problems associated with these deviations.
2. Decide whether action is required, and identify ways the problem can
be solved.
3. Identify cases in which a decision can be made immediately and decide
what information or action is required.
4. Ensure that required action is following through.

ENVIRNOMENTAL IMPACT ASSESMENT (EIA):

NEED FOR ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT

The chemical industry is characterized by its great diversity in chemical
products, processes and wastes. The number of chemicals commercially
produced peaches into thousands, each having its particular variants in the
manufacturing process.
Within the past ten or fifteen years the chemical and petroleum industries have
undergone considerable changes. Process conditions such as pressure and
temperature have become more severe.
The concentration of stored energy has increased. Plant has grown in size
and storage has increased. The response of the process is often faster. The
plant contains very large items of equipment. The scale of possible fire,
explosion or toxic release has grown and so has the area, which might be
affected by such events especially outside the work boundary.
These factors have greatly increased the potential for loss both in human,
environment and in economic terms. The industry has always paid much record.
But with the growing scale and complexity and environmental degradation
involved in modern plants the danger of large-scale incidents has been a
source of increasing concern. During the period considered there has been

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growing public concern about various forms of pollution, including gaseous
and liquid effluents solid wastes and noise.

DEFINITION AND SCOPE OF EIA:

An Environmental Impact Report (EIR) is an assessment of the likely
influence a project may have on the environment. “Environmental Impact
Assessment can be defined as: The process of identifying, predicting,
evaluating and mitigating the biophysical, social, and other relevant effects
of development proposals prior to major decisions being taken and
commitments made.” (IAIA 1999). The purpose of the assessment is to
ensure that decision-makers consider environmental impacts before
deciding whether to proceed with new projects.
In principle, EIA should apply to all actions likely to have a significant
environmental effect. The potential scope of a comprehensive EIA system is
considerable and could include the appraisal of policies, plans, programmes
and specific projects.
EIA as it has developed in many countries involves a number of procedures
and stages:

1. Identification of projects requiring EIA, sometimes known as screening;

2. Identification of the key issues to be addressed in an EIA, called scoping;
3. Impact assessment and evaluation;
4. Impact mitigation and monitoring;
5. Review of the completed EIS and;
6. Public participation.
The result of an EIA is assembled in a document known as an
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) which looks at all the positive and
negative effects of a particular project on the environment. This report is
just one component of the information required to aid decision makers in
making their ultimate choices about a project.
EIA can be considered as a mechanism which maximizes the efficient use of
natural and human resources. It can also reduce costs and time taken to
reach a decision by ensuring that subjectivity and duplication of effort are
minimized, as well as identifying and attempting to evaluate the primary
and secondary consequences which might require the introduction of

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expensive pollution control equipment or compensation and other costs at
a later date.