Before the meetings start, as

a team member you can expect to receive some information about the study

(a) Establish the ground rules of the study (b) Plan the study schedule (c) Identify the team members and arrange for their assistance

(d) Organize the data base (e) Familiar with data base (f) Members familiar with the major design and operating principles (g) Arrange a suitable meeting place

Aims and objectives of the study must be defined before the study commences. Identify all causes of deviations which could lead to a safety hazard/ operability problem Recommend changes to overcome safety hazards/ operability problem

Provide training for inexperienced personnel in the design intentions and expected operation of the facility Provide background for the preparation of plant manuals/ procedure Review operating procedure (required by team)

 Record

the background to all recommendations made Record all useful information from the study
Recording by Exception causes &
consequences are recorded if lead to a recommendation Full recording all issues identified are recorded, whether or not lead to a recommendation

(b) Plan the schedule

Session dates and times (most difficult, leader appoint time keeper)

Documents to be studied in each session (low hazard may be excluded) Team members availability

Immediate reporting arrangements if required and final reporting (project in the design phase, construction or commissioning) Study sub session plan if required Plan for follow up action

(c) Identify team members team characteristics

Members share common

objectives. Everybody contributes and knows his/her roles, not leader dependent too much. Each members values and respects contribution of others. Members learn while they work.

Disagreement are worked

through

by discussion. Members enjoy team meetings. Team size between 5 (if no recorder)and 8 is probably optimum Team balance is the most important issue.

 Ideal database in the table form is

required (page 75) During design phase, time allocated to gather latest version for each documents Any plant modifications must be reflected on the drawings For a procedural process study sequence of operation needed

Familiar with data base Leader need background knowledge Briefing by design/operation engineer Fundamental hazards should be identified Detailed study of the operating principles

Members familiar with operating principles Pre-study operation for members who had no contact with plant Circulate some of the data base material prior to the study Leader to talk to each team member to assess the need for these actions

Suitable meeting place Sufficient space for participants and observer Enough space to lay out drawings No telephone available Not conducted at operating side Tip top facility

HAZOP leader characteristic Clear idea of the objectives Plan sessions and timetable Control discussion Limit discussion Encourage team to draw conclusion

 Ensure secretary has time for taking

note Keep team in focus Encourage imagination of team members Motivate members Discourage recriminations Judge importance issues

Major Responsibilities Selection of the team Planning of the study Carrying out the study Reporting the study Following up the actions

The Team Leaders primary role is to facilitate the team discussion

Keep the team focused: Concentrate on identifying hazards, not redesigning the plant
Where the data is insufficient, record

questions and move on

Respond to team personalities: Be tolerant and maintain a positive atmosphere. Restrain the extroverts Draw out the quiet thinkers
Use own knowledge to: Encourage thoroughness Obtain consensus Phrase recommendations

HAZOP leadership is an expression of personal style but leaders can strengthen the range of skills and behaviours they have available
The leader must stick to the principles of the

HAZOP procedure but the pace and manner allow wide latitude for personal style

Guidance for HAZOP leaders includes a flow chart

to monitor progress and check completeness. For our own leaders we have developed files for planning, recording and assessing the results of the study

 Experience is an important factor helping to

improve performance. For the recorder this means working with different leaders to experience the variety of approaches and recording styles
Questionnaire which provides a framework for the

recorder to give feedback on the conduct of the study. If we approach the feedback positively, recognising that we all have room to learn and improve, we should improve our HAZOP facilitation

The HAZOP leader needs to define with the commissioning manager study the extent of the facilities to be studied before the HAZOP starts
Technical drawings of the facility such as

Piping and Instrumentation Diagrams (P&ID) are typically used to define the plant

Supplementary materials are useful to clarify team discussions: Process flow sheets Equipment specifications and vendor detail drawings Piping class and relief valve specifications Plot layout and classification Operating manuals and emergency shut down procedures

 Working from incomplete or out-of-date

documentation is a serious pitfall

For a HAZOP on an existing facility as

built P&ID are essential; if the plant is under design a consistent set of the latest revisions is required

The HAZOP Leader must supervise study preparation

The HAZOP meeting develops a rhythm after the first day which often includes some introductory discussion to orient the team

Steps in a normal HAZOP day

Details for study of a single plant section

The leader must keep in mind a number of activities needed to conclude the study

The HAZOP is completed with some activities outside the HAZOP sessions.

The HAZOP is completed with some activities outside the HAZOP sessions.

 Always prepare study program in advance. Agree on the format or form to be used. Prepare follow up procedures. Brief members about HAZOP during first

meeting. Stop the team trying to redesign the process. HAZOP is a team exercise. Do not let anybody (including the leader himself to dominate).

 If conflict arises, handle with care. Avoid long discussions by recording areas

which need to be resolved outside meeting. Leader must be strong, yet diplomatic. Speak clearly. Make you point. Better have experience working as team member previously. Do not skip anything.some time small things may cause big accident.

 Function effectively if it behaves as a group with

common goals Each member contributes to the common goal and remains motivated Members are clear at all times about what point is being discussed. Break time, story telling, games. Group dynamic and dealing with different types of personality. Contributors to discussion, open mind, ability to visualize situations.

 Based on function of the process plant being studied

and the overall HAZOP experience of the team. HAZOP leader should review the drawings to be studied the next day and plan the sections. Selecting the end point for the next study section refer to : (a) next change in design intent (b) significant change of state occurs (c) separate equipment items with different process parameters (d) each process vessel with its associated equipment

It can be established that there are 3 distinct design intentions in the system. Feed tank store the feed material for Process A Pipeline and pump to transfer the feed from the storage tank to Process A Process A to do something with the feed supplied to it.

 3 distinct study sections because there are 3

definite design intents in the process system. Each one would be a HAZOP study section. The important principle in conducting a HAZOP study as a leader is to confine the causes of a guideword. Follow consequences to the most severe situation The selection of the study section is the TEAM LEADERs responsibility.

 Team size is important, between 5 (no recorder)

and 8 is probably optimum. Team must have detailed knowledge of the way the plant is intended to work. Technique of using guidewords generates a very large number of questions. It is essential that the team contains enough people with sufficient knowledge and experience to answer the majority of those questions without recourse to further expertise.

New Project System Design Engineer

Mechanical/Structural Engineer Operation Supervisor/Foreman Instrument/Control System Design Engineer Safety/Quality Representative

Existing System Shift Charge Engineer Maintenance Electrician Instrumentation Production Engineer Design Engineer Specialist Engineer

HAZOP recorder
Take adequate notes Record documentations Inform leader if more time required in

taking notes
If unclear, check wording before writing

 Refrain from taking part in the debate Produce interim lists of

recommendations
Produce draft report of study

Check progress of chase action

Produce final report

Process/System Design Engineer

Provide a simple description Provide design intention for each process

unit
Provide information on process conditions

and design conditions

Provide information on hazards of process/

operations

Mechanical Design Engineer

Provide specification details for

equipments
Provide vendor package details Provide equipment and piping layout

information
Provide information on design codes

Instrument Engineer & Control Specialist

Provide details of control philosophy Provide interlock and alarm details Provide info on shutdown, safety feature Give information on hardware reliability and

modes of failure
Provide information on testing needs

Plant Engineer or Manager

Provide information on compatibility with

any existing adjacent plant

Provide details of site utilities and services Provide (for study on existing plant) any

update on maintenance access and modifications

Shift Operating Engineer or Supervisor Provide guidance on control instrumentation integrity from an operating experience view point
Provide (for study on existing plant)

information on plant stability at the specified control parameters

Provide information on experienced

operability deviations of hazard potential

Operations Representative Check the design details against operating philosophy

Ensure design is compatible with existing

systems

Check design against maintenance requirements

Provide details of operating practice and

procedures

Chemist
Provide details of process chemistry
Provide details of process hazards (polymerizations,

byproducts, corrosion etc) Project Engineer

Provide details of cost and time estimation and also

budget constraints.
Ensure rapid approval if required

Formal training scheme

Training on HAZOP technique HAZOP leader : good grounding in the

technique & practical experience

HAZOP recorder : on-line recording package HAZOP team : general introduction on

methodology & reasons for carrying out a study

 Open questions
Help

person being asked to think use words how, what and why.

Closed questions
To

focus on an issue or problem. Start with words who, when, where. Required answer yes or no only.
Question mix
Mix

between open and closed questions.

Things to avoid Ambiguous or vague questions. Double barrell/multiple questions. Long complicated questions. Interrogation type of questions. A loaded questions implied judgement.