Focus Article - The Importance of Process Safety Data
Over the past few decades Hazard and Operability Study (HAZOP) has been imposing itself as one of the most powerful tools for identifying process hazards. In addition, with the use of more or less simplified semi-quantification systems, HAZOP is being increasingly used both as a tool for risk assessment and for prioritizing actions for risk mitigation. On the other hand, a HAZOP is a time-consuming exercise and should be conducted in such a way as to ensure that the results justify the effort expended in achieving them. In this paper we point out some of the most common pitfalls that can jeopardize a HAZOP team’s task, and the ways to avoid them.