Hazards Analysis and Operability Studies (HAZOP)

Don’t let this happen to you! Always perform a HAZOP on any new process or any new equipment.
Never take any chances when handling or manufacturing explosives or propellants.

HAZOP

A very important aspect of designing, constructing and operating an explosive manufacturing facility is the Hazards and Operability Studies (HAZOP). ZMW takes a non-negotiable position with respect to explosives safety. We have and will continue to have this standard, and will not be involved with any operation we deem to be unsafe. ZMW has conducted HAZOP studies for many multinational explosives manufacturers who make explosives security and safety their primary concern.

The Standard You Accept Is The Standard You Get

The Hazard Study process has evolved since the 1960’s, to identify and correct Safety, Health, and Environmental (SHE) hazards. The process is general, and appropriately adapted and applied will recognize deficiencies in other systems such as quality, financial, and general operability.

Explosives HAZOP - Hazard Study 1

The purpose of Hazard Study 1 is to ensure that the understanding of the project, the process and the materials involved is sufficient to enable safety, health, and environmental issues to be properly assessed. It also contributes to key policy decisions and ensures that contacts are established with the functional groups, site management, and the authorities that may contribute to, or impose constraints upon, the development of the project.

Key aspects include:

Clear understanding of the project scope.
Reviewing information on any previous incidents involving similar technology.
Collecting information on the safety, health and environmental hazards of all chemicals and materials involved.
Provide a broad appreciation of the hazards of fire, explosion, and harmful releases as they apply to the inherent SH&E protection.
Reviewing the Environmental Impact Assessment to ensure that it will cover all relevant on-site and off-site environmental issues.

Explosives HAZOP - Hazard Study 2

The purpose of Hazard Study 2 is to identify significant hazards and ensure that there appropriate measures to eliminate the risk or reduce the risk to tolerable levels.

Key aspects include:

Consideration of any impact (SHE), which the project may have on either on-site or off-site.
Identification of significant hazardous events with special attention being paid to loss of containment which could lead to toxic, flammable, biological, or explosive hazards to employees or the public, or to environmental pollution.
Identification of changes to process conditions that could lead to the consent levels for gaseous, liquid, or solid effluents being exceeded.
A review of the measures proposed to prevent employees being exposed to either chronic or acute health hazards.

Explosives HAZOP - Hazard Study 3

The purpose of Hazard Study 3 is to review the design and/or procedures to identify any hazards or obstacles to operability, which could arise, particularly through deviations from the design intent. In the case of a explosives production process this will be based on the study of firm Engineering Line Diagrams, such as but not limited to Process and Instrument Diagrams (P & ID) and Process Flow Diagrams (PFD), and the process operating procedures and process commissioning procedures. The consequences of deviations are identified and where necessary, appropriate corrective actions initiated.

The study also provides an opportunity to review potential maintenance and quality problems.

Key aspects include:

A detailed systematic study of the design and outline operating and maintenance procedures to identify the consequences of deviation from the design intent.
Consideration of transient operating conditions during start-up, shut-down, plant upsets and emergencies.
Consideration of potential exposure of employees to harmful effects during routine operations including maintenance, decontamination, etc.
Emergency procedures are available.

The Hazard Study 3 is the “HAZOP” technique as referred to in US Federal Legislation on Major Hazard Plants, OSHA 29CFR Part 1910 and specified in the AIChE, Centre for Chemical Process Safety “Guidelines for Hazard Evaluation Procedures”.

Explosives HAZOP - Hazard Study 4

The purpose is to check that the project has been constructed as the design intended, and that the actions of previous Hazard Studies have been completed and implemented in the design and installation.

To check that the operating instructions and emergency procedures comply with any requirements identified by previous Hazard Studies and are satisfactory for safe operation.

Key aspects include:

Actions from earlier have been completed, or that changes have been justified.
All actions and changes have been documented.
Operating instructions are available for normal operation, start-up, planned and emergency shut-downs and, where appropriate, for maintenance and decontamination of the plant.
Emergency procedures are available.

Explosives HAZOP - Hazard Study 5

The purpose of Hazard Study 5 is to provide an opportunity for those responsible for personal safety, employee health and environmental protection on the site to satisfy themselves that the detailed implementation of the project meets statutory, company and any other requirements.

Key aspects include:

A review of the arrangements for the protection of employee health, covering the facilities provided and the arrangements for workplace monitoring.
A review of the arrangements, including emergency systems, for employee safety.
A review of the equipment and systems provided to protect the environment and for monitoring environmental performance.

Explosives HAZOP - Hazard Study 6

The purpose is to check that Hazard Studies 1 to 5 have been completed, and relevant documentation exists in the Project SHE Dossier.

Key aspects include:

To review early operation to ensure that it is consistent with the design intent with regard to safety, health and environmental issues, and that assumptions defined in earlier Hazard Studies are borne out in actual operation.
To identify and record operating and maintenance difficulties, and report back to the HAZOP team.