HAZOP and hazard identification

services
Modern safety legislation places responsibility on owners, operators and some LLOYD'S
manufacturers to identify and manage the risks associated with their operations and REGISTER
products, and to demonstrate that they are doing so in an effective manner. This has SERVICES
led many to appreciate the benefits of formal risk assessment methods as the starting
point in the risk management process. The structure and discipline of these techniques
help provide assurance that risks are comprehensively and systematically identified.

A number of techniques have come to the fore; the team-based approaches of HAZOP,
SWIFT and HAZID and the desk-based study known as FMEA. As an organisation
dedicated to preserving life and improving safety, we offer services to help you carry
out risk assessments.

HAZOP
A hazard and operability (HAZOP) study is a design
review technique used for hazard identification,
and for the identification of design deficiencies
which may give rise to operability problems.
HAZOP is most commonly applied to systems which
transfer or process hazardous substances or
activities where the operations involved can be
hazardous and the consequences of failure to
control hazards may be significant in terms of
damage to life, the environment or property.

HAZOP was developed in the UK chemical and

petrochemical industries as a means of assessing
the safety of complex plant and processes which
had significant hazard potential. Its use has been
extended to safety studies for industrial, nuclear
and nuclear-chemical plant, and offshore
installations.

A HAZOP study is carried out using a structured

approach by an experienced multi-discipline team,
facilitated by a HAZOP leader.
HAZID
The Hazard Identification (HAZID) study is a SWIFT
technique for early identification of hazards and A structured ‘what-if’ checklist (SWIFT) is similar to
threats and can be applied at the conceptual or HAZOP. SWIFT uses pertinent deviations from
detailed design stage. Early identification and normal operation, brainstormed by the team for a
assessment of hazards provides essential input to number of question categories. A SWIFT study will
project development decisions at a time when a consider a system as a whole or in larger sections
change of design has a minimal cost penalty. than HAZOP and can be up to three times more
time efficient than HAZOP.
A HAZID study is carried out by an experienced
multi-discipline team using a structured approach
A SWIFT team may be as few as four persons
based on a checklist of potential hazards. Potential
including the leader and recorder.
problems are highlighted for action outside the
meeting.

Typical process hazards are considered such as

environmental, geographical, process, fire and
explosion, health.
 For further information
please contact

UK
Dr Kevin Fitzgerald
Lloyd's Register EMEA,
Hiramford, Middlemarch Office
Village, Siskin Drive, Coventry,
CV3 4FJ, UK
M +44 (0)7825 403 838
F +44 (0)2476 305 854
E kevin.fitzgerald@lr.org
FMEA • in-depth understanding and expertise in all aspects
Failure modes and effects analysis (FMEA) is a of risk management, with experience in many Americas
Danny Walker
component-level review of a design, identifying industrial sectors
Lloyd's Register Americas, Inc.
failure modes and their consequences. For each • particular experience in the tailoring of HAZOP to T +1 (1)281 675 3119
failure mode the study defines the effect of the novel applications M +1 (1)832 603 1173
failure, identifying any hazards to the operator, the • specialist knowledge in areas of new technology E danny.walker@lr.org
environment, the public, damage to the asset or including high integrity systems.
loss of production. Asia
Benefits of SWIFT David Bolsman
Each failure is subsequently analysed to determine SWIFT is particularly useful for identification of Lloyd's Register Asia
if it would be detected by the user/operator before hazards as part of a quantitative risk assessment (QRA) T +86 (0)21 515 857 83
M +86 (0)13 788 986 83
causing an incident or damage or whether and will provide the analyst and client with a common
E david.bolsman@lr.org
mitigation controls are in place to prevent damage, knowledge of the system. Furthermore the study can
escalation, etc. Where detection or mitigation is form the basis for frequency models including fault Europe Middle East and Africa
deemed inadequate redesign requirements are and event trees and will highlight study-specific Harald Koban
recommended. differences from average failure rates. Lloyd's Register EMEA
T +31 (0)10 2014 254
A variant of FMEA, known as FMECA, introduces Benefits of working with the Lloyd’s M +31 (0)172 5963 389
consideration of “criticality” to rank the identified Register Group E harald.koban@lr.org
hazards based on risk. In choosing the Lloyd’s Register Group to assist
www.lr.org
you in HAZOP and HAZID services, you can be
Benefits of HAZOP and HAZID
assured of a service which provides:
HAZOP and HAZID can be applied to existing plant
as a safety review of the existing design or of • a high quality service tailored to meet your specific Services are provided by members
design changes, and can help ensure safe needs of the Lloyd's Register Group.

implementation of hardware and software • advice on selection and application of appropriate Lloyd's Register, Lloyd’s Register Asia and
Lloyd's Register EMEA are exempt
modifications. techniques charities under the UK Charities Act

• experienced engineers to carry out FMEA or 1993.

Experience has shown HAZOP to be particularly
independent HAZID and HAZOP session leaders
effective in identifying issues at the interfaces July 2008
and technical secretaries
between the various design and operations
• support staff to plan, organise and co-ordinate
functions which can be difficult to identify by other
HAZOP sessions
means. It is therefore a fundamental and
• recording of HAZOP session progress on pc-based
significant step in the process of minimising risk,
software
identifying hazards and their causes.
• preparation of reports and auditing of
If your operations involve technical risk, the Lloyd’s implementation of HAZOP recommendations.
Register Group has the expertise and international
experience to help you with: