1. Not All HAZOPs are Created
Equal: How to Ensure HAZOP
Quality?
Sanjeev Saraf, Ph.D.
6th Oct. 2011

2. ARE THERE GOOD AND BAD
HAZOPS?
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3. HAZOP
Commonly observed practices
 Preparation
 Team members with the right experience
 Experienced facilitator
HAZOP Quality
 Audit
 Observer
HAZOP is an opportunity to brainstorm about
risks. Any effort to structure this further makes the
HAZOP process boring, tedious, and takes away
the imaginative thinking.
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4. FACTORS AFFECTING
HAZOP QUALITY
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5. BEFORE HAZOP
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6. Documentation
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7. Team Selection
HAZOP is affected by
 Knowledge-base
 Group interaction
Suggested Practice
 Selection of team members should be based on
professional background as well as personalities
 Revalidation
 Try bringing in new team members during HAZOP revalidation
 Bring in professionals with requisite professional background
who have not been involved in the process being HAZOPed
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8. Facilitator Selection
Common selection criteria
 Experience
 Knowledge of the process
 Leadership and management skills
Recommended Practice
 Neutral personality
 Ability to engage team
 Inquire with team members from past HAZOPs
 Interview the facilitator
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9. DURING HAZOP
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10. HAZOP Proceeding
Documentation (P&IDs, PFDs, Projected material)
should be visible to all HAZOP members
Dual projectors for supporting documentation
Use 3D views of the plant/process if available
during a HAZOP
 Visualization keeps the team engaged and helps
stimulate discussions.
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11. HAZOP Proceeding
6-hour of HAZOP day is recommended
For a HAZOP that may go beyond four weeks, we
suggest a break between the HAZOP
 Spending additional time may help you meet the schedule but
the team may be going through the motions of HAZOP and
sacrificing quality
Sufficient breaks between sessions
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12. HAZOP Proceeding
We suggest a HAZOP team up to 10 people
Relevant case studies to energize the HAZOP
team and keep discussions lively
Provide a mechanism for HAZOP members to
provide feedback anonymously during the study
period
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13. HAZOP Proceeding
Managing group dynamics
 Group thinking
 False consensus
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14. AFTER HAZOP
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15. Feedback
Feedback from HAZOP members
 Ask them about
 Documentation
 Arrangements
 Facilitator
 Duration
 Suggestions
Feedback forms
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16. HAZOP Recommendations
Recommendations must be clear, concise,
unambiguous, and relevant
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17. Closing Out of Recommendations
A HAZOP recommendation may have multiple
“actions”
 Treat each HAZOP recommendation as a project
 Identify the embedded project and actions
 Use a simple project management application
 E.g. Deskaway
 $25/month
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18. Contact Information
Sanjeev Saraf
srs@exponent.com
832-331-6681