As the world increasingly becomes aware of the importance of safety in the workplace, more and more companies are looking for ways to improve their safety processes. This includes the typical occupational safety aspects and the process safety aspects. Unfortunately, this can be daunting for companies not regulated by Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) standards for Process Safety Management (1910.119).
There are several ways that non-regulated companies can review their processes and identify potential safety and operational benefits. One common technique is called a Process Hazard Analysis (PHA).
A PHA is a systematic examination of a process to identify and evaluate the potential hazards that could lead to an incident. PHAs can be conducted using various techniques, Hazard and Operability Reviews, What-If Reviews, Failure Mode Reviews, etc.
Once the potential hazards are identified, the next step is to evaluate the risks associated with each hazard. Specifically, how severe and likely are the potential incidents.
Once the risks are identified and evaluated, the next step is to develop controls to mitigate those risks. This may involve a variety of measures, such as process changes, administrative controls, or the use of personal protective equipment.
By conducting a PHA, non-regulated companies can identify potential hazards and develop controls to mitigate the risks associated with those hazards. This can lead to a safer workplace and improved operational efficiency.
A non-regulated company contracted ETA, Inc. to review one of its processes using the PHA techniques to identify safety and operational benefits. They have even asked ETA to study several management systems of their business to see if there are aspects of a typical Process Safety Management program that may provide benefit to them. The attitude and forward-thinking of this client is applauded. It fits right in with what Dan Wilczynski has always said about Process Safety, “It is just good management of your business!”
Engineering & Technical Associates, Inc. (ETA) is an engineering consulting and recruiting company that provides consulting and personnel recruiting (both contract and permanent) services to the refining, chemical, and petrochemical industries.