| Rose & Laurel |
Safety
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Safety
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Safety is of paramount importance in industrial operations. ility Engineering has long experience in the analysis of technical safety on a very wide range of systems from weapons, through trains and aircraft, to chemical process plant. We can offer the full range of hazard identification techniques, plus less well known ones such as Sneak Analysis. We also offer training in hazard identification.
NOTE
The work of ility Engineering is confined to the technical safety of engineered systems. We do not do work on 'Health and Safety' matters such as industrial diseases, nor do we do much work on consequences and pollution, but we can recommend people who do.
Techniques Offered
The actual approach to hazard analysis depends greatly upon the systems involved. In practice, the scope and methods for such an analysis would be the subject of preliminary discussions between ility and the customer. Because this makes it almost impossible to generalise, we feel that it is more informative to describe the techniques - the toolbox - which we bring to problem solving.
Gross Hazards Analysis (GHA)
Preliminary Hazards Analysis (PHA) is a methodology which reviews initial designs for hazards, based on checklists of energy sources, etc. GHA is an extension of the method, originally developed by Boeing in the USA, in which the GHA becomes the 'document of record' for all hazards, regardless of the technique by which they are found. ility Engineering has refined the method into a modern database system. We generally recommend GHA for all projects, unless the customer already has a similar system in place.
HAZOP
HAZOP - Hazards and Operability - is a methodology which depends upon identifying the hazards resulting from deviations from normal operation. It is widely used on process plant and is gaining acceptance on similarly complex systems such as control computers. At ility Engineering, we generally extend HAZOP to include Sneak Analysis - see below. All ility Engineering HAZOP specialists have been certified by the IChemE.
HAZOP for Computer Control
The identification of hazards in systems controlled by computers is very difficult. ility Engineering contributed to the development of the UK Defence Standard 00-58 on this subject and we have since developed the techniques further for process applications. The methodology that we use is well recognised and is taught as part of the MSc in Process Safety and Loss Prevention at the University of Sheffield - a course which is sponsored and approved by the IChemE and the UK Health and Safety Executive (HSE).
Failure Modes & Effects Analysis (FMEA)
ility Engineering uses several variations of this technique for identifying - and quantifying - hazards in e.g. control systems interfaces, trip systems and other failure-critical systems. We also use a variant of FMEA to verify that the existing instrumentation is adequate to identify and locate likely equipment failures.
Fault Tree Analysis (FTA)
FTA is generally used to quantify individual hazards. ility Engineering has a large database of equipment failure rates, allowing us to give accurate and more realistic estimates of the rate of occurrence of hazards.
Sneak Analysis (SA)
Sneak Analysis (a horrible name, but we did not invent it) is a technique for identifying design errors. Originally developed by Boeing in the USA for electronic systems, it has been adapted by ility Engineering to process systems and we are now the major European company in this field. We generally combine SA with HAZOP for greater efficiency and we have what may be the world's largest database of information on design errors in process plant.
Operating and Support Hazards Analysis (OpSHA)
This methodology is used to identify those hazards which tend to be missed by other methods: those due to supporting operations such as cleaning, painting and even landscape gardening. Several major 'near misses' have occurred as a result of such operations and ility Engineering has developed a proprietary database to aid in their identification.
Training
ility Engineering currently offers three training courses in hazard identification: Design for Maintenance Safety; HAZOP for Computer Control; and Sneak Analysis. All courses include extensive notes and, where appropriate, examples of software. Like all ility Engineering courses, these are normally given at the client's site but residential courses in the UK and Finland can be arranged if necessary. Contact ility Engineering for further details.