4.2.1 The Dimensions of Hazard Identification

There are three major dimensions to hazard identification.

• Time

• Technical

• Management

Figure 4-1 illustrates how these dimensions interact.

Figure 4-1: Dimensions of Hazard Identification

Time:

Like all good things, systematic hazard identification takes time. It is a multi-disciplinary team effort, in an interactive workshop, often facilitated by an experienced facilitator, with broad experience in process industry hazards.

Commitment of time required for preparatory work (literature review, database search), and time away from their normal duties for workshop participants, is essential for the success of the effort. Once the project gets started, there is significant time pressure on the entire project team, and personnel are often called away from the hazard identification sessions. Every effort should be made to ensure that this does not occur.

The other key time aspect is the stage of the life cycle. Hazard identification needs to be practicised across the whole life cycle using the most appropriate methods for each stage (see section 4.5.3).

Technical:

There are no quick formulae or equations that can yield the information sought. It is entirely based on the expertise of the hazard identification team, with input from literature data on past experience.

Important technical inputs are:

• A set of accidents and near misses available from the corporation's own operating history of similar plants world-wide.

• A set of accidents and near misses from literature information and accident database search.

• Incidents not only from similar process plants, but also from...