Key Objectives of a HAZID Study:
A HAZID study is typically conducted during the early design stages of a project and is revisited throughout the asset’s lifecycle. Its primary goals are to:
Identify potential hazards and accident scenarios.
Analyze the causes and potential consequences of these hazards.
Evaluate the adequacy of existing safeguards.
Formulate recommendations for additional risk reduction measures.
Provide a basis for more detailed quantitative risk assessments (QRA) if required.
Standard HAZID Worksheet Format
Below is a standard format for a HAZID worksheet used in oil and gas plants. This template incorporates common elements found in industry best practices.
Project: [Project Name] Facility/Unit: [Name of the Facility or Unit being assessed] Date: [Date of HAZID session] Session Leader: [Name] Team Members: [List of participants and their disciplines]
Explanation of Worksheet Columns
ID: A unique identifier for each identified hazard scenario to track it through the risk management process.
Guideword/Hazard Category: A prompt to guide the brainstorming session. Common categories include:
Loss of Containment
Fire & Explosion
Toxic Release
Extreme Weather
Seismic Events
Dropped Objects
Marine Hazards (for offshore facilities)
Human Factors
Simultaneous Operations (SIMOPS)
Hazard Description: A clear and concise statement of the potential hazard.
Potential Causes: The events or conditions that could lead to the hazard occurring. It is crucial to consider both equipment failures and human errors.
Potential Consequences: The potential outcomes of the hazard, including impacts on people (safety and health), assets (equipment and production), the environment, and company reputation.
Existing Safeguards: The current preventive and mitigative measures in place to either prevent the cause from occurring or to reduce the severity of the consequences. This includes both engineering controls (e.g., safety systems) and administrative controls (e.g., procedures, training).
Risk Ranking (Optional): Some HAZID methodologies include a qualitative assessment of the risk associated with the scenario, often using a risk matrix. This helps in prioritizing recommendations. The risk is typically a function of the Severity (S) of the consequences and the Likelihood (L) of the event occurring.
Recommendations: Specific, actionable suggestions for additional safeguards or further studies needed to reduce the identified risk to an acceptable level (As Low As Reasonably Practicable – ALARP).
Action Party: The department or individual responsible for implementing the recommendation.
Status: The current status of the recommendation (e.g., Open, In Progress, Closed).
This structured format ensures a thorough and documented approach to hazard identification, which is fundamental to the overall safety and risk management of oil and gas facilities.
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