Process Hazard Analysis

DOE-HDBK-1101-96

2.3 Process Hazard Analysis

29 CFR 1910.119 (e)

(1)

The employer shall perform an initial process hazard analysis (hazard evaluation) on processes covered by

this standard. The process hazard analysis shall be appropriate to the complexity of the process and shall

identify, evaluate, and control the hazards involved in the process. Employers shall determine and document

the priority order for conducting process hazard analyses based on a rationale which includes such consider-

ations as extent of the process hazards, number of potentially affected employees, age of the process, and

operating history of the process. The process hazard analysis shall be conducted as soon as possible, but not

later than the following schedule:

(i)

No less than 25 percent of the initial process hazards analyses shall be completed by May 26, 1994;

(ii)

No less than 50 percent of the initial process hazards analyses shall be completed by May 26, 1995;

(iii)

No less than 75 percent of the initial process hazards analyses shall be completed by May 26, 1996;

(iv)

All initial process hazards analyses shall be completed by May 26, 1997.

(v)

Process hazards analyses completed after May 26, 1987 which meet the requirements of this

paragraph are acceptable as initial process hazards analyses. These process hazard analyses shall

be updated and revalidated, based on their completion date, in accordance with paragraph (e)(6) of

this section

(2)

The employer shall use one or more of the following methodologies that are appropriate to determine and

evaluate the hazards of the process being analyzed.

(i)

What-If;

(ii)

Checklist;

(iii)

What-If/Checklist;

(iv)

Hazard and Operability Study (HAZOP);

(v)

Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (FMEA);

(vi)

Fault Tree Analysis; or

(vii)

An appropriate equivalent methodology.

(3) The process hazard analysis shall address:

(i)

The hazards of the process;

(ii)

The identification of any previous incident which had a likely potential for catastrophic conse-

quences in the workplace;

(iii)

Engineering and administrative controls applicable to the hazards and their interrelationships such

as appropriate application of detection methodologies to provide early warning of releases. (Accept-

able detection methods might include process monitoring and control instrumentation with alarms,

and detection hardware such as hydrocarbon sensors.);

(iv)

Consequences of failure of engineering and administrative controls;

(v)

Facility siting;

(vi)

Human factors; and

(vii)

A qualitative evaluation of a range of the possible safety and health effects of failure of controls on

employees in the workplace.

(4)

The process hazard analysis shall be performed by a team with expertise in engineering and process opera-

tions, and the team shall include at least one employee who has experience and knowledge specific to the

process being evaluated. Also, one member of the team must be knowledgeable in the specific process hazard

analysis methodology being used.