Evaluating and assessing process hazard analyses

Process hazard analysis (PHA) is widely used across a spectrum of industries and facilities, but there are few metrics for the evaluation and assessment of PHAs. Most existing protocols address PHA solely in terms of regulatory compliance, but do not address the completeness or depth of the assessment, as most PHAs have been performed on a “performance basis” under the relevant regulations. It is possible to objectively assess PHAs, in order to determine adequacy of completion and degree of review, using both audit protocol and scoring approaches. Audit protocol approaches offer simplicity and ease of use, and when combined with specific scoring for adequacy allow for informed decisions about remedial action with respect to the PHA.