Process safety: more than just ticking boxes

21 Oct 2026

From Bhopal to Texas City, history has shown what can happen when the management of hazardous processes breaks down. Understanding the fundamentals isn't just good practice, it's essential to keeping people, assets and businesses safe.

Process safety is concerned with preventing the unplanned or uncontrolled release of hazardous materials or energy, and minimising consequences if a release does occur. Unlike occupational safety, which focuses on the individual, process safety analyses risks arising from the process itself: the chemicals handled, the temperatures and pressures involved, and the equipment used to contain them.

 

A robust process safety programme spans the full lifecycle of a facility, drawing on engineering, chemistry, human factors and management systems in equal measure. Three methodologies sit at the heart of most programmes.

HAZOP - identifying what could go wrong

Hazard and Operability Studies (HAZOP) remain the industry standard for process hazard analysis. A multi-disciplinary team works through a process design line-by-line, applying guide words (MORE, LESS, NO, REVERSE) to parameters like flow, temperature and pressure to ask: what happens if this deviates? For each credible deviation, the team identifies potential causes, consequences, existing safeguards, and where necessary, additional actions to reduce risk. The output is a detailed record of hazards and recommendations; a document that forms the backbone of a plant’s risk. Crucially, a HAZOP is only as good as the team conducting it - experienced, independent facilitation makes a significant difference.

LOPA - are your safeguards enough?

Once hazards are identified, Layer of Protection Analysis (LOPA) asks whether existing safeguards are sufficient to reduce risk to a tolerable level. By evaluating independent protection layers, from basic process controls and safety instrumented systems to pressure relief devices and operator responses, LOPA provides a structured basis for determining whether additional controls are genuinely needed, or whether existing measures already do the job.

ATEX and DSEAR - managing explosive atmospheres

Many process environments carry the risk of explosive atmospheres where flammable gases, vapours or dusts are present. DSEAR requires employers to assess these risks, classify hazardous area zones and ensure equipment and working practices are appropriately controlled. ATEX governs equipment intended for use in explosive atmospheres, helping to ensure that equipment is correctly selected for the relevant hazardous area zone.

At Intertek, we support organisations across all three areas, from facilitating HAZOP studies and DSEAR assessments to working through LOPA to establish SIL requirements. We work alongside your teams to build understanding and capability, not just deliver a report.