Process Safety

Name: Engenda Group Ltd.
Price range: $

The management of major accident hazards can only be effective if the hazards are identified, their likelihood and consequences fully assessed and understood and hazard management measures implemented, that are effective in performing their required role.

Our safety engineering team has expertise in all areas of hazard management from the preparation of design philosophies, at all stages of a project, through to the quantification of risk using quantitative analysis techniques.

Complying with today’s legislation can involve adherence to many engineering codes, national and international standards and codes of practice. We can prepare all the necessary regulatory documentation for a project and act as the interface between appointed bodies. Our capabilities also include chairing HAZID & HAZOP sessions through to preparation and submission of Safety Reports.

We can work with Operators to help them fulfil their responsibility to provide a safe, healthy and environmentally acceptable workplace

Specialist services

DSEAR-ATEX Compliance
Hazard and Operability Study (HazOp)
Layer of Protection Analysis (LOPA)
Functional Safety (SIS / SIL) / Safety Instrumented Systems
Mechanical Equipment Ignition Risk Assessments (MEIRA)

DSEAR-ATEX Compliance

What are they?

DSEAR stands for the Dangerous Substances and Explosive Atmospheres Regulations 2002.
ATEX is the name commonly given to the framework for controlling explosive atmospheres and the related standards of equipment and protective systems.

The control of flammable substances either in Gas/Vapour or Dust form is key in any industry, whether in the Process Sector or indeed Food and Drinks Sector. Dangerous substances can put peoples’ safety at risk from fire and explosion. DSEAR puts duties on employers and the self-employed to protect people from risks to their safety from fires, explosions and similar events in the workplace, this includes members of the public who may be put at risk by work activity.

We can assist your DSEAR/ATEX compliance via:

DSEAR Risk Assessments
Classification of areas where explosive atmospheres may occur
Production of Area Classification Layouts
Selection of equipment and protective systems
Self-certification of Systems
Creation of DSEAR Compliant Loop/Schematic Drawings

Hazard and Operability Study (HazOp)

Hazard Studies are an established series of risk assessments carried out throughout the lifetime of a project or process. They call on other risk assessments required by legislation and standards. The extent of the risk assessment required will vary depending on the customer and the scope and scale of the project.

A Hazard and Operability (HAZOP) study is a structured and systematic examination of a planned or existing process or operation in order to identify and evaluate problems that may represent risks to personnel or equipment, or prevent efficient operation. The HAZOP technique was initially developed to analyze chemical process systems, but has later been extended to other types of systems and also to complex operations and to software systems. A HAZOP is a qualitative technique based on guide-words and is carried out by a multi-disciplinary team (HAZOP team) during a set of meetings.

A typical Hazard Study can have 6 stages through the life cycle of a change activity

Hazard Study 1 - Preliminary Risk Assessment
Hazard Study 2 - Identification of Major Hazards/ Risks
Hazard Study 3 - Detailed review of Hazards and Operability (HazOp)
Hazard Study 4 - Pre-Start Up Review Documentation
Hazard Study 5 - Pre-Start Up Review Site Walk around
Hazard Study 6 - Period Review of Process / Change (typically after 6 months)

The Team should ideally consist of; Hazard Study Leader, Process Engineer, Design / Project Engineer, Maintenance Engineer, Operations Representative and a Technical Specialist (if required).

Engenda Group can provide support to clients by providing a Hazard Study Leader, Scribes, Process Engineers and Design/Project Engineers as appropriate to carry out his process.

Layer of Protection Analysis (LOPA)

Layer of Protection Analysis (LOPA) is a method for determining Risk Reduction measured required in Process Plant Operations.

Engenda Group have trained and validated Process Safety Engineers experienced in Hazard Study and Layer of Protection Analysis (LOPA). This is used to determined if the safety measures in place are adequate to reduce the risk of harm to people, environment, and plant assets. One outcome is for determining what risk reduction is required by Safety Instrumented Systems.

Assess the effectiveness of design options
Assess Safety Instrumented Systems for function and integrity
Demonstrate the residual risk is As Low as Reasonably Practicable (ALARP) as required by The Control of Major Accident Hazards Regulations (COMAH)
Cost Benefit Analysis

Functional Safety (SIS / SIL) / Safety Instrumented Systems

The safety life cycle of safety instrumented systems (more commonly known as Trips and Alarms) commences with the specification of the performance requirements (Safety Integrity Level) using SIL assessments, Risk Graphs, Fault Tree Analysis, Hazard Analysis and/or Layer of Protection Analysis (LOPA) techniques. The life cycle continues with reliability & availability analysis to demonstrate the required safety integrity levels, as defined in BS EN 61511, can be met over the life cycle of the SIS.

Engenda Group have TUV Certified Functional Safety Engineers

We can provide a variety of expertise in the field of reliability analysis to ensure that the hardware safety integrity requirements, as defined in BS EN 61508 / 61511, are achieved for any Safety Instrumented System. The analysis includes:

Safety Requirements Specifications
SIL Assessments
Failure Modes, Effects and Criticality Analysis
Common Cause Failure Analysis
Reliability Block Diagrams
Fault Tree and Event Tree Analysis
Hardware Fault Tolerance Analysis

The full range of services are available from the initial planning of the functional safety through to the testing and commissioning. Engenda EPC can also develop periodic test procedures for clients to maintain the Safety Instrumented Systems (SISs) and, if requested, can carry out these tests on that basis.

These services include:

The chairing of HAZOPs and HAZIDs meetings by an experienced process engineer
Undertake hazard and risk assessments to determine target Safety Integrity Levels (SILs) for Safety Instrumented Functions (SIFs)
E&I engineers will specify the trips required to carry out the safety functions
Specify and design, in-house, the logic solver, be it relay based or Safety PLC
Factory test the software
Installation and commissioning of the (SISs)
Confirm that the target SIL operates as specified
Verification that the design and installation of the SIS Meets the target SIL

Mechanical Equipment Ignition Risk Assessments (MEIRA)

Mechanical Equipment Ignition Risk Assessments (MEIRA) is a method for determining if Mechanical Equipment installed in a Zoned (Hazardous) Area if suitable for use in that particular area.

Engenda Group have trained and validated Process Safety Engineers, and Mechanical Engineers trained and experienced in Mechanical Equipment Ignition Risk Assessments (MEIRA). This is risk assessment approach that can be used to check if Pre-ATEX Mechanical Equipment is suitable for the zone that the equipment is installed in, and if not suitable what potential improvements could be made to make it suitable for safe continued use, like the installation of Instrumentation to measure for example temperature of the bearings / casing, and tripping the machine if the temperature exceeds a pre-set value.

ATEX directives now include non-electrical ignition sources (BS EN ISO 80079-36)

Non-electrical equipment standards now in place
Pre-ATEX non-electrical equipment requires to undergo ignition hazard risk assessment
To complete a practical / pragmatic assessment of non-electrical equipment ignition hazard, this may involve estimation of the kinetic and/or potential energy involved.