The HAZOP courses available are for either Team Members OR Team Leaders. In no sense is one course ‘basic’ and one ‘advanced’. The skill sets required for the roles of Team Member and Team Leader are different. Those attending the Team Leader course should have extensive experience as a Team Member.
Attendance at the Team Leader course by those requiring training as Team Members is counter-productive. It both diminishes their training and devalues that given to the prospective Team Leaders.
Hazard & Operability Study (HAZOP) for Team Members
This course will provide:
• Understanding of the HAZOP methodology and terminology.
• The ability to participate in HAZOP study meetings.
• Ability to follow the HAZOP Procedure.
• Understanding of how and why HAZOP works.
• Recognition of the requirement for clear records and recommendations, so that delegates can contribute effectively to such clarity during ‘real’ HAZOP studies.
• Understanding of the role of individuals within the HAZOP team. Delegates will learn to challenge the expertise of other members of the team, and to have their own expertise challenged, while continuing to behave appropriately.
• The ability to interpret a HAZOP Record to e.g. understand why a recommendation was made. This prepares the delegates to implement the findings of a HAZOP study.
Delegates will be given experience during tutor led exercises that simulate a HAZOP study meeting. Neutral examples will be employed for these exercises to ensure that the delegates can concentrate on understanding the HAZOP Procedure.
The course will ensure that the delegates understand the common causes of incidents and how a HAZOP study enables the pre-identification of such causes and their elimination from the design or procedure.
This course is suitable for personnel who are to take part in HAZOP study meetings, or are expected to interpret and implement the findings of a HAZOP study. Junior and experienced personnel will benefit. A maximum of 12 attendees is recommended.
HAZOP Study Leadership
A successful HAZOP study is only possible if the study is effectively led. Without good leadership studies ‘drift’ and become at best design reviews, at worst contractual arguments. This course will give further understanding of the HAZOP methodology and why it works (in particular by understanding a working definition of HAZOP), as well as key skills for the HAZOP Team Leader.
These key skills include all the activities outside and inside the HAZOP study meetings, i.e.:
• Preparation, including defining the scope of the study and choosing of the team.
• Choosing of nodes (sections of the drawing or operation for HAZOP study).
• Estimating the programme requirements for the successful completion of a HAZOP study.
• Motivating the Team, and keeping them on task.
• Avoiding common problems encountered during HAZOP study meetings.
• Formulating the HAZOP Study Report.
• Implementation of Recommendations (the management of this process is discussed and the HAZOP Team Leader’s role in this activity is explained and discussed).
Delegates will be given experience during initially tutor led exercises of these key skills, and of leading a team during a HAZOP study meeting. Neutral examples will be employed for these exercises to ensure that the
delegates can concentrate on understanding the requirements for HAZOP Leadership. All delegates will be given the opportunity to fulfil the roles of Leader and Scribe during these workshops and to practice guiding a team through the HAZOP meeting process.
As well as recording using ‘pen and paper’, WORD & EXCEL, a proprietary HAZOP software package (LIHOU HAZOP Manager) will be demonstrated and delegates will have the opportunity, if they wish, to ‘set up’ a study using this software.
This course is suitable for personnel who are required to lead HAZOP studies. They must have experience as a Team Member and understand the HAZOP methodology (the methodology will be reviewed from the leader’s perspective). Experience as a HAZOP Scribe would be helpful.
Combined HAZOP Team Member / Team Leader
In this proposal, these two courses (Applied Hazard & Operability Study and HAZOP Study Leadership & Management) are combined.
This approach would cover all of the technical issues. A group would be trained as HAZOP Leaders; this training would then be put into practice planning for and leading workshops for those required to be trained as Team Members.
This combined course can be completed in 5 days and a maximum of 12 attendees (4 leaders, 8 team members) is recommended. The pre-qualifications for attendance are the same as those for the individual courses.
