Application of Hazard and Operability Study (HAZOP) in Evaluation of Health, Safety and Environmental (HSE) Hazards

Risk assessment and management techniques are used in industrial activities to reduce accidents by applying preventive and protective methods. In this article a preventive approach called Hazard and Operability Study (HAZOP) was used. The application of HAZOP, a process hazard identification and control method, has been demonstrated in the fatty acid unit of Golnar Oil Company, northwest of Tehran Province. The results of the study identifies 58 types of hazard of which 45.6% were unacceptable, 27.1% were unsafe, 18.6% were acceptable but needed reconsideration, 8.7% were acceptable with no need for any corrective action. To prevent any catastrophic consequences, we recommend: (1) installing pressure switch and flow switch on the product-receiving lines, and (2) conducting regular and periodic HSE audit.