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Energy & Power - Hazard Identification & Risk Assessment
Summary
Safe Design of Process & Systems
It is essential that Hazards are identified at an early stage of the design process and that the principles of Inherent Safety are applied to ensure that all relevant Hazards & Risks are minimised. A thorough Hazard Identification and HAZOP process is required with the participation of the design team. This will enable optimum design and the reduction of risks to an acceptable level (ALARP).
Poor initial process design will result in a high potential for fires and dust explosions within the system. These may well manifest themselves in an unwanted incident at some future point in time. Suitable mitigation and emergency systems will also need to be provided.
For biomass, gas storage, power generation, pipelines and other energy related projects Haztech offers a range of services:
- Hazard Identification & Hazard Assessment
- HazOp & HazAn
- Risk Assessment
- Pre-Construction Safety Case Reports – COMAH
- Major Accident Prevention Plans – MAPP
- Planning Enquiry support
- Expert Witness service
- Notification to Regulator support
- Safety Management
Training
- COMAH legislation & Implementation
Haztech Consultants Ltd developed this IChemE approved course - Pipeline Safety Regulations - PSR
- Gas Safety Management Regulations – GSMR
- Pressure Systems Safety Regulations – PSSR
Biomass Fuel - Hazards
Biomass power generation is not without safety hazards, mainly relating to fires and explosions within the biomass supply systems. Biomass (wood chip, pellets etc) does not behave like coal in storage and has a much higher potential for self-heating and thermal runaway. This new fuel needs input of different experience and expertise in order to manage the new risks.
Several large scale accidents in recent years on biomass systems have resulted in serious damage to equipment and consequent costs from repairs and production down time. Fires and dust explosions in conveyors and silo type storage systems can result in extensive damage to equipment. Dust explosions are violent events which can cause potentially extensive damage across a wide area and may result in loss of life as well as extensive domino effects caused by the blast overpressure and fragments.
Fires can occur due to several causes, dust explosions are also a major potential issues. Both need a rigorous Hazard Identification Study (HAZID), that Haztech Consultants provides. The output from the HAZID will inform a safer design. Poor initial process design will result in a high potential for fires and dust explosions within the system, as seen in the recent incidents.
This type of event will almost certainly result in unwanted interest from the Health and Safety Executive and possibly the Environment Agency, as well as considerable adverse publicity for the company including coverage in national or international media.
Gas Storage – Hazards and Risk Management
Haztech Consultants has experience of salt cavity solution mining and gas storage, drawing on experience from earlier work for ICI in UK, that involved risk assessments of salt cavities for storage of ethylene and natural gas. With the current development of gas storage for improving supply security in UK and elsewhere, Haztech has been involved in many aspects of gas storage projects.
- COMAH Pre-construction Safety Case and Hazard & Risk Assessmen
- MAPP – Major Accident Prevention Plans
- Emergency Response, Fire and Explosion Hazard Assessment (COMAH)
- Expert Witness support
- Hazard Identification and Hazard Assessment
- Safety Case and Risk Assessment
- Hazard and Operability Studies for gas compression plant and associated pipeline.
- Up-rate of feed engineering package for LNG import, storage and re-gasification project.
Large Combustion Plant Directive - Hazards & Risk Management
The Large Combustion Plants (National Emission Reduction Plan) Regulations 2007 implements the 
European Directive 2001/80/EC on large combustion plant in UK. To comply with emission allowances, it is necessary to install systems and equipment to remove NOX from flue gases using catalytic (CATNOX) systems.
Ammonia for use in this process, stored in bulk on site, introduces a number of Hazards that are new to the power industry, that need to be addressed and which require specialist knowledge. Ammonia, one of the most hazardous chemicals, is flammable, toxic to 
humans, very toxic to aquatic organisms and is subject to regulations including COMAH and PPC. To safely manage its use requires experience and expertise that Haztech Consultants specialises in, drawing on our relevant experience in the
Pipelines - Major Accident Hazards
Specialist support from Haztech supports 
compliance with regulations for operators. Involvement of Haztech in the initial design of new facilities facilitates project development and an acceptable design before the commitment of major capital investment.
Typical areas of service:
- Support on pre-work associated with Notification under Regulation 20
- Pre-construction Safety Cases, HAZIDs & HazOps, Risk Assessments
- Compliance advice on regulations and design codes
- Input on the mandatory Major Accident Prevention Document
- Advice on Corrosion control measures for Coatings & Cathodic protection
- Advice on Hydrostatic Testing and compliance with design code
Haztech Pipelines Experience
- Assessment of high pressure onshore and offshore pipeline design, construction and hydrostatic testing proposals, related to compliance with appropriate design codes and UK legislation.
- Support in preparation and compliance with Major Accident Prevention Documents in accordance with the Pipelines Safety Regulations.
- Inspection of pipeline construction activities related to securing proper construction and ongoing integrity.
- Review of corrosion management proposals for pipelines and facilities - in particular choice of coating systems and cathodic protection arrangements.
- Support for preparation of safety cases (or exemptions) related to compliance with the Gas Safety Management Regulations