As a critical part of a robust safety culture, Hazard and Operability (HAZOP) studies provide a systematic approach to identifying risks in industrial settings. As crucial as they are, there’s no denying that they are time-consuming and costly – requiring large teams to dedicate significant time gathering and analysing huge volumes of process documentation.
Advances in artificial intelligence are now providing a faster, more accurate way to deliver HAZOP studies and re-HAZOPs – reducing the burden on organisations while automatically generating a ‘live’ report with clear actionable insights.
Vysus Group, in partnership with Kairos Technology, has combined decades of risk and asset management expertise with the latest explainable artificial intelligence (AI) to develop HAZOP Assistant – a digital solution that uses existing drawings to create a digital twin of the industrial plant. Combining AI with functional modelling, the tool systematically evaluates potential hazards, ensuring a more consistent and objective analysis. It can automatically test and analyse multiple process simulations and flag potential risks within seconds, rather than the hours or days human analysis would take.
The approach not only enhances the accuracy of the studies but also standardises the process, reducing the impact of human variability, increasing the quality of the studies.
Three key ways a digital HAZOP solution can transform studies and report generation:
1. Fast and accurate data collection and analysis
In traditional HAZOP studies, the identification and analysis of potential hazards can be a lengthy and resource-intensive process, often relying on manual assessments and periodic reviews. The approach is subject to expert judgement which naturally influences the study’s outcome and makes it difficult to repeat consistently.
Human error has long been a significant risk factor in traditional HAZOP studies, where the outcomes heavily depend on the expertise and judgment of the team members involved. Variations in experience, cognitive biases, and even fatigue can introduce inconsistencies or oversights into the process. Furthermore, the availability of key personnel can delay studies, impacting project timelines and potentially increasing operational risks.
What’s more, with engineers required to go through each node repeatedly throughout the study, it is easy for human errors to creep in, and data to be incorrectly captured or missed during analysis.
By automating the hazard identification process, tools such as HAZOP Assistant not only accelerate the pace of HAZOP studies but also ensure a level of accuracy that manual assessments may struggle to achieve.
2. Reduced time requirement of senior experts
HAZOP studies require a significant time commitment from an organization’s senior leadership team. Often 10 or more subject matter experts will be required to travel to the asset each week over at least six weeks to participate in HAZOP workshops and analysis. The coordination of these subject matter experts alone can be an administrative headache, not to mention the impact on day-to-day operations.
Digital HAZOP tools decrease the dependency on the continuous availability of experts. It allows organisations to maintain high-quality risk assessments even when key personnel are unavailable, thereby streamlining operations and reducing bottlenecks. In doing so, it ensures that the highest safety standards are upheld consistently, regardless of individual expertise or resource constraints.
3. Time and cost saver
Digital HAZOP solution significantly reduce the time and resources needed to conduct HAZOP studies. For instance, in a medium-sized unit, Vysus Group’s HAZOP Assistant can cut the time spent on a HAZOP study by up to 35% compared to traditional methods. This time efficiency translates to quicker decision-making and faster implementation of safety measures. The power of a digital solution allows the team to gather and analyse huge amounts of data in little time. This functionality can be used in HAZOPs to leave the heavy lifting of the study for the AI software while they can focus on discussing high-risk scenarios or those with no safeguards.
If you’re ready to discover how having HAZOP Assistant as your HSE co-pilot can transform your next study, get in touch with our today. Email alfredo.haubold@vysusgroup.com
