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HAZOP is a structured multi-disciplinary workshop with the objective of identifying hazards and operability issues in new designs or design modifications. The HAZOP technique is typically applied to process designs in many different industries, such as oil and gas, automotive, nuclear, etc. EHAZOP, or Electrical HAZOP, is the application of the HAZOP technique for electrical designs.
HAZOP and EHAZOP process
As for process installations carrying hazardous substances, electrical currents can also be potentially harmful. Furthermore, operability and availability issues are costly since electrical power is often an essential utility for operations. Traditionally, the electrical design is only cross-checked by the use of standard design reviews. The main purpose of EHAZOP is to assure that the design of each sub-component is according to applicable standards, laws, and regulations. Ultimately, the end-user or integrator will have the responsibility to analyze and mitigate possible hazards. This is due to e.g. interface misalignment or package designs not conforming to specifications.
EHAZOP methodology and application
An Electrical HAZOP (EHAZOP) is conducted to offer a complement for design reviews as an organized brainstorming. EHAZOP is carried out with participation from parties involved in the design and engineering of the electric system together with the suppliers and end users. The methodology is based on IEC 61882 with appropriate guidelines and parameters. A typical strategy is to divide the system into nodes corresponding to the different bus bar voltage levels (e.g. 24V, 110V, 11 kV, etc). The parameters, besides the more typical voltage, current, power, frequency, earthing, etc…, shall also involve more typical HAZID parameters in relation to the electric design, such as lightning protection, fire protection, location, housing, etc. The guidewords are usually over, spike, under, dip, offset, fault, segregation, load shedding, and blackout, among others, depending on the specific design. ORS will tailor-made the EHAZOP to your needs and electric design.
EHAZOP risk analysis advantages
EHAZOP is truly an advantageous tool for custom systems where a high level of integration is required. It is a recognized exercise to help minimize the risk inherently associated with high-power installations. ORS's experience with EHAZOPs has proven useful to clients for refining their electrical design with safety and operability in mind. Learn also about "HAZOP vs HAZID – when is one more useful than the other?"
