Hazard and Operability Study (HAZOP)

A systematic qualitative technique to identify process hazards and potential operating problems using a series of guide words to study process deviations. A HAZOP is used to question every part of a process to discover what deviations from the intention of the design can occur and what their causes and consequences may be. This is done systematically by applying suitable guidewords. This is a systematic detailed review technique, for both batch and continuous plants, which can be applied to new or existing processes to identify hazards.