What is Management of Hazards? This post will give some brief details about Hazards management in process or functional safety.
Reducing risks to As Low As Reasonably Practicable (ALARP) means reducing them to a level at which the cost and effort (time and trouble) of further risk reduction are grossly disproportionate to the risk reduction attained.
The main part of ALARP finding is the robustness and reliability of the risk reduction measures. The risk is probably not yet ALARP, if control is just achieved when using a control measure which is prone to failure, such a wearing of PPE. In these cases a more robust control measure should be considered.
Following steps should be considered based on its importance, for risk reduction.
First and topmost and most effective way to reduce risk is Elimination of the hazard.
Implementing alternative substituting processes which could have lower risk hazards is second step to achieve risk reduction.
Risk reduction is possible by physically segregation of hazard to avoid expose from some targets by using Isolation or Separation.
Engineering design is called as Engineered Safeguards to prevent risk by designing to prevent unwanted event or to mitigate unwanted consequences.
Training, competency, communication elements are the Organizational Controls which are key element for safe operation of a facility and supporting the engineered design safeguards.
Procedures or Procedural controls are next step of Hazard Management and for safe operation of plant. These are the work permits, operating procedures, work instructions.
PPE (Personal protective equipment) this is last step, which will not prevent the hazard even does nothing to mitigate it. It just protect one person at a time of any hazard or consequences and hence it is least effective for Hazard Management.
