Lessons from Our HAZOP Facilitators

Our HAZOP Facilitators have sat through more HAZOPs than they can count, both outside of Vanguard and during their time working with us; chairing them, scribing them, working the design side of the table, or just observing them when they were still a bright-eyed graduate. This combined experience where the lessons live. So we sat a few of them down and asked what they’ve learn from their years of facilitation.

What makes a good HAZOP?

Brendan Fitzgerald:
One where the design information is readily available with a knowledgeable team and a well-developed design.

Scott Cresswell:
It’s a combination of a few things, but namely when there is a clear scope, good Terms of Reference, up-to-date design information, a knowledgeable team, and enough time to properly examine the nodes to explore credible scenarios properly. It is also important not to underappreciate the role of a good Scribe. A poor Scribe can derail a workshop just as much as a poor Facilitator, so it’s worth investing in a strong Facilitator / Scribe relationship.

Daryl Paculanang:
A good HAZOP is well prepared, well facilitated, and supported by the right workshop team. It should have a clear scope, structured discussion, constructive participation, and clear documentation of scenarios, causes, consequences, safeguards, and actions. The outcome should be a HAZOP record that is practical, traceable, and easy to understand, even by someone who was not involved in the workshop.

What makes up a good Workshop Team?

Brendan Fitzgerald:
Attendees who are informed and confident in their knowledge.  Most particularly, who are willing to participate but also willing to listen to each other.

Scott Cresswell:
The right mix of people with practical knowledge of the design, operations, maintenance, controls, and safety aspects. Just as importantly, the team needs to be engaged, prepared, willing to speak up, and willing to listen to each other.

Daryl Paculanang:
A good workshop team is one that can openly discuss and constructively challenge each other’s views, including disagreeing at times on scenarios or safeguards. Ultimately, the team should be able to come together, align on the outcome, and ensure the HAZOP achieves its intended purpose.

What is something you learned from a bad HAZOP?

Brendan Fitzgerald:
A Facilitator should be prepared to stop a HAZOP.  I have done so more than once, where the attendees were not able to provide answers or data to the questions that arose.  Continuing would have been fruitless, because nothing was being learned and instead we would have created a mountain of recommendations asking for data and design issues to be confirmed.

Scott Cresswell:
Make sure to allow for sufficient time to prepare for a HAZOP.  HAZOPs can fail before the workshop even starts because of poor preparation, or where information is not readily available. As per Benjamin Franklin’s words: “By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail”.

Daryl Paculanang:
One thing I learned from a bad HAZOP is that clear documentation is critical. I have seen an existing HAZOP that had to be repeated because the records were vague and difficult to follow. The HAZOP record should be written clearly enough that someone who was not in the workshop can still understand the scenarios, discussions, and basis for the outcomes.

Do you have any HAZOP War Stories?

Brendan Fitzgerald:
I was the Scribe for a major HAZOP series of a whole refinery, unit by unit.  We started reviewing the Sulphur Recovery Unit.  These units have a record of explosions in refineries around the world.  The Unit Manager did not want to be there because of maintenance work being carried out on the unit.  He was being very grumpy and uncooperative.  We were examining a scenario which, if followed to the potential outcome without controls, could lead to explosion.

Suddenly, the Unit Manager ran out of the room.  We could not continue without him.  So we took a break and then spend a little time dealing with parking lot items, while we waited for him.  When he returned, he was very chastened and explained that the scenario we were examining could occur in start-up.  We had identified that there was only one trip that protected against escalation.  He had realised that they were going to start-up that morning, would pass through the potential window for the scenario we had identified and he know that the trip had been isolated by maintenance override.  So ran out to stop the start-up.  He had then put the start-up on hold until the HAZOP was finished and was the best participant in the rest of the HAZOP!

Scott Cresswell:
We were carrying out a retrospective HAZOP for rotating equipment at an existing facility. The Facilitator and Scribe had been flown out to site for a workshop expected to run for 6+ weeks. Not far into the first session, it was evident that the team were missing several of the vendor P&IDs. The next few days were spent trying to locate them, which was difficult due to the age of the facility and drawings. In some cases, the P&IDs that were found were barely legible.  As a result, only 2 nodes were reviewed over the course of a week.

A decision was made to call off the workshop early and to be reconvened once all the vendor P&IDs were located and made accessible to the workshop team. The key lesson was that HAZOP preparation is not just an administrative step; it directly affects the quality and efficiency of the workshop.

Daryl Paculanang:
I once attended a HAZOP where the facilitator and scribe were not aligned, and their disagreement started to affect the workshop. A new scribe eventually had to continue the HAZOP. The lesson I took from this is that the facilitator and scribe must work closely together to keep the workshop focused, productive, and professional.

What is the Number 1 advice you can give to a new Facilitator?

Brendan Fitzgerald:
You don’t have to provide all the answers.  The HAZOP team are there to do that.  You ask the questions and if you don’t follow how their answer fits, then ask some more.

Scott Cresswell:
It’s important to keep the workshop participants engaged. As the Facilitator, you are driving the energy in the room. This can be difficult, particularly during long workshops, so it’s important to be mindful of both your own energy levels and those of the participants. Do not be afraid to call for a break, even when there are schedule pressures.

Daryl Paculanang:
Preparation cannot be underestimated. Put time and effort in preparing for the workshop. A new HAZOP Facilitator should invest time before the workshop to understand the process, review the key documents, define the scope and nodes, and ensure the right team is available. A well-prepared facilitator can guide the discussion more effectively and help the team identify hazards more thoroughly.

About Our Facilitators

Brendan Fitzgerald — Managing Director
Co-Founder and Managing Director of Vanguard Solutions, Brendan has over 40 years experience in Risk and Safety Engineering, Process Design and Process Simulation. Brendan is well-regarded in the industry for his technical expertise and for his leadership on risk and safety issues. Brendan’s specific expertise lies in an ability to apply safety analysis / risk assessment techniques to any operation, activity or equipment, with a pragmatic understanding of the context, whatever the industry. A renowned workshop facilitator and qualified HAZOP & SIL/LOPA Chair, Brendan’s passion for Process Safety was forged by his role in supporting a legal team at the Piper Alpha Inquiry, where he led the work that disproved one of the two main theories for the cause of the disaster.

Scott Cresswell — Lead Process Safety Engineer
Scott is a focused and result driven Chartered Professional Engineer (MIEAust CP Eng) with more than 12 years of experience working in the oil and gas, utilities, and mining sectors. Scott has strong leadership qualities and has led projects and personnel across international offices operating in different time zones. In addition, he has led audit teams for Safety Case and compliance audits and facilitated several high priority technical investigations for Major Hazard Facilities.

Daryl Paculanang — Senior Process Safety Engineer
Daryl has over 10 years of experience in the Oil & Gas Industry working as Process Design / Process Safety Engineer. Daryl’s key experience is in process design, process safety management, management of change, HAZOP, LOPA, and incident investigation. His key strengths include the ability to effectively engage with internal and external stakeholders for successful delivery of outcomes. His work around demanding HAZOP and LOPA workshops over a significant period is a good illustration of his work ethic and ability to achieve effective outcomes.

Do you have your own question for our facilitators? Interested in booking one of them? Send us an email on admin@vanguardsolutions.com.au or using our contact page.

Vanguard Solutions is an independent process safety and risk engineering consultancy based in Perth, working across oil & gas, LNG, mining and major hazard facilities worldwide.