LOPA Independent Protection Layers -
Common Pitfalls in IPL Selection
Those who work in high hazard industries are familiar with the OSHA Process Safety Management (PSM) requirements for routine Process Hazard Analyses (PHA) for their processes.  Hazard and Operability (HAZOP) and Layer of Protection Analysis (LOPA) are recognized methods for PHA. LOPA is widely used as a semi-quantitative method to identify, assess, and improve the most effective safeguards for higher consequence scenarios identified in a qualitative HAZOP study. Many companies and LOPA practitioners employ excellent practices to identify and validate IPLs during LOPA. However, it is surprisingly common for significant IPL selection errors to be encountered during externally facilitated revalidation PHAs, audits and other types of process safety reviews.  
Aging Equipment is Not Getting Any Younger

Time is constantly working against operating equipment in a plant. Over time, components of the equipment reach the end of their useful lifespan and need to be replaced. Manufacturers go out of business or are no longer producing parts for antiquated equipment. The technology advances, and new and improved standardized models are developed, causing components to become outdated or obsolete. Many processing facilities in the United States were built decades ago and have never been upgraded.  
Raising the Stakes with your Process Safety Audit Team

Those who work in high hazard industries are familiar with the OSHA Process Safety Management (PSM) and EPA Risk Management Plan (RMP) requirements for routine audits to assess and verify compliance with these regulations. Completion and follow-up on findings from audits are an important element for continuous improvement and regulatory compliance.
Find us next week at the AIChE 2022 Spring Meeting & 18th Global Congress on Process Safety
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