Process safety • COMAH support • Hazard studies • Risk reduction
Process Safety
Practical process safety support for organisations handling hazardous substances, energetic processes, flammable gases, vapours, combustible dusts and complex industrial operations.
We help companies establish and strengthen Process Safety Management systems, support COMAH compliance, understand major accident hazards and maintain effective risk controls throughout the lifecycle of hazardous operations.
Process Safety as a Discipline and Management System
Process safety is the organisational and engineering discipline used to prevent major incidents involving hazardous materials, loss of containment, fire, explosion, toxic release and uncontrolled energy. It is broader than a single study and distinct from general occupational safety.
An effective Process Safety Management system brings together leadership, technical knowledge, competent people, reliable safeguards, operating discipline and lifecycle assurance. These elements operate continuously and reinforce one another; they are not a linear sequence of project steps.
ExConform supports organisations in strengthening these interconnected elements, from governance and hazard analysis through to engineering controls, management of change, assurance and learning from operational experience. For establishments subject to the Control of Major Accident Hazards Regulations (COMAH), these activities can also support the Major Accident Prevention Policy, Safety Management System and the technical demonstration that major accident risks are being appropriately controlled.
Corrosive and highly toxic substances
Process Safety for Hazardous Chemical Operations
Processes involving corrosive or highly toxic substances require careful control of containment, compatibility, transfer, ventilation, exposure pathways and emergency response.
We support the review of chemical storage, dosing, treatment, transfer and process systems to identify credible failure scenarios and define practical prevention, detection, mitigation and recovery measures.
Delivered by Senior Process Safety Expertise
The service is delivered by a highly skilled professional with years of experience as a Process Safety Subject Matter Expert for a global aerospace industry organisation and as a consultant across multiple industrial sectors in Europe.
This combination of corporate process safety ownership and cross-sector consulting experience enables practical, risk-based and defensible support for complex hazardous operations.
Process Safety and COMAH Support Services
We support organisations with structured process safety and COMAH support, from management system development through to detailed hazard studies, consequence assessment and technical risk analysis.
Process Safety Management and COMAH Support
We help organisations define and implement practical Process Safety Management structures, responsibilities, procedures and documentation suitable for hazardous operations, including establishments operating under COMAH.
Facilitating HAZOPs for Hazardous Processes
We facilitate structured HAZOP studies to identify process deviations, causes, consequences, existing safeguards and recommended actions.
Facilitating LOPA and SIL Identification Studies
We support Layer of Protection Analysis and SIL identification studies to determine whether safeguards are adequate and whether safety instrumented functions are required. For COMAH establishments, these studies can support demonstration that major accident scenarios have appropriately justified layers of protection.
Dispersion Modelling for Hazardous Releases
We support consequence assessment for hazardous gases and vapours, helping organisations understand potential release behaviour and impact zones. Dispersion modelling can also provide technical input to COMAH major accident scenario assessment and Safety Report consequence analysis where applicable.
Explosion Protection Documents
We prepare or support Explosion Protection Documents, including structured assessment of explosion hazards, ignition source controls and required protective measures.
ATEX / DSEAR and Hazardous Area Classification
We support explosion safety assessment, identification of potential ignition sources and classification of hazardous areas for flammable gases, vapours, mists and combustible dusts.
On-site and off-site impact
Process Hazard Analysis and Environmental Risk Assessment
Process Hazard Analysis methods such as HAZOP and LOPA help identify credible hazardous events, understand their causes and test whether safeguards provide sufficient risk reduction.
Where a scenario may extend beyond the immediate process area, consequence and Environmental Risk Assessment can be used to evaluate on-site and off-site impacts, release pathways and sensitive receptors.
For COMAH establishments, environmental major accident scenarios and potential off-site consequences form an important part of the overall major-hazard assessment. Depending on the credible scenarios, ERA and consequence modelling can support the technical justification of prevention and mitigation measures and the preparation of Safety Report information.
Typical Process Safety Deliverables
Select the right analysis method
Different Types of Process Hazard Analysis
HAZOP, LOPA and Bow-Tie assessments answer different questions. They can be used independently or combined to move from structured hazard identification to risk evaluation, barrier assurance and clear communication of major accident scenarios.
Hazard and Operability Study
A systematic, multidisciplinary review that applies guidewords to process parameters and operating intentions. HAZOP identifies deviations, causes, consequences, existing safeguards and actions for further risk reduction.
Explore HAZOP services →Layer of Protection Analysis
A semi-quantitative method used to test whether independent protection layers provide sufficient risk reduction for a defined scenario and to support decisions on additional safeguards or SIL targets.
Explore LOPA services →Barrier-Based Scenario Assessment
Bow-Tie analysis presents the relationship between threats, a central loss-of-control event, consequences and the preventive and mitigative barriers intended to manage the scenario. It is especially useful for barrier ownership, assurance and communicating complex risk pathways to operational teams.
Supporting Technical Studies
Process Hazard Analysis is often strengthened by consequence, environmental, explosion and functional safety studies. We help select the right level of analysis and translate findings into practical risk reduction actions.
SIL Identification
Identification of safety instrumented functions and required SIL targets based on process risk scenarios.
Dispersion Modelling
Consequence modelling for hazardous gas and vapour releases to support impact assessment and emergency planning.
Environmental Risk Assessment
Assessment of release pathways, environmental receptors and potential on-site and off-site consequences.
Ignition Source Analysis
Systematic assessment of effective ignition sources, control measures and ATEX-related design considerations.
Hazardous Area Classification
Classification of zones where explosive atmospheres may occur, supporting equipment selection and risk control.
Explosion Protection Review
Structured review of explosion prevention, protection, mitigation and associated technical documentation.
Typical Applications and Sectors
Process safety principles apply wherever hazardous substances, flammable materials, pressurised systems, reactive processes or energetic events may create major accident potential.
Hazardous gas systems
Hydrogen, fuel gases, toxic gases, process gases and gas handling equipment.
Corrosive and toxic chemicals
Bulk storage, day tanks, dosing systems, treatment baths and transfer systems.
Flammable liquids and vapours
Storage, transfer, mixing, heating, cleaning and flammable release scenarios.
Combustible dusts
Powder handling, granulate conveying, filtration and dust explosion risk areas.
Industrial process equipment
Reactors, vessels, compressors, blowers, pumps, pipework and control systems.
Aerospace and advanced manufacturing
High-reliability operations, complex processes and hazardous materials.
Environmental and site risk
Air, drainage, surface water, soil and off-site impact pathways.
Multi-sector industrial operations
Manufacturing, chemical handling, energy systems, laboratories and pilot plants.
COMAH and Major Hazard Establishments
Support for major accident hazard identification, consequence assessment, risk reduction, functional safety, environmental risk and technical inputs to COMAH compliance.
Why Process Safety Matters
Process safety incidents are often the result of multiple small weaknesses aligning: incomplete hazard identification, weak safeguards, unclear responsibilities, insufficient operating discipline, poor change control or inadequate emergency planning.
A strong process safety approach helps organisations move from reactive compliance to proactive risk management, ensuring that credible major accident scenarios are understood, controlled and documented.
Need Process Safety or COMAH Support?
Whether you need Process Safety Management or COMAH support, HAZOP facilitation, LOPA and SIL identification, hazardous chemical process review, Environmental Risk Assessment, dispersion modelling, ATEX / DSEAR assessment, hazardous area classification or explosion protection documentation, we can support you with practical, technically grounded process safety expertise.