Competence Requirements For Process Hazard Analysis (PHA) Teams

Process hazard analysis (PHA) is the foundation of process safety management programs. The quality of the PHA performed for a process directly affects the level of risk for the process. There are few requirements in OSHA’s process safety management regulations for PHA teams other than that the PHA shall be performed by a team with expertise in engineering and process operations, the team shall include at least one employee who has experience and knowledge specific to the process being evaluated, and one member of the team must be knowledgeable in the specific PHA method being used. Clearly, more detailed requirements for participation in a PHA are desirable.

Criteria for selecting PHA team leaders and team members are described in this paper. The criteria cover both technical capabilities and personal characteristics. Application of the criteria is described. Team performance metrics along with feedback mechanisms are discussed. Owing to the importance of the role played by team leaders, certification of their competence against a set of criteria is desirable. Criteria for certification are described and their application discussed.