Managing Major Incident Risks Effectively 

A Formal Safety Assessment is a structured, evidence-based process for ensuring that effective controls are in place to manage the risks associated with major incident hazards.  It brings together proven techniques to identify, evaluate, and control risks, while ensuring compliance with regulatory safety standards. 

Safety Solutions has been helping organisations protect people, assets, and the environment through high-quality safety assessments and facilitation services. 

Safety in Design

The Four Core Steps in a Formal Safety Assessment 

1 – Hazard Identification 

The first step is to identify significant process safety scenarios that require detailed assessment. Early identification ensures that appropriate controls are put in place before issues escalate. 

Common hazard identification techniques we facilitate include: 

  • HAZOP (Hazard and Operability Study) – for analysing processes and operational procedures. 
  • HAZID (Hazard Identification) – a structured method for identifying hazards across facilities. 
  • A well-run hazard identification study systematically captures all potential hazards, creating a strong foundation for the next stages of assessment. 
2 – Risk Assessment

Once hazards are identified, we assess their likelihood and potential consequences to determine the level of risk. This aim of this stage includes an assessment of the: 

  • The likelihood of the causes leading to major incidents 
  • The effectiveness of existing controls preventing the consequences from occurring 
  • Any gaps that need addressing 
  • Identification of critical controls that require enhanced assurance.  

Techniques include: 

  • LOPA (Layer of Protection Analysis) 
  • Bowtie Risk Analysis 
  • Risk Matrices 
  • Consequence Modelling  

Our goal is to ensure every control is fit-for-purpose and proportionate to the risk it manages. 

3 – SFARP (So Far as Is Reasonably Practicable) Assessment

We evaluate whether all practicable steps have been taken to reduce risk to a level that is as low as reasonably practicable. This includes: 

  • Documenting what controls should be implemented based on industry good practice, prior incidents and standards. 
  • Performing a cost benefit analysis of potential additional controls 
  • Documenting the decision-making process for compliance and audit purposes 
4 – Operational Assurance

The final step ensures that performance standards are established for each critical control, with clear monitoring and testing procedures.  This ongoing assurance verifies that safety measures remain effective throughout their lifecycle.

The Benefits of a Formal Safety Assessment 

  • Enabling Effective Risk Management by a thorough understanding of the major incidents that could occur. 
  • Informed Decision-Making – empowering leadership with clear, evidence-based insights 

Why Choose Safety Solutions for Your Safety Assessment? 

  • Established Since 1993 – Over 30 years of proven experience across high-hazard industries. 
  • End-to-End Capability – from HAZOP and HAZID to LOPA, Bowtie, and SFARP. 
  • Industry-Specific Expertise – dairy, power generation, oil & gas, petrochemicals, pulp & paper, infrastructure, and water treatment.
  • Compliance Confidence – aligning with regulatory requirements.

CONTACT US to discuss your next formal safety assessment and learn how we can help you achieve compliance with confidence.

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