Our client, a global food manufacturing company, operated production sites across various continents, each site operated similar processes. However, each of these sites has slight variations in the process, safety culture, and regulatory environments. The client faced significant challenges in standardising process safety and risk management practices across their global operations.
While some locations adhered to rigorous safety protocols, others lacked consistency in process safety management (PSM) frameworks, leading to potential gaps in safety. The client sought assistance to standardise their risk management practices and ensure uniform safety standards across all their sites.
We recommended conducting a Hazard and Operability Study (HAZOP) on the most up-to-date process design at one of their primary manufacturing facilities. Finch setup and facilitated the HAZOP studies for the process, ensuring relevant personnel were present for the workshops.
We recommended that personnel from other global sites to be involved with the HAZOP study to allow them to have insight into the process and provide insight to their site-specific differences.
This study then served as the reference HAZOP for all other global sites. The reference HAZOP report, worksheet and Piping & Instrumentation Diagrams (P&IDs) were provided to each of the site. Each global site was tasked with reviewing its local processes against this standardised HAZOP framework. They identified any deviations in design and additional site-specific hazards.
This approach allowed the client to identify hazards across multiple global locations, allowing them to implement targeted controls to mitigate risk. Rather than conducting a full-scale HAZOP for each site, the reference framework saved time and resources, enabling a cost-effective yet thorough examination of hazards and risk management approach.
The standardised process not only reduced safety risks but also helped the client improve operational efficiency and ensure regulatory compliance across diverse geographical regions. By unifying their safety protocols, the client was able to maintain a safer work environment and reduce incidents, demonstrating leadership in global food manufacturing safety.
This case highlights the importance of HAZOP and process safety management in ensuring consistent safety practices across global operations, particularly in the food manufacturing industry.
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