With more companies instituting competency management programs, greater scrutiny is being placed on the selection of PHA/LOPA facilitators, regardless of whether they are third-party or internal resources. As companies see the value of conducting high quality PHA studies, more emphasis is being placed on finding a facilitator who is thoroughly competent to perform a top notch study. But how do companies assure the competency of potential PHA/LOPA facilitators? Simply finding someone who has some knowledge of the process being reviewed isn’t enough. Neither is a reference check or two.
The easiest way is to let somebody else assure their competency. PHA and LOPA facilitators can obtain professional certifications in order to demonstrate their capabilities. Professional certification involves the facilitator providing their credentials and evidence of appropriate training and experience, as well as demonstrating their capabilities by taking a standardized examination. Utilization of a certified facilitator provides assurance that the individual can perform a quality PHA/LOPA study.
Another way to tell if your facilitator is competent is to assess their knowledge of the latest industry guidelines. Most PHA and LOPA facilitators will stay abreast of industry publications for performing studies. But are they also aware of industry-specific guidelines that can impact the performance of PHA and LOPA studies, such as ones from the American Petroleum Institute (API) or Compressed Gas Association (CGA)? Do they stay up to date with the latest versions of IEC 61511 / ISA 84 that impact the performance of LOPA studies? If not, you risk conducting a study that may not be compliant with the latest applicable codes and regulations.
Something else to consider is the training the facilitator has received. This may seem a little more obvious, but is it given the proper amount of attention? Think of training courses you’ve attended. Is all of the information from those courses retained years later? Unfortunately not, which is why PHA/LOPA facilitators should attend refresher courses, as well as advanced courses, to continuously maintain and broaden their skills and knowledge.
You could also have a review performed for a study they’ve conducted. Does the study contain an appropriate level of detail? Were technical, industry and regulatory guidelines met? Was a consistent approach and documentation style used? While you might not be able to assess their people skills from such a review, it would give you an idea of how well other issues were addressed.
Having a competent facilitator for your next PHA and/or LOPA study can make all the difference. But are you taking the time and making the proper checks to ensure that the individual is competent? PHA and LOPA studies should be performed by competent individuals so companies can conduct meaningful studies and take proper risk prevention and mitigation measures at their facilities.