Name two common hazard identification methods and briefly describe each.

• A. HAZOP – a systematic study using guide words to identify possible deviations from design; What-If – brainstorming potential deviations and consequences to identify safeguards.
• B. HAZOP is a financial risk assessment method; What-If is a regulatory code.
• C. HAZOP is a training program; What-If is a maintenance procedure.
• D. HAZOP and What-If are identical.

Answer: (D)

Hazard identification methods used in process safety include HAZOP and What-If analyses. HAZOP is a structured, team-based review of a process design where a facilitator uses guide words to probe deviations from the design intent (for example, “no flow,” “more pressure,” or “less temperature”) and explores whether those deviations could lead to hazardous situations and what safeguards might prevent them. What-If analysis is a flexible brainstorming approach that asks broad questions about what could go wrong, what the consequences might be, and whether existing controls are adequate, often yielding a wide range of scenarios and recommended mitigations. These methods are complementary and help uncover potential hazards early in design or changes in operation; they are not financial risk tools, regulatory codes, training programs, or maintenance procedures, and they are not identical in approach.