(123a) To Boldly Go - Exploring Common Pitfalls and Missteps for PHA Facilitators

In Star Trek: The Next Generation, Commander Riker quotes the great Sun Tzu when he says, "He will triumph who knows when to fight and when not to fight." Although Riker was battling the Ferengi, the same wisdom can be used by Process Hazard Analysis leaders in their pursuit of victory over human bias and other common but dangerous stumbling blocks. An experienced facilitator knows where the dangers lie and how to defeat them, whether it's taking a defensive formation against a barrage of "that's never happened here" or staging an intelligence gathering operation against poorly documented protection layers. But for less experienced PHA leaders or anyone new to the world of process safety, these common pitfalls pose more of a threat.

This paper uses scenarios developed from popular Sci-Fi and Fantasy franchises to introduce PHA-LOPA concepts to the next generation of process safety professionals and to illustrate commonly seen missteps, such as failing to consider site-specific history or underestimating risk due to improper reliance on safeguards. Whether in a galaxy far, far away or in a chemical facility here on Earth, a well-prepared, organized, and open-minded PHA team with a fearless leader can work together to successfully analyze and reduce risk.