Preliminary hazard Analysis (PHA): Hazard Identification Technique for Work Accident Prevention

Abstract

The Preliminary Hazard Analysis (PHA) technique is a tool used to search for basic hazards and used to search for hazards during the design of production processes or machines in order to set adequate safety measures before production starts. In addition, this technique is very useful for proactive safety management. The PHA technique has a complicated procedure that can use to investigate basic causes of accidents. The implementation of PHA has a total of 6 steps, including analyzing scope determining, the risk level estimation criteria based on relevant factors, hazard analysis team, risk evaluation and eliminating or reducing risk. For the input for hazard identification this consists of data from manuals of concerned machinery, electrical systems, toxicity of chemicals, work instructions and past accident information, etc. The output part consists of issues of various mistakes of process units or machines, danger source and defects or inadequacy of safety measures. Hazardous findings must be registered on the Preliminary Hazard List (PHL) together with the risk level. Risk level should be determined based on the likelihood of occurrence and severity or other factors associated. Hazard identification with this technique leads to the initial system safety requirements (SSRs). However, this technique is only a Preliminary Hazard Analysis. For increasing capabilities, this technique should be used with other techniques such as failure mode effects analysis (FMEA) or what-if.