We assist organizations in developing and implementing comprehensive Process Safety Management (PSM) systems. These systems are essential for ensuring the safe design, operation, and maintenance of industrial processes involving hazardous substances. PSM helps manage process risks and promotes a culture of safety throughout the entire lifecycle of a process. By integrating regulatory requirements with industry best practices, our approach enhances operational discipline and risk control. We provide tailored solutions to help clients meet compliance standards and foster continuous improvement in safety performance.

Our PSM Gap Analysis service thoroughly evaluates your current process safety systems against established industry standards and regulatory frameworks. We identify areas where your existing practices fall short and provide actionable recommendations to address these gaps. This process ensures compliance with key regulations, such as OSHA PSM and EPA RMP, and promotes best-in-class safety performance. Our approach highlights both strengths and weaknesses, enabling informed decision-making for risk management. The result is a more robust and efficient process safety management framework tailored to your operations.

AST Spark conducts Process Hazard Analysis (PHA) to systematically identify and assess risks associated with industrial operations. PHA helps uncover potential process deviations that could lead to hazardous events, allowing for proactive mitigation strategies. Our team utilizes methodologies like HAZOP, What-if, and FMEA to ensure a thorough risk assessment. We focus on evaluating the causes and consequences of process failures to enhance overall safety and reliability. This critical safety service supports regulatory compliance and provides a foundation for ongoing risk management initiatives.

Our HAZOP studies involve a detailed and structured analysis of process systems to identify potential hazards and operability issues. By evaluating design intentions and possible deviations, we identify risks early in the project or operational phase. The HAZOP method involves a multidisciplinary team reviewing process parameters to ensure all scenarios are considered. We provide actionable recommendations to mitigate risks, enhance safety, and improve process efficiency. This proactive study is essential for ensuring that safety is embedded in the design and operation of your systems.

Our Quantitative Risk Assessments (QRA) provide a numerical estimate of risks posed by industrial processes involving hazardous substances. We calculate the probability and potential consequences of adverse events, such as fires, explosions, or toxic releases. This enables clients to understand their risk profile and prioritize mitigation efforts based on quantified data. QRA results support safety decision-making, facility siting, emergency response planning, and regulatory compliance. Our rigorous analysis empowers organizations to implement effective risk reduction measures and maintain high safety standards.

We conduct HAZID studies to systematically identify and evaluate potential hazards in specific operational areas or during project planning. This qualitative technique involves structured brainstorming sessions with multidisciplinary teams to uncover threats early in the process. HAZID helps ensure that risks are identified before they escalate, allowing for early-stage mitigation. Our experts guide teams through the identification of potential scenarios, assess the effectiveness of existing controls, and recommend improvements. This method contributes significantly to safer project designs and operations.

Our HIRA services focus on identifying potential workplace hazards and evaluating the risks associated with them. Through detailed assessments, we help organizations determine the likelihood and severity of possible incidents. HIRA enables the implementation of targeted control measures, reducing the impact of identified hazards. We tailor our approach to suit your operations, ensuring compliance with safety regulations and internal policies. This systematic method supports a culture of continuous safety awareness and proactive risk management.

AST Spark performs FERA studies to evaluate the likelihood and potential impact of fire and explosion scenarios in your operations. We analyze hazardous materials, ignition sources, and potential failure modes that could result in fire or explosion. Using industry-standard modeling tools and methodologies, we quantify risks and identify areas needing enhanced controls. Our recommendations include engineering and administrative controls to minimize risk and ensure compliance with fire safety standards. This service is vital for protecting personnel, assets, and the environment.

We carry out FMEA to proactively identify and assess the potential failure modes within your processes or systems. This structured approach helps evaluate how each failure could impact operations and what controls are needed to prevent or mitigate consequences. By prioritizing risks based on severity, occurrence, and detection ratings, we provide clear action plans to address vulnerabilities. FMEA enhances system reliability, supports preventive maintenance, and strengthens your overall safety management framework. It’s a key component in achieving operational excellence and risk reduction.

Our LOPA service is a semi-quantitative tool used to assess the adequacy of existing safety barriers in mitigating process risks. We identify initiating events and evaluate whether current independent protection layers (IPLs) are sufficient to reduce risk to acceptable levels. LOPA bridges the gap between qualitative assessments like HAZOP and more detailed analyses such as QRA. By assigning risk reduction credits to safety systems, we help organizations decide where additional safeguards may be required. This analysis supports cost-effective and informed risk management decisions.

AST Spark performs SIL assessments to determine the required performance levels for safety instrumented systems (SIS) in managing process risks. We evaluate the likelihood and severity of hazardous events and assess the performance of existing safeguards. By conducting SIL verification and allocation studies, we ensure that your safety systems are appropriately designed, maintained, and tested to meet required standards. Our assessments align with IEC 61508/61511 standards, providing confidence that critical systems perform reliably when needed. This helps ensure compliance and protects personnel, equipment, and the environment.

Our RAM analysis evaluates the reliability, availability, and maintainability of process systems and assets. By modeling system performance under various conditions, we help clients optimize design and operational strategies to maximize uptime and minimize maintenance costs. RAM studies provide insights into potential failure points, equipment lifecycles, and resource requirements. The result is a more efficient and dependable operation with fewer unexpected shutdowns. We tailor our analysis to align with your business goals, supporting long-term operational success and sustainability.

We apply Bow-Tie analysis in combination with barrier management to visually map out risk pathways and associated control measures. This method helps organizations understand how threats can lead to unwanted events and what barriers are in place to prevent or mitigate them. The Bow-Tie framework simplifies complex risk scenarios into clear diagrams, facilitating communication across teams. Our barrier management approach includes assessing the performance and effectiveness of these safeguards. This proactive strategy enhances safety awareness and ensures that critical controls are not only present but functioning as intended.

Our What-if Analysis technique involves posing hypothetical questions to uncover possible deviations or failure scenarios in a process or system. This brainstorming approach is particularly useful during early design phases or process modifications. We guide teams in systematically exploring “what if” situations that could lead to safety issues, identifying both causes and consequences. By assessing these scenarios, we develop mitigation strategies to prevent incidents. This flexible method encourages creative thinking and complements other hazard identification techniques like HAZOP and PHA.

AST Spark’s Fault Tree Analysis (FTA) services provide a detailed, deductive approach to identify the root causes of system failures or hazardous events. By mapping out the logical pathways that lead to a top-level failure, we help organizations pinpoint vulnerabilities in their systems. FTA is especially useful for evaluating complex systems where multiple failure combinations can lead to a major incident. Our analysis supports preventive maintenance planning and helps prioritize safety improvements. The results contribute to stronger design, improved reliability, and reduced operational risk.

Our PHSER services involve comprehensive evaluations of health, safety, and environmental aspects during all phases of a project—from conceptual design to decommissioning. We ensure that safety and environmental risks are systematically identified, assessed, and mitigated throughout the project lifecycle. These reviews promote compliance with regulatory and corporate standards while improving project outcomes. By integrating HSE considerations early, we help minimize potential delays, cost overruns, and operational hazards. Our approach fosters a culture of safety and environmental stewardship within project teams.

We provide hands-on support to help organizations effectively implement their Process Safety Management (PSM) systems. Our experts guide you through each phase of implementation, including documentation, training, system integration, and performance tracking. We work closely with your team to ensure PSM elements are embedded into daily operations and meet regulatory expectations. Our continuous engagement ensures systems evolve with operational changes and improvements. This end-to-end support enhances the sustainability and effectiveness of your safety programs.

AST Spark conducts Dust Hazard Analysis (DHA) to evaluate the risks associated with combustible dust in processing environments. We assess dust generation sources, accumulation areas, ignition risks, and explosion potentials. DHA identifies necessary preventive and mitigation measures such as proper ventilation, dust collection, and explosion venting systems. Our evaluations help ensure compliance with NFPA standards and enhance workplace safety. With a structured approach, we help industries reduce the potential for catastrophic dust-related incidents.

We assist organizations in performing Job Safety Analysis (JSA) to evaluate the risks associated with specific job tasks. JSA involves breaking down tasks into individual steps and identifying potential hazards for each one. We then recommend control measures to eliminate or reduce risks, ensuring worker safety. This process fosters greater awareness among employees and encourages safe work practices. Regularly conducting JSA also helps in maintaining compliance with occupational safety regulations and preventing workplace injuries.

Our Performance Standards Verification service ensures that safety systems and equipment meet their intended design and operational requirements. We verify the reliability, availability, and responsiveness of safety-critical systems under real-world conditions. This includes testing alarms, interlocks, and emergency systems to confirm they function correctly during incidents. Verification ensures that safety performance targets are being met and supports continued compliance with industry and regulatory standards. Ultimately, this service reinforces the integrity and effectiveness of your safety infrastructure.