NAC459.95414. Process hazard analysis.

     1. The owner or operator shall perform an initial process hazard analysis on a process that is subject to C.A.P.P. before introducing highly hazardous substances or explosives to the process.

     2. An owner or operator may use a process hazard analysis that was previously completed to comply with NRS 459.380 to 459.3874, inclusive, or 29 C.F.R. § 1910.119(e) to satisfy the requirement to perform an initial process hazard analysis provided that the analysis reflects the current process.

     3. The owner or operator shall obtain the approval of the Division concerning the methodology of the process hazard analysis before conducting the analysis.

     4. The owner or operator shall select one or more of the following methodologies as required by the complexity of the process:

     (a) A “what if” analysis;

     (b) A checklist;

     (c) A “what if” analysis combined with a checklist;

     (d) A hazard and operability study;

     (e) A failure mode and effects analysis;

     (f) A fault tree analysis; or

     (g) An appropriate equivalent methodology.

     5. When preparing a process hazard analysis, an owner or operator shall consider:

     (a) The hazards of the process;

     (b) Any previous incident that had a likely potential for catastrophic consequences, including, without limitation, near misses or accidental releases;

     (c) The engineering and administrative controls that are applicable to the hazards and their interrelationships, including, without limitation, the appropriate application of detection methodologies such as process monitoring, control instrumentation with alarms or detection hardware;

     (d) The consequences of a failure of engineering and administrative controls;

     (e) The siting of the facility;

     (f) The human factors; and

     (g) A qualitative evaluation of a range of the possible safety and health effects of a failure of controls.

     6. If not evaluated as part of the process hazard analysis pursuant to subsections 1 to 5, inclusive, a separate, dedicated hazard analysis, utilizing a checklist or other appropriate method, must be conducted to evaluate:

     (a) Human factors;

     (b) Facility siting; and

     (c) External forces.

     7. The owner or operator shall conduct the process hazard analysis with a team with expertise in engineering and process operations. The team must consist of two or more persons and include at least:

     (a) One member who has experience and knowledge specific to the process being evaluated; and

     (b) One member who is knowledgeable in the methodology for the specific process hazard analysis being used.

     8. The owner or operator shall:

     (a) Promptly evaluate the findings and recommendations of the team formed pursuant to subsection 7;

     (b) Determine and document a course of action based on the evaluation;

     (c) Develop a written schedule of when the actions are to be completed;

     (d) Complete the actions as soon as possible and document each such completion; and

     (e) Communicate the actions to operating, maintenance and other employees whose work assignments are in the process and who may be affected by the recommendations or actions.

     9. At least once every 5 years after the completion of the initial process hazard analysis, a team that satisfies the requirements of subsection 7 shall update and revalidate the process hazard analysis to ensure that the process hazard analysis is consistent with the current process.

     10. A process hazard analysis must be updated and revalidated using a team meeting the requirements of subsection 7 and pursuant to the procedures set forth in NAC 459.9549 to 459.955, inclusive.

     11. An owner or operator shall retain a process hazard analysis and an update and revalidation for each process subject to this section, as well as any documented resolution of recommendations described in subsection 8, for the life of the process.

     (Added to NAC by Environmental Comm’n by R121-98, eff. 5-27-99; A by R041-01, 10-25-2001; R137-04, 2-15-2005)