Safety 路 Free
HAZOP and Process Safety Management
Process safety for oil, gas, chemical and refinery engineers: why major accidents happen, the OSHA PSM elements, CCPS risk based process safety and COMAH, process hazards, HAZID and what-if, reading P&IDs into nodes, HAZOP guidewords and deviations, causes, consequences and safeguards, risk matrices and ALARP, running and recording a HAZOP, LOPA as the bridge to SIL, bow-tie analysis, management of change, PSSR, mechanical integrity, CSB case studies and API RP 754 indicators, ending with a full HAZOP of a separator node.
Inside the course
From the lessons
Process safety and why major accidents happen
yousef shafiei
Process hazards: fire, explosion, toxic release, runaway and overpressure
IIT Roorkee July 2018
Reading P&IDs and dividing a plant into HAZOP nodes
Icarus-ORM Academy
Causes, consequences and safeguards: overpressure and other scenarios
Icarus-ORM Academy
Running and recording a HAZOP: team, sessions, worksheet and close-out
Promoting Safety Engineering
Bow-tie analysis: threats, barriers and consequences on one page
Gemba Academy
Lesson frames belong to the creators named in the Credits below and are shown from YouTube.
What you will learn
Explain why process safety is managed separately from personal safety; map a site's documents to the OSHA PSM and CCPS RBPS elements; judge fire, explosion, toxic and reactive hazards from data sheets; choose between HAZID, checklist, what-if and HAZOP; divide a P&ID into nodes with written design intent; generate deviations with guidewords and follow each through causes, consequences and independent safeguards; rank risk on a matrix and explain ALARP; plan, facilitate, record and close out a HAZOP; carry a scenario through LOPA to a SIL target; draw a bow-tie with real barriers; run management of change and a pre-startup safety review; learn from CSB investigations; and report API RP 754 process safety indicators.
- Explain how process safety differs from personal safety, using BP Texas City and other major accidents
- Map a site's documents to the 14 OSHA PSM elements and the CCPS risk based process safety pillars
- Judge fire, explosion, toxic and runaway hazards from safety data sheets and Le Chatelier's rule
- Choose between HAZID, checklist, what-if, HAZOP, FMEA and fault tree analysis for a given job
- Divide a P&ID into HAZOP nodes, write design intent and apply guidewords to find deviations
- Record causes, consequences and truly independent safeguards, and rank risk on a 5 by 5 matrix
- Carry a HAZOP scenario through LOPA to a SIL target and draw a bow-tie with real barriers
- Run management of change and PSSR, and learn from CSB investigations and API RP 754 indicators
For you
Taking HAZOP and Process Safety Management from the United States
- Free in the United States, as everywhere, and self-paced: lessons, notes and the final assessment are open at any hour, so your time zone and shift pattern do not matter.
- The optional certificate for learners in the United States is a one-off US$28.99. What you get for it
- Plants across the Americas most often run Allen-Bradley, Siemens and Inductive Automation; each has its own free course to take next.
- See automation and engineering jobs in the United States, and what the industry looks like in Houston, Detroit and Chicago.
- EDWartens also has a regional site for the United States, for classroom training and local support: edwartens.com/us.
The course project 路 about 16 hours
HAZOP and LOPA of a gas-oil separation train: terms of reference, node list, worksheet, risk register and SIL targets
Plan and record a HAZOP of the high-pressure separator and its liquid outlet in an onshore gas-oil separation plant: write the terms of reference, divide the P&ID into nodes with design intent, complete the worksheet for the separator node, rank every scenario on a 5 by 5 matrix, carry the two worst scenarios through LOPA to SIL targets, and write recommendations that an owner can close. The sample pack shows each document for a fictional operator.
Sample document pack, 5 documents, filled in for the scenario
- PlanHAZOP revalidation terms of reference: HP separation train V-2101 and V-2102
- RegisterHAZOP node list with design intent: HP separation train
- RegisterHAZOP worksheet, node 2: HP separator V-2101 with gas and liquid outlets
- Risk registerHAZOP risk register: scenarios scoring 10 or more, HP separation train
- ReportLOPA and SIL targets: gas blow-by into V-2102 and overpressure of V-2101
Read inside the course and download as a workbook. The project is optional practice, marked when you submit it; the certificate needs only the modules and the final assessment.
Course content
15 modules 路 56 lessons 路 14h 55m
In order, at whatever pace suits you. Each module ends with a practice task that builds on the last.
- 01Process safety and why major accidents happen3 lessons30m
- 02Process safety management systems: OSHA PSM, CCPS RBPS and COMAH4 lessons1h 4m
- 03Process hazards: fire, explosion, toxic release, runaway and overpressure4 lessons1h 13m
- 04Choosing a hazard study: HAZID, checklist, what-if and HAZOP5 lessons54m
- 05Reading P&IDs and dividing a plant into HAZOP nodes4 lessons1h 16m
- 06The HAZOP method: parameters, guidewords and deviations4 lessons1h 16m
- 07Causes, consequences and safeguards: overpressure and other scenarios8 lessons58m
- 08Risk ranking: severity, likelihood, risk matrices and ALARP4 lessons59m
Requirements
- Who it is for
- Intermediate. For process, chemical, mechanical, instrument and safety engineers, operations staff and HSE officers who sit in or prepare for HAZOP studies. You should be able to read a simple P&ID and know the basics of pumps, vessels and control valves. No software licence is needed.
- Software
- A spreadsheet (LibreOffice Calc is free) for the HAZOP worksheet, the risk matrix and the LOPA arithmetic, and a PDF reader for P&IDs. Commercial PHA software appears in some lessons but is not needed. What to download, and how
- Hardware
- None. Any laptop with a browser is enough. Access to a P&ID from your own plant makes the practice tasks real, if your employer allows it.
Software you need
What to download, where from, what it costs and how to install it. Every link goes to the maker's own site, never a mirror.
Nothing to install
A spreadsheet is enough for the HAZOP worksheet, the risk matrix and the LOPA arithmetic, and any PDF reader opens the P&IDs. Commercial PHA software is not needed.
Optional
Useful, not needed to finish the course.
- 01Free
LibreOffice
The Document Foundation
- Runs on
- Windows 10 or 11, macOS 11 or newer (Intel or Apple silicon), Linux
- Account
- None needed
- Size
- up to 1.5 GB of disk space on Windows
LibreOffice is free, open-source software under the Mozilla Public License 2.0, for any use including business. Calc is its spreadsheet.
Steps
- 1.Open the LibreOffice download page.
- 2.Check the page has picked your operating system, then select Download.
- 3.Run the installer (administrator rights are needed on Windows).
- 4.Start LibreOffice Calc for spreadsheet work.
- 5.Save as .xlsx if you need to share files with Excel users.
- Choose the latest main version unless your organisation asks for the older, more conservative release.
Official download pagelibreoffice.org
Checked against each maker's own page on 27 September 2026. Trial lengths and editions change; the maker's page is the final word.
HAZOP and Process Safety Management at a glance
HAZOP and Process Safety Management is a free, self-paced online course from EDWartens for process, chemical, mechanical, instrument and safety engineers and HSE staff who take part in HAZOP studies in oil, gas, chemical and refinery plants. It has 15 modules and 14h 55m of video lessons by USCSB, yousef shafiei, Icarus-ORM Academy and others, with written notes and worked problems, a practical project with a document pack and a 15-question final assessment (pass mark 60%). Learning is free with an account; an optional certificate with a public verification code is issued when you pass. Last updated 27 September 2026.
All course factsHide course facts
- Price
- Free, for good. No trial, no card. The only paid item is the optional certificate, a small one-off fee.
- Who it is for
- Process, chemical, mechanical, instrument and safety engineers and HSE staff who take part in HAZOP studies in oil, gas, chemical and refinery plants
- Format
- 15 self-paced modules, 14h 55m of video, written notes, a practice task per module and one final assessment.
- Level
- Intermediate. Intermediate. For process, chemical, mechanical, instrument and safety engineers, operations staff and HSE officers who sit in or prepare for HAZOP studies. You should be able to read a simple P&ID and know the basics of pumps, vessels and control valves. No software licence is needed.
- Brand
- Vendor-neutral
- Software
- A spreadsheet (LibreOffice Calc is free) for the HAZOP worksheet, the risk matrix and the LOPA arithmetic, and a PDF reader for P&IDs. Commercial PHA software appears in some lessons but is not needed.
- Hardware
- None. Any laptop with a browser is enough. Access to a P&ID from your own plant makes the practice tasks real, if your employer allows it.
- Certificate
- Optional EDWartens Certificate of Completion, verifiable by code. Not a vendor credential.
- Video lessons by
- USCSB, yousef shafiei, Icarus-ORM Academy, Promoting Safety Engineering, IIT Roorkee July 2018, Product Process People, Risk Management Professionals, Inc. (RMPCorp), Six Sigma Development Solutions Inc., iLearna, ProsTask, Mohammad J P Golshani, HAZOP Facilitator, Gemba Academy, Enablon, Salus: Experts In Safety, Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration, JOGI SafeTech (independent creators, credited below)
- Language
- English
- Last updated
- 27 September 2026
A shareable EDWartens certificate
Finish every module and pass the final assessment, and the optional EDWartens certificate is yours. It carries a unique verification code on a public page anyone can check, so it stands up when a recruiter looks it up. See it below.
The course itself stays free whether or not you ever buy one.
Stuck? Ask a practising engineer
A free course usually means a comment section and hope. This one does not. Every module has an Ask-your-trainer panel that reaches the same engineers who teach our paid programme: people who commission panels for a living, not moderators.
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Common questions
What is this HAZOP and process safety management course?
It is a free-to-learn, self-paced course in HAZOP (hazard and operability study) and process safety management for oil, gas, chemical and refinery plants. It covers the OSHA PSM and CCPS frameworks, process hazards, P&ID nodes and guidewords, causes, consequences and safeguards, risk matrices, LOPA, bow-ties, management of change and CSB case studies, and ends with a HAZOP of a separator node.
Who is the HAZOP course for?
It is for process, chemical, mechanical, instrument and safety engineers, operations supervisors and HSE officers who take part in or prepare HAZOP studies, and for graduates aiming at process safety roles. Engineers who already sit in HAZOPs will learn how the facilitator, the risk matrix and LOPA fit together.
What do I need before starting, and is any software required?
You need to read a simple P&ID and know what pumps, vessels and control valves do; no paid software is needed. A spreadsheet such as LibreOffice Calc is enough for the HAZOP worksheet, the risk matrix and the LOPA arithmetic, and commercial PHA software is shown in some lessons but not used.
Which standards and regulations does the course cover?
The course explains IEC 61882 for HAZOP studies, US OSHA 29 CFR 1910.119 process safety management, the CCPS risk based process safety framework, the UK COMAH Regulations and the EU Seveso III Directive, API RP 754 process safety indicators and the tolerability of risk framework, all in our own words. LOPA is taught as the bridge to IEC 61511; SIS design itself is in the separate Safety Instrumented Systems and SIL course.
How long does the HAZOP course take?
About 22 hours at your own pace: just under 15 hours of video plus notes, worked problems and practice tasks across 14 modules and a final assessment. The optional HAZOP and LOPA project on a gas-oil separation train takes about 16 hours more.
Is the course free, and what certificate do I get?
The course is free to learn, and you can earn a verifiable certificate of completion by finishing the modules and passing the 15-question final at 60 percent. Each certificate has a unique number, a QR code and a public verification page that shows the course, the modules covered and the final score.
Does this course qualify me to lead HAZOP studies?
No. The course covers the knowledge a HAZOP team member and a future facilitator need, but leading HAZOPs is learned by taking part in real studies under an experienced facilitator, and any HAZOP leader qualification comes from the body that awards it. The EDWartens certificate is a certificate of completion.
What jobs does HAZOP and process safety knowledge lead to, and is it in demand in the Gulf?
It leads to process safety engineer, HAZOP scribe or team member, technical safety engineer and HSE roles in operations and design. Oil, gas and petrochemical operators and contractors across the Gulf, North Africa, West Africa and South Asia run HAZOP and PSM programmes and regularly hire engineers with these skills.
What you walk away with
Your certificate for HAZOP and Process Safety Management
Finish the course, pass the final, and this is the document with your name on it.
Verifiable by anyone
Adds to LinkedIn in one click
QR code on the certificate
Names what you can do
A permanent link
Earned, not attended
Learning is free. The certificate is optional.
Add it now and pay only when you have finished the course, or come back for it later. One-off, US$28.99, with a receipt.
Issued by EDWartens, the training division of Wartens, as a Certificate of Completion for this self-paced course. Sold by Wartens Ltd (England and Wales). It is not a vendor certification, a university award or a CPD-accredited activity, and it does not certify competence on live equipment. Delivered electronically; see the refund policy.
Credits
Who made the video lessons
The video lessons in this course were created by the people below, not by EDWartens. Every lesson streams from its creator's own YouTube channel; EDWartens neither hosts nor sells that footage, and the creators are not affiliated with EDWartens and do not endorse this course. What EDWartens wrote is the study plan, the notes, the practice tasks and the assessments.
- USCSBthe public CSB investigation videos: BP Texas City, T2 Laboratories, reactive hazards, Valero McKee (Fire from Ice), Philadelphia Energy Solutions, Husky Superior and LyondellBasell La Porte
- yousef shafieithe OSHA PSM series: introduction, OSHA PSM against CCPS RBPS, process safety information, employee participation, operating procedures, PHA, inherently safer design, management of change, PSSR and mechanical integrity
- Icarus-ORM Academythe HAZOP crash course and PHA lessons: what a HAZOP is, P&ID details, the overpressure scenarios, PSVs, BPCS against SIS, risk-based decisions, probability assessment and LOPA
- Promoting Safety Engineeringbreaking P&IDs into nodes, node mark-up, preparing for and facilitating a HAZOP workshop (two sessions)
- IIT Roorkee July 2018NPTEL Chemical Process Safety lectures on flammability, hazard identification and HAZOP, safety reviews and risk assessment, and bow-tie analysis
- Product Process PeopleHAZOP with practical examples and the LOPA crash course
- Risk Management Professionals, Inc. (RMPCorp)common causes in HAZOP applications
- Six Sigma Development Solutions Inc.the 14 elements of OSHA process safety management in overview
- iLearnathe difference between HAZID and HAZOP
- ProsTaskwhat-if analysis and hazard checklists
- Mohammad J P Golshanihow to define HAZOP nodes
- HAZOP Facilitatorlooking up a HAZOP risk matrix
- Gemba Academywhat bow-tie analysis is
- Enablonthe bow-tie method explained
- Salus: Experts In Safetyrisk assessment with bow-tie diagrams
- Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administrationthe US regulator's session on API RP 754 process safety performance indicators
- JOGI SafeTecha HAZOP study training workshop used in the capstone
If you are one of these creators and would like a lesson removed or credited differently, write to info@wartens.com.