LOPA and SIS/SIL

Facility siting allows you to identify possible risks to personnel, equipment, structures and surrounding areas from fire, explosion and toxic substances. OSHA Process Safety Management (PSM) regulations require facility siting assessments as part of a comprehensive process hazard analysis:

  • How bad is it?
  • How much protection is needed?
  • What type of protection is needed?

LOPA answers all of the above questions in a risk-based approach which is usually part of a PHA performed by a team. LOPA is used in compliance with IEC 61511/ISA 84 standards. IEC 61511/ISA84 requires the allocation of safety functions to layers of protection and to determine the Safety Integrity Level (SIL). LOPA is one method that can be used for selecting the appropriate SIL of your Safety Instrumented Systems.

ioMosaic has a proven track record of performing LOPAs. Our team has performed assessments on a wide range of facilities such as refineries, chemical plants, pharmaceutical plants, tar sands, crude oil refineries, LNG facilities, and rail and marine transportation terminals. ioMosaic can help you make risk-based decisions with confidence.

LOPA and SIS/SIL Defined

Effective risk management always involves some type of hazard assessment process, which is designed to determine if adequate protection layers are in place to bring the risk to an acceptable level. There are many ways to perform this activity with varying degrees of complexity and effectiveness. The assessment methods range from qualitative (subjective) to quantitative (detailed, numerically intensive and time consuming). Layer of Protection Analysis (LOPA) was introduced to bridge the gap between the two extremes.

A Safety Instrumented System (SIS) is an instrumented system used to implement one or more safety instrumented functions, composed of any combination of sensor(s), logic solver(s), and final element(s). These functions have a common attribute — to reduce risk. Independent Protection Layers (IPLs) are safeguards used to mitigate the process risk. The quantity of risk reduction is specified by an order-of-magnitude level called the Safety Integrity Level (SIL).

ioMosaic LOPA Tools

ioMosaic uses our software tool Process Safety Office® PHAGlobal® to conduct LOPAs, a software with all the functionality necessary to conduct an effective LOPA. ioMosaic understands the importance of reliable, consistent data. Request your demo today.

How We Can Help You

ioMosaic pioneered many of the current risk assessment techniques for processes that handle hazardous chemicals.

Our experts support every aspect to ensure that your facility runs safely and efficiently.

Expertise to help you minimize your exposure to fire, injury, property damage, and litigation.

Integrating best practices with cost-effective solutions to address program deficiencies.

Helping manage risk with facility siting studies, assessments and recommendations.

Senior knowledgeable engineers facilitate PHAs or DHAs in nearly all sectors of the process and processing industries.

Decades of experience leading incident investigations for process industry companies.

We prepare expert opinion reports and provide expert testimony for process incident cases.

Experienced engineers who have performed LOPAs on a wide range of facilities and terminals.

Our experts are at the forefront of pipeline Process Safety Management proficiency.

Offering a comprehensive range of safety, technology and risk management training.

Proven track record of performing QRAs for facilities, pipelines and transportation routes.

Well versed in assisting global companies with their sustainability reporting communications.

Decades of experience mitigating hazards for the chemical and pharmaceutical industries.