Ensuring the safety of flammable or hazardous chemical processing, handling, or storage facilities during the design phase is critical to maintaining safety throughout their operational life. As new energy industries evolve, this extends to emerging technologies such as electrolysers and fuel cells.
Once a facility or technology is commissioned and operational, maintaining safety and keeping risks as low as reasonably practicable (ALARP) or so far as is reasonably practicable (SFAIRP) requires the implementation of robust process safety practices.
new energy technologies
Once primarily limited to the space and aviation industries, hydrogen is now recognized as a key clean fuel of the future. While it offers many advantages over fossil fuels, it also presents unique challenges for safety engineers in the development of hydrogen production, storage, and supporting infrastructure.
A critical aspect of hydrogen safety is assessing it based on its distinct properties and release behaviors—rather than treating it like conventional fossil fuels such as methane or LNG. The engineering principles, calculations, and formal safety assessments for hydrogen must be tailored specifically to its unique characteristics to ensure an inherently safe facility.
Hydrogen is classified by different colours based on its production method. Our team includes specialists who have been formally trained in hydrogen safety at the university level and bring years of hands-on experience assessing hydrogen technologies, applications (such as power generation and hydrogen vehicles), and storage facilities. We have expertise across green, blue, and pink hydrogen projects.
Recently, our local experience includes:
Assessing an electrolyser technology and its balance of plant from concept through to pilot plant development.
Acting as the safety engineering technical authority for a hydrogen power generation project on behalf of our client.
Our team has in-depth knowledge of the codes and standards governing the generation, handling, usage, and storage of hydrogen and its derivatives—such as ammonia and methanol—across various jurisdictions and industries. This expertise enables us to navigate regulatory requirements effectively and ensure compliance while supporting safe and efficient hydrogen projects.
mining & Minerals processing
Unlike the highly automated world of oil and gas processing, mining and minerals processing presents a unique set of challenges for technical and process safety engineers due to the variability of feedstock. During the project stage, engineers must apply first principles to ensure the plant is inherently safe. However, the real challenge emerges during operations, where even slight changes in feedstock properties can impact facility safety.
Additionally, certain chemicals used in the process—and those generated as byproducts—pose significant hazards. Our team has extensive experience in the safe management of ammonia, arsine, chlorine, and bromide, ensuring robust engineered safety controls are in place.
We also specialise in the development, implementation, and ongoing management of process safety management systems for mining and minerals processing facilities. Our team has developed systems in alignment with OSHA 29 CFR 1910.119 and industry best practices, including the ICMM Critical Control Management guidelines.
Oil & Gas
Our team also has extensive experience conducting technical safety engineering studies across a broad range of greenfield and brownfield upstream and downstream oil and gas facilities. We specialize in executing Formal Safety Assessments (FSAs) and facilitating hazard identification and assessment workshops and studies, including HAZOP, HAZID, and LOPA.
Beyond these assessments, our expertise includes:
Fire and gas detector siting studies
Firewater calculations for fire management and anhydrous ammonia neutralisation
Hazardous area classification
Building siting studies
Additionally, our team has authored numerous safety cases for both onshore and offshore facilities.
Alongside our project-based experience, we bring years of hands-on operational knowledge, having served as process safety leads across a diverse range of operating facilities.