Process Safety Training in South Africa
20+
years of experience
- Process Safety Training in South Africa
Process Safety Courses for Engineers, Operations, and HSE Teams
Most workplaces focus heavily on “personal safety” — slips, trips, PPE, working at heights, and compliance checks. That matters. But process safety is different. Process safety is about preventing major accidents: fires, explosions, toxic releases, loss of containment, and cascading events that can injure many people, damage plant assets, and affect surrounding communities.
That’s why process safety training is essential for any business that stores, processes, transfers, heats, reacts, pressurises, or contains hazardous materials.
At MHI Risk Engineers, our Process Safety Training is designed for engineers, operations personnel, and safety professionals who manage or operate hazardous processes. Rooted in international best practices, this training gives teams the tools, methodologies, and mindset to prevent major accidents, protect assets, and uphold compliance.
Process safety management integrates hazard identification, risk assessment, engineered safeguards and regulatory compliance across Major Hazard Installations (MHI).
- attend
Who should attend
This training is built for the people who influence risk every day, including:
- process and chemical engineers
- Safety, Health & Environment (SHE) officers
- project managers and project engineers
- maintenance and operations staff
- compliance and regulatory officers
- supervisors and team leaders working in process environments
If your organisation has hazardous inventories, pressurised systems, high temperatures, reactive chemistry, dust risks, or flammable atmospheres — this course is relevant.
- COURSES
Course objectives (what you’ll be able to do)
By the end of this process safety course, participants should be able to:
- understand core process safety principles and how they differ from occupational safety
- apply hazard identification and risk assessment methods such as HAZOP, LOPA, and FMEA
- understand barrier thinking, bowties, and how safeguards actually prevent escalation
- interpret and use SIL concepts and functional safety language at a practical level
- improve process safety culture, leading indicators, and accountability
- connect process safety work to audit readiness and regulatory expectations
- Participants learn how Layers of Protection Analysis (LOPA) supports defensible risk reduction within process safety frameworks.
- TOPICS
Topics covered in our process safety training
This course connects directly with structured studies such as HAZOP, Quantitative Risk Assessment (QRA), Fire and Explosion Risk Assessment (FERA), Hazardous Area Classification (HAC) and Safety Instrumented Systems (SIS) verification.
01
Process Hazard Analysis (PHA) using HAZOP (IChemE guidance)
We show how PHA works in practice, with emphasis on:
- design intent and deviation thinking
- node selection and P&ID usage
- documenting causes, consequences, safeguards, and actions
turning workshops into decisions and follow-through
02
Management of Change (MOC)
One of the most common root causes of major incidents is unmanaged change. We cover:
- what counts as change (technical, organisational, procedural)
- how MOC should work (risk review, approvals, communication, training)
how to prevent “informal changes” becoming major incident triggers
03
Incident investigation and root cause analysis
We cover investigation thinking that drives learning:
- identifying deeper causes (not only “operator error”)
- tracking barrier failures
building corrective actions that actually reduce repeat risk
04
Mechanical integrity and inspection planning
We cover how mechanical integrity supports loss-of-containment prevention:
- inspection philosophy
- critical equipment identification
- corrosion/erosion thinking
- the link between maintenance backlog and process safety risk
05
Human factors and organisational controls
We unpack human performance in high-hazard operations:
- fatigue, workload, communication, shift handover
- procedural discipline and competency
- control room and alarm management basics
06
International codes and standards (context and relevance)
We introduce and connect the major frameworks used globally in process safety environments, including:
- API guidance (selected relevant themes)
- OSHA 29 CFR 1910.119 (Process Safety Management)
- IEC 61511 / ISA S84 (SIS / functional safety)
- ISO 45001 (OH&S management system structure)
- Training methodology
Standards and reference material we align to
Our process safety training is aligned with recognised best practice sources including:
- CCPS (AIChE) – risk-based process safety guidance
- IChemE – HAZOP and hazard study training manuals
- IEC 61511 / ISA S84 – functional safety concepts for the process industry
- OSHA 29 CFR 1910.119 – process safety management framework
- ISO 45001 – management system alignment and continuous improvement thinking
- Occupational Health and Safety Act
- Major Hazard Installation Regulations
- SANS 1514 (Emergency Planning)
Why train with MHI Risk Engineers?
We focus on training that works in the real world:
- facilitated by experienced process safety specialists
- built around case-based learning and realistic industrial examples
- aligned with global benchmarks to support audit readiness and governance
- designed to build shared language across engineering, operations, and HSE
- certificates of competence and CPD/attendance records can be provided depending on course format
Strengthen your process safety capability
If you want your teams to move beyond “tick-box safety” and build real competence in preventing major accidents, this process safety training gives you the tools and mindset to do it.
Effective process safety requires more than awareness. It demands structured hazard studies, engineered safeguards and regulatory alignment across South African high-risk industries.
Contact MHI Risk Engineers to schedule Process Safety Training for your team (on-site, virtual, or hybrid options available depending on your needs).
Need help!
Got questions or need assistance with your Industry needs?
FAQ: Process Safety Training
What is the process safety?
Process safety is the discipline of preventing major accidents involving hazardous materials and energy — such as fires, explosions, and toxic releases — by managing systems, barriers, and controls across the full lifecycle (design, operations, maintenance, and change).
What are the 4 pillars of process safety?
In many training contexts, the “four pillars” refers to CCPS Risk-Based Process Safety, often grouped into areas like:
- commit to process safety
- understand hazards and risk
- manage risk
- learn from experience
The key idea is that process safety is a management system, not a single tool.
What is process safety HSE?
Process safety sits alongside HSE but focuses specifically on major accident prevention. HSE often includes occupational safety and health topics; process safety is a specialised part of that, aimed at high-consequence events involving hazardous processes.
What are 10 basic safety rules?
“10 basic safety rules” varies by workplace, but typical basics include:
- follow procedures and permits
- control energy sources (lockout/tagout)
- manage hot work
- wear appropriate PPE
- maintain housekeeping
- report hazards and near misses
- follow lifting and working-at-height requirements
- keep guards and interlocks in place
- stop work if unsafe
- never bypass safety systems
What is tier 1, 2, 3, 4 process safety?
This often refers to process safety event metrics (like lagging/leading indicators). Tiers generally move from highest severity loss events (Tier 1) down to less severe events and indicators (Tier 4). The key use is tracking performance and learning, not just counting injuries.
What are 7 safety rules?
Again, frameworks differ, but a strong “seven” set often includes:
- permit discipline (hot work, confined space, lifting)
- energy isolation discipline
- ignition source control
- safe work at height and lifting discipline
- correct PPE and tool use
- housekeeping
- speak up/stop work authority
- permit discipline (hot work, confined space, lifting)
What are the 4 P's of safety?
Different versions exist. A practical safety planning version is:
- People
- Plant
- Process
- Place
This is often used as a quick mental checklist during risk reviews.
What's the difference between safety and process safety?
“Safety” often refers to occupational safety: preventing injuries to individuals (slips, trips, PPE, hand injuries).
Process safety focuses on preventing low-frequency, high-consequence events (fires, explosions, toxic releases) that can harm many people and cause major asset/community impact.
What is another name for process safety?
People sometimes refer to process safety as:
- major accident hazard management
- loss prevention (in some industries)
- process safety management (PSM) (when referring to the management system side)
Who is responsible for process safety?
Ultimately, leadership is responsible — but process safety is shared across:
- engineering (design and technical integrity)
- operations (procedural discipline and safe operation)
- maintenance (mechanical integrity)
HSE/process safety specialists (system governance, assurance, learning)
Everyone who influences barriers influences process safety.
Why is process safety important?
Because major accidents can result in:
- multiple fatalities or serious injuries
- environmental harm
- long shutdowns and massive financial loss
- legal and reputational damage
Process safety reduces the likelihood and consequences of these events and improves reliability and resilience.
- multiple fatalities or serious injuries
Is process safety only relevant to large refineries?
No. Any facility handling flammable, explosive or toxic substances must implement structured hazard analysis and engineered safeguards aligned with MHI and OHS legislation.