Preliminary Hazard Analysis (PHA)

The Preliminary Hazard Analysis is the first analysis performed within an overall SSP. The PHA identifies safety-critical areas, provides an initial assessment of hazards, and identifies requisite hazard controls and follow-on actions.

The PHA is used to obtain an initial risk assessment of the system. It is based on best available data, including accident/incident data, from similar systems and other lessons learned. Hazards, associated with the proposed design or function, are evaluated for hazard severity, hazard probability, and operational constraints. Safety provisions and alternatives, needed to eliminate hazards or to reduce their associated risk to an acceptable level are included in the PHA.

There are very few useful published guidelines for producing a PHA, which is the precursor to all subsequent safety analyses. Perhaps, for this reason, many horrible PHAs have been produced.

To this day, many contracts erroneously call for a PHA as a final deliverable.

If you would like to purchase a PHA DID from us click here.

HCRQ can teach you how to perform a PHA.