Course Description
Beyond Facilitation: The Human and Organizational Dimensions of Effective PHA: Master the human dynamics behind defensible, high-impact PHAs.
Most PHA training courses focus on the technical details of performing studies using HAZOP and other methods. They cover the identification of hazard scenarios, risk ranking and developing recommendations. Yet every PHA study depends on people: the facilitator guiding the discussion, the team members contributing their expertise, and the organization shaping its safety culture. This advanced training course equips experienced facilitators to address the human performance side of PHA.
Through presentations, interactive exercises, simulations, and peer feedback, participants learn to manage group dynamics, counter cognitive bias, and drive meaningful engagement.
Key Takeaways:
- Recognize and mitigate biases and human factors that distort risk judgments.
- Build trust, manage conflict, and sustain engagement in multidisciplinary teams.
- Apply advanced facilitation techniques to guide complex or stalled discussions.
- Produce clear, defensible documentation that withstands audits and revalidations.
- Link PHA results to organizational learning, MOC, and risk governance systems.
- Develop personal leadership, self-awareness, and quality improvement strategies.
Outcome:
Participants will leave with a deeper understanding of how people, culture, and communication shape the quality of hazard analyses, and the confidence to lead PHA teams that deliver stronger insights and more defensible results.
Learning Objectives
- Recognition and management of the human and cognitive factors that influence PHA quality.
- Application of advanced facilitation and communication techniques to strengthen participation and consensus.
- Improvement of team decision-making under uncertainty.
- Strengthening study documentation and traceability for defensible studies.
- Integration of PHA outcomes into broader organizational learning and management systems.
- Evaluation and continuous improvement of PHA team performance.
Target Audience
- PHA facilitators seeking to strengthen their effectiveness beyond technical knowledge of PHA.
- PHA coordinators, managers, and reviewers responsible for study quality and consistency.
- Process safety leaders aiming to embed human factors and culture into PHA governance.
Course Contents
Module 1 - Human Factors and Cognitive Bias in PHA
- The human element in hazard analysis: why technical accuracy depends on psychology.
- Common biases: anchoring, groupthink, hindsight bias, optimism bias, availability heuristic.
- Techniques for bias mitigation (structured prompts, “devil’s advocate” roles, uncertainty scaling).
- How fatigue and framing affect judgment.
Exercises:
- Analyze biased vs unbiased PHA excerpts.
- Group “red-team” exercise: challenge hidden assumptions in a sample scenario.
Module 2 - Advanced Team Dynamics
- Team composition and the “PHA personality spectrum.”
- Building psychological safety and trust.
- Managing dominant or disengaged participants.
- Cross-cultural communication in multinational teams.
Exercises:
- Real-time facilitation micro-drills: “You’re the facilitator—what do you do?”
Module 3 - Effective Communication and Mastery of Facilitation
- Deep-listening, probing, and re-framing questions.
- Negotiating risk consensus without authority pressure.
- Steering discussions and avoiding “rabbit holes.”
- Using visuals (P&IDs, bow-ties) to focus discusion
Exercises:
- “Stuck node” facilitation challenge.
- Rewriting vague or biased risk statements into defensible language.
Module 4 - Defensible Documentation and Quality Control
- The anatomy of a defensible PHA worksheet: clarity, completeness, and rationale.
- Linking causes → consequences → safeguards → risk ranking → recommendations.
- Common quality issues and how to detect them early.
- Version control, traceability, and audit readiness.
Exercises:
- Critique anonymized PHA worksheets; apply a QC checklist.
- Create “before vs after” improved documentation.
Module 5 - Organizational Integration and Safety Culture
- How PHA results influence (and are influenced by) corporate culture.
- Integrating PHA with MOC, incident learning, and risk dashboards.
- Governance and accountability for recommendations.
- Traits of organizations that sustain PHA excellence
Exercises:
- Case study: failed recommendation follow-up—diagnose systemic causes.
- Design a “PHA governance map” for participants’ organizations.
Module 6 - Personal Effectiveness and Leadership in PHA
- Facilitator self-management: stress, neutrality, and ethics.
- Leading through influence vs authority
- Continuous improvement loops: peer review, metrics, and coaching.
Exercises:
- Self-assessment of facilitation style.
- Pair coaching and feedback session.
Optional Add-On (Day 3): PHA Quality Improvement Workshop
- A hands-on clinic using participants’ own recent PHAs:
- Apply bias and quality checklists.
- Rewrite weak sections.
- Develop a PHA-quality scorecard and improvement plan.
Format:
Instructor-led with group discussion, real-world case studies, and live facilitation practice.
Prerequisite:
Completion of a foundational PHA Facilitation Course, or equivalent experience.
Duration
2 days (3 days with optional add-on)
