BowTie Analysis is a proven risk assessment and risk communication technique used to identify, understand, and manage major accident hazards (MAH). It visually demonstrates how hazards can escalate into critical events and how preventive and mitigative barriers control these risks.
Elixir Engineering Oman provides structured, practical, and regulator-aligned BowTie Analysis services to Oil & Gas Operators, EPC Contractors, Power Plants, Chemical Facilities, and Industrial Projects across Oman and the GCC.
The BowTie Model is a visual diagram that clearly illustrates the relationship between:
It supports effective risk understanding at all organizational levels, from management to frontline operations.
BowTie Analysis represents risk as a logical sequence:
Hazard → Threats → Top Event → Consequences
Barriers are placed on both sides of the top event:
This approach helps answer key safety questions:
Our BowTie studies focus on clarity, consistency, and practical risk control rather than excessive complexity. The objective is to clearly demonstrate how major accident hazards are controlled through effective preventive and mitigative barriers.
Key Steps in BowTie Analysis:
The BowTie diagram illustrates a typical major accident hazard scenario, where a pressurized Crude Oil storage tank represents the hazard and loss of containment is defined as the top event. The left side of the diagram shows credible threats such as process deviations, corrosion, mechanical failure, and human or procedural issues, along with preventive barriers including design basis, operating procedures, control systems, alarms, relief systems, and management of change.
The right side of the diagram presents potential consequences such as pool fire, oil spillage, environmental damage, and asset loss. Mitigative barriers such as fire and gas detection, emergency shutdown systems, secondary containment, and emergency response measures are shown to reduce consequence severity. Escalation factors affecting barrier performance are identified on both sides and managed through appropriate controls.
The completed BowTie diagram provides a clear and transparent overview of risks, barriers, consequences, and barrier vulnerabilities.
Escalation factors are conditions that can degrade barrier effectiveness, such as:
Each escalation factor is linked with specific controls to maintain barrier performance and reliability.
Each safety barrier is evaluated for:
This ensures alignment with asset integrity, process safety, and Safety Management Systems (SMS).
A BowTie Analysis is conducted through structured workshops with a multidisciplinary team, typically including:
A competent Lead Facilitator ensures consistency, technical accuracy, and compliance with industry best practices.
Step by Step Application:
For example, a heavy object stored at height represents a hazard. If support fails (top event), the object may fall, causing injury or damage (consequences). Bow-Tie Analysis identifies barriers to prevent the fall and controls to reduce injury severity.
Barrier effectiveness is continuously reviewed and linked to the Safety Management System.
Elixir Engineering utilizes BowTieXP, an Industry recognized software tool for Bow-Tie development, barrier management, and performance tracking.
Our BowTie Analysis services align with:
International Standards
Industry Guidance
BowTie Analysis is a powerful visual tool for managing operational and process safety risks. By clearly linking hazards, threats, barriers, and consequences, organizations can effectively protect people, assets, and the environment.
Elixir Engineering Oman delivers practical, compliant, and industry aligned BowTie Analysis studies for Oil & Gas, Power, Chemical, and Industrial facilities.
Contact us today for reliable BowTie risk management support in Oman.
