Business Details
15 Years
experience
Your Trusted Partner for Safety Engineering Solutions
Founded in 2011, 6 Engineering has evolved from a single consultant into a dedicated team of specialists delivering process and functional safety solutions across diverse industries. Our consultants act as critical friends, providing honest, knowledgeable support to implement effective long-term safety strategies. With expertise in HAZOP, LOPA, SIL verification, and compliance audits, we ensure businesses meet regulatory requirements while reducing risks to people, assets, and the environment. Our team combines deep industry experience with practical methodologies to deliver tailored solutions that enhance operational resilience. We serve sectors including petrochemicals, energy, manufacturing, and high-hazard industries, prioritising safety lifecycle management and client capability development.As advocates for diversity-driven innovation, we bring fresh perspectives and problem-solving mindsets to every project. Our robust methodologies are technically sound yet accessible, ensuring solutions align with specific client challenges. We pride ourselves on transparency, ethical practices, and maintaining long-term client relationships built on trust and demonstrable results. With over a decade of experience, we continue expanding our technical capabilities while remaining focused on our core mission: making businesses safer and better prepared for the future. Our head office in Stockton-on-Tees serves as a base for nationwide and international client engagements.
Services
Process Safety
Functional Safety Assessment
HAZOP Studies
LOPA Analysis
SIL Verification
Safety Case Development
Risk Assessments
Compliance Audits
Machinery Safety
Hazardous Area Classification
Details
- Year established: 2011
Highlights and features
- We have over 13 years' experience in high-hazard industry safety engineering
- Our team includes IEC 61508/61511 compliance specialists with hands-on expertise
- We deliver tailored solutions combining technical rigor with practical implementation
- Our consultants provide independent assessments free from vendor influences
- We enhance client capabilities through knowledge transfer during every engagement
Services
Process Safety
Our process safety services identify and control hazards in high-pressure industrial systems handling hazardous materials. Using HAZOP studies, LOPA analysis, and consequence modelling, we help petrochemical, energy, and manufacturing clients prevent catastrophic failures. Our experts ensure compliance with COMAH regulations while implementing safety measures that protect personnel, assets, and the environment through comprehensive risk assessments and operational safeguards.
Functional Safety
Specialising in IEC 61508/61511 compliance, we verify safety instrumented systems across industries. Our SIL determination and verification services ensure critical safety functions operate reliably under all conditions. We assess safety instrumented functions, develop protection layers, and implement fail-safe mechanisms to prevent equipment failures that could lead to safety incidents in manufacturing and processing facilities.
Safety Consultancy
With over a decade of experience, we provide proactive risk management solutions to prevent downtime and legal challenges. Our consultancy covers machinery safety (ISO 13849), DSEAR compliance, and safety case development for offshore operations. We strengthen safety processes through independent audits, compliance assessments, and tailored strategies that improve regulatory adherence and long-term operational integrity across high-hazard sectors.
HAZOP Studies
Our HAZOP studies systematically identify process hazards through multidisciplinary team reviews. Using guide words to examine deviations from design intent, we assess risks in chemical processing, oil and gas, and manufacturing operations. Our facilitators help clients develop actionable recommendations to mitigate identified risks while ensuring compliance with process safety management standards.
SIL Verification
We verify safety instrumented systems meet required SIL levels through detailed reliability calculations and system architecture assessments. Our engineers evaluate proof test intervals, diagnostic coverage, and failure modes to ensure compliance with IEC 61511 standards. This service helps clients maintain functional safety in process plants while optimising maintenance strategies and reducing unnecessary safety-related shutdowns.
People
Nick Howard
Managing Director and Safety Engineering Authority
With extensive experience in high-hazard industries, Nick leads our technical team ensuring rigorous safety standards. He specialises in process safety management and regulatory compliance, bringing practical expertise from oil and gas, chemical processing, and offshore sectors to deliver client-focused solutions that enhance operational resilience.
Paul Cooke
Safety Engineering Authority
Paul provides expert guidance on functional safety and risk assessment methodologies. His background in safety instrumented systems and IEC 61508 compliance ensures clients receive technically robust solutions. He focuses on translating complex safety requirements into practical implementation strategies that balance safety with operational efficiency.
Jackie Wain
Safety Engineering and Design Consultant
Jackie specialises in safety case development and hazardous area classification. With hands-on experience in COMAH regulations and offshore safety systems, she helps clients navigate complex compliance requirements while implementing effective risk control measures tailored to their specific operational challenges.
Kaja Smerecka
Safety Engineer
Kaja delivers practical safety engineering solutions across multiple industries. Her expertise in HAZOP studies and risk assessments focuses on identifying potential process hazards early in design phases. She works closely with clients to develop implementable safety measures that align with both regulatory requirements and operational needs.
Emily Hanley
People and Operations Manager
Emily oversees our operational processes and team development. With a background in safety-critical environments, she ensures efficient service delivery while maintaining high standards of client communication and project coordination across our engineering consultancy operations.
Questions
What industries do you specialise in?
We work across high-hazard sectors including petrochemicals, energy, manufacturing, steel production, ceramics, and offshore facilities, providing tailored safety engineering solutions for each industry's specific challenges.
How do you ensure regulatory compliance?
Our experts specialise in COMAH regulations, DSEAR compliance, IEC 61508/61511 standards, and ISO 13849 requirements, implementing safety measures that meet current legislation while preparing for future regulatory changes.
What safety assessment methodologies do you use?
We employ HAZOP studies, LOPA analysis, SIL verification, consequence modelling, and hazardous area classification to comprehensively assess process and functional safety risks across all client operations.
How do you deliver long-term safety improvements?
We focus on knowledge transfer and capability building, helping clients develop in-house expertise through training and mentoring while implementing sustainable safety management systems that evolve with their operational needs.
Can you support safety throughout the asset lifecycle?
Yes, we provide full lifecycle safety engineering from initial hazard identification through design verification to operational safety management and decommissioning planning for process and functional safety systems.
