Hazard risk assessment procedure

There are five parts to a hazard risk assessment procedure. Identify one from the list below ... 

Fig. 1. Flow chart representing the complete hazard identification and risk assessment procedure.

The hazard analysis and risk assessment procedure can be appHed at any stage in the lifetime of a process or procedure including research and... 

There are a large number of standard methods suitable for each stage in the hazard analysis and risk assessment procedure. The selection of the proper method depends on several factors. Some of these are the type of process, the stage in the lifetime of the process, the experience and capabiUties of the participants, and the step in the procedure that is being examined. Information regarding the selection of the proper procedure is available in an excellent and comprehensive reference (1). 

The remaining step in the hazard identification and risk assessment procedure shown in Figure 1 is to decide on risk acceptance. For this step, few resources are available and analysts are left basically by themselves. Some companies have formal risk acceptance criteria. Most companies, however, use the results on a relative basis. That is, the results are compared to another process or processes where hazards and risks are weU-characterized. 

To chanicterize potential disasters by tjpe and extent, a survey of hazards or foreseeable tlireats in die community must be performed and evaluated. Widiout such information, an appropriate plan cannot be developed. An inventory of the community protection assets, liazard sources, and risks must be done before die actual plan is written. The procedures followed here is similar to diat provided in Part IV of this book - Hazard Risk Assessment. 

FIGURE 7.1.3 Process of hazard identification, Source SSC, First report on the harmonisation of risk assessment procedures, Part 1, October 2000. )... 

Risk characterization is the last step in the risk assessment procedure. It is the quantitative or semi-quantitative estimation, including uncertainties, of frequency and severity of known or potential adverse health effects in a given population based on the previous steps. Risk characterization is the step that integrates information on hazard and exposure to estimate the magnitude of a risk. Comparison of the numerical output of hazard characterization with the estimated intake will give an indication of whether the estimated intake is a health concern. ... 

The degree of confidence in the final estimation of risk depends on variability, uncertainty, and assumptions identified in all previous steps. The nature of the information available for risk characterization and the associated uncertainties can vary widely, and no single approach is suitable for all hazard and exposure scenarios. In cases in which risk characterization is concluded before human exposure occurs, for example, with food additives that require prior approval, both hazard identification and hazard characterization are largely dependent on animal experiments. And exposure is a theoretical estimate based on predicted uses or residue levels. In contrast, in cases of prior human exposure, hazard identification and hazard characterization may be based on studies in humans and exposure assessment can be based on real-life, actual intake measurements. The influence of estimates and assumptions can be evaluated by using sensitivity and uncertainty analyses. - Risk assessment procedures differ in a range of possible options from relatively unso-... 

The terminology used varies considerably. Hazard identification and risk assessment are sometimes combined into a general category called hazard evaluation. Risk assessment is sometimes called hazard analysis. A risk assessment procedure that determines probabilities is frequently called probabilistic risk assessment (PRA), whereas a procedure that determines probability and consequences is called quantitative risk analysis (QRA). 

Figure 10-1 Hazards identification and risk assessment procedure. Adapted from Guidelines for Hazards Evaluation Procedures (New York American Institute of Chemical Engineers, 1985), pp. 1-9.

Figure 23-1 shows the hazards identification and risk assessment procedure. The procedure begins with a complete description of the process. This includes detailed PFD and P I diagrams, complete specifications on all equipment, maintenance records, operating procedures, and so forth. A hazard identification procedure is then selected (see Haz-ard Analysis subsection) to identify the hazards and their nature. This is followed by identification of all potential event sequences and potential incidents (scenarios) that can result in loss of control of energy or material. Next is an evaluation of both the consequences and the probability. The consequences are estimated by using source models (to describe the... 

ECETOC (2004) has proposed a concept of generic threshold values based on hazard categories primarily intended to be used in the risk assessment procedure of industrial chemicals within REACH. The hazard categories are based on EU classihcation limits and for each substance to be risk assessed, inclusion in hazard categories depends on the substance s specific classification (or no classification) according to the Commission Directive 67/548/EC (EC 1967). Three hazard categories have been suggested ... 

The Community-Level Aquatic Systems Studies Interpretation Studies (CLASSIC) guidance document, which deals with the interpretation of results of microcosm and mesocosm tests in the risk assessment procedure of pesticides, recommends that regulatory model ecosystem experiments be conducted in spring to midsummer (Giddings et al. 2002). On the basis of the limited number of model ecosystem experiments described above, it seems that threshold concentrations for effects observed in early-season studies are reasonably predictive for threshold concentrations later in the season. Above these threshold concentrations, however, the intensity and duration of the responses (direct and indirect effects) may vary during different periods of the year. Consequently, the extrapolation of NOECcommunity values from one season to another seems to be possible with lower uncertainty than hazard estimates of higher concentrations in which both direct and indirect effects are involved. 

The GHS is not intended to harmonize risk assessment procedures or risk management decisions (such as establishment of a permissible exposure limit for employee exposure), which generally require some risk assessment in addition to hazard classification. In addition, chemical inventory requirements in various countries are not related to the GHS... 

Risk assessment procedures undertaken on any contaminated site will establish a range of contaminants (hazards), pathways and receptors, will identify possible linkages of concern and will determine a set of remediation objectives. Any remediation subsequently proposed for the site must then be capable of fulfilling these objectives. In general terms the primary aims of any remediation is to break the linkage between contaminant source and the receptor to achieve a reduction of actual or potential risk so that unacceptable risks are reduced to acceptable levels. 

The information used to classify a chemical substance as dangerous , either to health or the environment, can be used for hazard assessment, which can be combined with chemical exposure data to produce a risk assessment. Further information on toxicity or exposure may be needed to refine the risk assessment, before any necessary risk management action is taken to ban or restrict the use of the chemical. (See also chapter by Cowie and Richardson.) Defined hazard and risk assessment procedures may be used by regulatffls, or informal assessments based on practical experience can be undertaken by chemical users, either voluntarily or to fulfil statutory obligations. 

Fire Precautions drills, maintenance of exit routes, regular maintenance. Hazards risk assessments/responsibilities and procedures (see Chapter 3 for further details). 

Workplace risk assessment can be defined as a systematic procedure for analysing workplace components to identify and evaluate hazards and safety characteristics (Harms-Ringdahl 2001). Due to EU regulation (Council Directive 89/391/EEC) each member state of the European Union has to establish national legislation to demand risk assessment procedures in enterprises of all sizes. In Estonia, the Act on Occupational Health and Safety that requires risk assessment at the every workplace was adopted in 1999. Workplace risk assessment has to be conducted by the employers using their own resources or by registered practitioners in occupational health (Occupational Health and Safety Act 1999). 

Lack of conducting a Job Safety Analysis also called a Hazard Risk Assessment prior to any infrequent operating/maintenance procedures. If the risks were better understood the trainee would have been better prepared. 

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