Qualitative risk analysis checklist

Table 4.2 provides a checklist of some of the information that can be collected as part of a qualitative risk analysis. This checklist is intended to be a starting point for identifying issues that may require further evaluation. It is included in Appendix B, on the enclosed CD, and should be altered, shortened, or expanded to meet the needs of yom particular operation. 

The site-level health and safety manager was given notice from corporate for the need to conduct the qualitative risk analysis of the plant s hazardous material transportation operations. The safety manager was provided with a questiotmaire regarding all chemicals of concern, shipping quantities, modes of transit, and the route characteristics (similar to the checklist found in Table 4.2). This information was transmitted back to corporate for analysis, which included a corporate-level comparison to the other XYZ Chemical facihties risk results. Based on the information collected at the site level, the following was determined and reviewed by corporate for this facility ... 

Qualitative techniques, consisting of techniques for primarily hazard identification, such as SLRA (screening level risk analysis), checklist, what-if, what-if/checklist, HAZDP (guide-word hazard and operabiUty study), and FMEiA (failure modes and effects analysis). 

Several qualitative approaches can be used to identify hazardous reaction scenarios, including process hazard analysis, checklists, chemical interaction matrices, and an experience-based review. CCPS (1995a p. 176) describes nine hazard evaluation procedures that can be used to identify hazardous reaction scenarios-checklists, Dow fire and explosion indices, preliminary hazard analysis, what-if analysis, failure modes and effects analysis (FMEA), HAZOP study, fault tree analysis, human error analysis, and quantitative risk analysis. 

The Information System of Logistics has been used for the choice of a mUitary installation to examine risks of occupational exposure to NIEMR. Checklist Analysis method (Dickert, T.G. 1974) has been applied for identifying NIEMR sources and traditional brainstorming (Beranek, Z. et al. 1996) for qualitative risk assessment. 

Both qualitative and quantitative evaluation techniques may be used to consider the risk associated with a facility. The level and magnitude of these reviews should be commensurate with the risk that the facility represents. High value, critical facilities or employee vulnerability may warrant high review levels. While unmanned "off-the-shelf, low hazard facilities may suffice with only a checklist review. Specialized studies are performed when in-depth analysis is needed to determine the cost benefit of a safety feature or to fully demonstrate the intended safety feature has the capability to fully meet prescribed safety requirements. 

Many methods have been developed that are suitable for assessing risks associated with the operation of facilities involving chemical reactivity hazards. The more commonly used methods are summarized in Table 4.9. They differ in their applicability, level of effort, and how systematic they are in identifying accident scenarios. All of the methods except layer of protection analysis (LOPA) may be applied qualitatively, and all except checklist reviews may be performed in at least a semiquantitative manner. CCPS (1992a) is a basic source of information on each of these methods. 

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