Selection of remedy

This chapter presents a regulatory overview of on-site remediation, remedial investigations (RI), feasibility studies (FS), remedial technologies, and a simulated case study. The discussion of remedial investigations and feasibility studies also includes the development and selection of remedial technologies. The case study outlines a remedial investigation and feasibility study, as well as the selection of remedial technologies. 

Selection of Remedy. Risk assessment under the Section 105 scheme for the NCP is explicitly required only in connection with the prioritization process under Section 105(8). After prioritization on the basis of risk, the key issue is selection of remedy. 

Section 105(3) requires "methods and criteria" for selection of remedy, and Section 105(7) requires that the NCP contain means for assessing that remedial measures are "cost effective."... 

ARARS Screening System to aid in determining requirements that drive the selection of remedial alternatives for Superfund sites (planned). Micro N. Pandit/WESTON D. Greathouse/EPA/RREL 9... 

The identification, quantification, and characterization of the contaminants present at a site form the logical and necessary basis to study the applicability of a treatment technology. Characteristics influencing selection of remedial options for explosives-contaminated debris include ... 

The remainder of this chapter introduces a selection of remediation processes that do not involve excessive disturbance of the ground surface or the bulk excavation and removal of contaminated material. Those considered are ... 

Note that Step 3 in the following says This procedure involving rule-of-thumb psychology is featured in the text and that Step 5 proposes the Selection of remedies based on psychological analysis. ... 

Step 2. Selection of remedies based on practical cause analysis that stops at the selection of direct and proximate causes, including personal unsafe acts, when results are not produced by simpler methods. 

Step 3. Selection of remedies based on knowledge of personal subcauses or reasons for the commission of unsafe acts and which considers underlying causes only when the problem does not yield to direct attack. (This procedure involving rule-of-thumb psychology is featured in the text.) Step 4. Selection of remedies based on analysis of underlying causes. Step 5. Selection of remedies based on psychological analysis. (Citation 10)... 

In his discussion of the relation of psychology to accident prevention, Heinrich advocated identifying the first proximate and most easily prevented cause in the selection of remedies, to which psychology would... 

The energy-barrier approach is described more in detail in Chapter 5. We will make extensive use of this approach in our modelling of the accident sequence in Chapter 6. It also provides us with essential criteria for the identification and assessment of hazards and the selection of remedial actions (see Parts III and V). 

The immediate impression is that the risk-homeostasis theory may be in conflict with the basic theories and principles of SHE information systems. We tend to evaluate SHE information systems by looking into the safety measures that have been implemented as a result. They are often of the non-motivational type that according to the risk-homeostasis theory will have marginal effect. In general, the SHE-information-system approach does not involve any particular preferences as to the selection of remedial actions. They may be motivationally oriented as well as non-motivational. 

Supervisors have a tendency to choose causal factor alternatives that are not possible to verify and that involve limited management responsibilities and obligations to implement remedial actions (Kjellen, 1993). Typically, causal-factor alternatives related to human factors such as improper motivation are selected. The link between the identified causes and the selection of remedial actions is often weak. 

We also know that incentives and motivational factors play an important role in causal attributions and the selection of remedies. An illustration of this is when decision-makers attribute accidents to unstable causes rather than stable causes. In the ILCI causation model, we find examples of both types of causes. Mental stress is an example of an unstable factor as opposed to inadequate equipment, which is a stable characteristic. Unstable causes produce less certain predictions about the efficiency of remedial actions. By selecting such causes, the decision-maker may escape from the obligation to decide on binding and resource-demanding solutions to the safety problem (Kjellen, 1993). 

The traditional SHE management approach to this problem has been to introduce formal decision-making routines that managers have to follow. The aim is to shape the behaviour of the decision-makers in a direction that gives safety sufficient attention. Heinrich pioneered this approach in his classical book on Industrial Safety Management (Heinrich, 1959). He introduced five steps that decision makers have to go through in order to prevent accidents in a systematic way (1) collection of data about accidents and near-accidents (2) analysis of these data (3) selection of remedies (4) implementation and (5) evaluation of effects. 

There was an increased focus on the identification of causal factors in accident investigations by use of checklists. The supervisors making the investigations had, however, a tendency to choose causal-factor alternatives that were not possible to verify and that brought about minimum obligations to carry out remedial actions. The same lack of variety in the selection of remedial actions was observed in this oil company as in the six Swedish companies a decade before. There was no obvious link between the types of causal factors that had been identified and the selection of remedial actions. It follows that the supervisors did not use the rational approach shown in Figure 6.6 in their decisions on accident prevention. 

In ISA (Intelligent Safety Assistant), the computer application has been developed even further (Hale etal., 1997). ISA is based on MORT logic and provides the users with the following expert support in the investigation, diagnosis and selection of remedial actions ... 

There are clear priorities in the selection of remedies in step 6 (European Council, 1998). Substitution of hazardous chemicals with less hazardous ones is the preferred solution. Engineering solutions to prevent exposure through containment at the source or through the provision of adequate ventilation (extraction/exhaust ventilation preferred to dilution of contaminants) come next in priority. Only if these solutions are not feasible or do not provide adequate protection, does the use of personal protective equipment come into question. 

Then, an analytical model for the masonry structure is adopted to study the respond of it to different scenarios of loading. The kind of applied loads, the values for strength and elasticity of masonry components, the degree of stiffness, and the safety factors have to be decided for a realistic estimation of the degree of retrofitting and selection of remedial measures. This is a job of great responsibility since there are not adequate regulative frames and every monumental structure is a particular case study (Penelis 1996). 

---