Safety Case Regime in Context of Risk Management
Identification of hazards, and assessment of risks
Implementation of measures to eliminate the hazards, or control the risks
Comprehensive and integrated system for hazards and risks management
Monitoring, audit, review and continuous improvement
Identify hazards and potential cause of events
Assess consequences
Identify and scrutinize existing control and measures
Conduct the initial assessment (likelihood of consequences) to access the level of risks.
Identification of potential additional controls
Conduct the final risk assessment,
Prepare performance standards and ensure procedures are in place
Planning and preparation for risk assessment
Scope
General approach
Selecting risk assessment techniques
Use of a tiered approach
Organisation and personnel requirements
The risk assessment process
Risk assessment outputs
Risk assessment outcomes
Review and revision of risk assessment
Quality Assurance
Validate hazard/major accidents events
Validate likelihood and control measures
Validate consequences
Risk analysis
Operators and their workforce may carry out safety assessments such as job safety analyses (JSA) or job hazard analyses (JHA) as part of established routine and non-routine activities, e.g. in deciding on shift teams, planning an activity, etc.
Risk assessment should be a rigorous process of gathering information in order to understand the nature ofthe hazard(s), the mechanisms by which the hazard(s) could give rise to injury or ill-health and the magnitude and severity of the risk. On the basis of such a risk assessment, the operator can thendetermine what preventive or mitigation action is required.
Qualitative
Risk matrix
method
Likelihood and consequence expressed on a scale described in
words. Risk output is not expressed as a numerical value.
Semi quantitative
Risk matrix Method. Layers of protection analysis (LOPA)
Generates a numerical risk value (although this value is not an
absolute value of risk).
Quantitative
Quantitative risk assessment (QRA)/Fault tree/Event tree/Layers of protection analysis (LOPA)
Provides a calculated value of risk. Better suited to more complex decision making or where risks are relatively high.
The tiered or multi-level approach to risk assessment may see relatively simple techniques used initially to assess hazards as part of a ‘screening’ process to determine if they can result in a MAE
Include all relevant work groups
Include a representative from operations who has a thorough and detailed knowledge of the facility or similar facilities
Include a mix of scientific and engineering disciplines
include a representative from maintenance who has a thorough and detailed knowledge of the facility, or similar facilities
Likelihood analysis
Risk assessment requires an estimate of the likelihood of the event occurring
Consequence analysis
When carrying out risk assessment with respect to MAEs, the assessment needs to evaluate the consequences of each MAE in terms of the severity as well as the magnitude of the MAE.
Nature of injury or illness
When carrying out risk assessment with respect to potential injury or occupational illness
Control measure assessment
Control measures are the means of reducing the risk associated with hazardous events. They eliminate, prevent, reduce or mitigate the hazards and/or consequences
Check accident event and near miss history on the facility. Check industry accident event history
Verify that control measures are as reliable as thought. Inspection records for equipment should be reviewed
If not already done, verify consequences by conducting consequence
modelling.
Ask personnel to provide an indication of which hazards they perceive to be
most likely to cause each accident event. Compare this with the risk results
Operators of facilities have an ongoing responsibility to understand and reduce risks to a level that is
ALARP, including risks associated with proposed changes to the facility.
An understanding of the factors that influence risk, the likelihood of potential MAEs and other hazardous events, the magnitude and severity of the range of possible consequences.
Uses of outcomes
To provide evidence that risks are reduced to a level that is ALARP;
To assist in the development of emergency response plans;
To enable priorities and resource allocations to be based on appropriate information and assessment, Resulting in a cost-effective improvement of risk;
To assist in the improvement of procedures and management systems;
As an input into ‘training needs’ analyses
Hazards generally arise from i) physical work environment ii) equipment, materials and substances used iii) work tasks and how they are performed and iv) work design and management.
Identification of Major Accident Events (MAEs)A risk assessment can help in determining i) how severe a risk is ii) whether any existing control measures are effective iii) what action you should take to control the risk iv) how urgently the action needs to be taken
Acknowledge inherent controls in place
Once the hazards and their risks are known, controls need to be put in place