Bahitek

F.A.Q.

Which is the goal of a Risk Analysis?

Methods for the identification, analysis, and assessment of risks are a very valuable tool to approach their detection, their causes, and their consequences with the aim to do away with or lessen the risks and limit their consequences when they cannot be removed.

Main objectives:

• Identify possible scenarios (undesired events, accidents) that may occur at the industrial facility under study).
• Determine the consequences of said undesired event.
• Analyze the frequency of occurrence of such event.
• Decide on the acceptability or not of the estimated risk.
• Define preventive and protective measures and procedures to avoid the occurrence and/or limit the consequences of the accidents.

Which are the basic definitions in risk?

Danger: Chemical or physical condition of a system, plant, or process with the potential to cause injuries or wounds to people, damage to property, or damage to the environment.

Risk: Measure of economic loss, environmental damage, or human injuries in terms of the frequency of accident occurrence and the magnitude of losses, damage to the environment, or injuries to human beings (consequences).

Accident: Event or sequence of undesired and unexpected events causing personal injuries and/or damage to the environment and/or material losses.

Which types of phenomena are assessed in a Consequence Analysis?

The different types of undesired events at facilities with hazardous substances may produce certain dangerous phenomena to the population, the environment, and material assets. Among them:

• Mechanical phenomena: Pressure waves and projectiles
• Thermal phenomena: Thermal radiation
• Chemical phenomena: Uncontrolled leaks or spills of toxic or contaminant substances.

Is there a methodology for the development of a Risk Analysis?

There are two types of methods for the performance of Risk Analysis:

Qualitative methods: They are based on the use of techniques developed from experience gained in similar existent equipment and facilities and from the analysis of events that occurred on facilities similar to the one under analysis. Technical manuals, design codes and standards, safety check lists, historic analysis of accidents, preliminary risk analysis (PHA), "What if...? analysis, HAZOP analysis, failure tree analysis (FTA), Event tree analysis (ETA), Failure mode and effect analysis (FMEA).

Semi-qualitative methods: They introduce a qualitative assessment in relation to the frequency of occurrence of a specific event.