Benchmarking for up-to-date risk assessment methods for safety assurance

Abstract

Objective: Performing a multiple factor analysis of the existing risk assessment methods based on the developed applicability characteristics for a given method at risk assessment phases. To ensure both industrial and environmental safety, a risk-based approach has become specifically relevant as one of the efficient instruments used in crisis management. Methods: When a risk analysis for hazardous industrial facilities is performed for potential emergencies, such analysis should be done along two primary lines – identifying the risk for preventive protection and insurance measures to be correctly arranged and implemented, as well as forecasting how the consequences of risks actualized will evolve for immediate protective measures to be arranged and planned in good time. At the same time, there are now scores of risk assessment methods, approaches and methodical guidelines for calculation that are notionally divided into five primary groups: observation methods, supplementary methods, scenario analysis, functional analysis, statistical methods. Each risk assessment method has its own specifics, field of use, relevant parameters and qualitative and quantitative characteristics expressed. Results: maintenance and toxicological risk assessment are excluded from the risk assessment methods, the most efficient methods being identified as follows: Failure mode and effects analysis (FMEA) and Failure mode, effects and criticality analysis (FMECA), maintenance focused on reliability assurance, Human reliability analysis (HRA), Event tree analysis (ETA), Layer of protection analysis (LOPA), Structured what if technique (SWIFT). Practical importance: For making a reasonable choice between the methods, benchmarking for the above methods has been performed on which basis the most acceptable approaches are identified. The resulting risk assessment method comparison table has a practical relevance for design and research work performed in forecasting and analyzing industrial and environmental hazards.