Understanding the risk is important for rational and cost-effective decision-making. QRA has been proven as a valuable management tool in assessing the overall safety performance of any facility manufacturing, storing or handling hazardous materials. The potential for toxic and/or flammable materials to be accidently released into atmosphere exists at many industrial facilities. Loss of containment (LOC) events can occur very suddenly and unexpectedly, putting employees and offsite population at a risk of injury or death, and the surrounding environment at risk of significant damage or contamination.

A QRA is a formal and systematic approach to estimating the likelihood and consequences of hazardous LOC events, and expressing the results quantitatively as risk to people, the environment or your business. It is a tool for demonstration of risk levels, required for approval of a Major Accident Hazard (MAH) Facility. It is also required during major plant modifications and to changes in manning levels.

QRA helps in identifying the major risk contributing scenario which can then be utilized for decision-making. And focusing on these will help a facility meet acceptability criteria and demonstrate that risks are as low as reasonably practicable (ALARP).

In QRA, we analyze potential LOC scenarios for their consequences and frequencies (using historical databases, facility experience and parts count methodology). Based on consequences, frequencies and other conditional factors (such as manning levels, vulnerabilities, etc.), we estimate Location Specific Individual Risk, Individual Risk Per Annum, Potential Loss of Life and Societal risk. Identifying major risk contributors, we assess preventative and mitigative measures. Effects of uncertainties and assumptions is reviewed in sensitivity analysis. ALARP is demonstrated using Cost Benefit Analysis (CBA) which assesses the ratio of cost of recommendation implementation to benefits obtained from recommendation.

Furthermore, we at Sigma-HSE can extend QRA for Emergency Planning (Onsite and Offsite) and to perform Occupied Building Risk Assessment (OBRA/ BRA), Smoke and Gas Ingress Assessment (SGIA), Temporary Refuge Impairment Assessment (TRIA), Emergency Escape and Rescue Analysis (EERA), Emergency System Survivability Assessment (ESSA).

Our experts work not only to perform the QRA and submit the reports, but to explain the risk results, effect of assumptions and recommendation implementation strategy to ensure safer operations.

Software Used by Sigma-HSE: PHAST & SAFETI (PHAST-Risk) Version 8.22

Any Questions? For more information or to discuss further or to get a quote, please contact us.