Risk characterization. Combining steps 2 and 3 to quantify the risk level in a specific population

OHRA is not an exact science; in assessing the implications of exposure to occupational hazards for human health there are many uncertainties.

6.3.1. Health and Safety Risk Assessment Objectives

As per the Zonescorp guidelines, the cornerstone of a health and safety risk assessment is to carry out a Risk Assessment, in which the activities of an operation are reviewed in order to:

 Identify and create an inventory of agents potentially hazardous to health;

 Evaluate (assess) the risk to health associated with exposure to these agents against specified screening criteria;

 Decide on the control measures required, if any, to remove or reduce the risk to health to a level as low as reasonably practicable;

 Consider any emergency (recovery) measures needed to mitigate acute and/or chronic health effects, should control measures fail.

When applied systematically within an organisation, risk assessments can be used as a management tool to assist in:

 The comprehensive identification of work place health hazards for risk and health impact assessments;

 Prioritising the implementation of risk assessments, focusing first on those activities involving the greatest potential risk to health;

 Prioritising the implementation of additional control measures, where necessary, to minimise the health risk to a level as low as reasonably practicable;

 Including risk assessments as an integral component of introducing new, or

 Educating staff on the health hazards, risks and measures of control appropriate to their tasks;

 Determining appropriate records on staff exposures to health hazards which, when combined with health surveillance records, can be used to identify health trends and problem areas for action, to fulfil legal requirements and to safeguard the company against unforeseen liabilities.

6.3.2. Legal and Regulatory Compliance

In addition to the Zonescorp requirement that throughout industrial activities the risks to health are to be identified, it is a legal requirement in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) that employee health is to be protected. Occupational health matters in the emirate of Abu Dhabi are regulated by:

 UAE Federal Law No 8 of 1980: Regulation of labour relations

 UAE Federal Law No 77 of 2005: regarding the handling of hazardous material;

 UAE Federal Law No 1 of 2002: regarding the handling of radioactive material;

 UAE Federal Law No 3 of 1978: regarding the conservation of petroleum resources where there are some preventive measures to be followed;

 Ministerial Order No. 32 of 1982 regarding the protection of workers;

 Ministerial Order No. 467 of 2005 regarding the restriction of outdoor working hours in summer.

The health and safety risk assessment has been performed in compliance with the Zonescorp CoP EHS04 and EHS03 as well as local laws. Also international regulations on occupational health were consulted in order to provide the most accurate and relevant assessment.

6.3.3. Scope of Work

The activities involved in the construction, operation and decommissioning phases of the project will expose employees to a variety of health hazards. These include various environmental factors or stresses that can be classified as physical, chemical, biological, ergonomic and psycho-social.

PHYSICAL HAZARDS such as

 Noise

 Vibration: Whole Body and Hand-Arm vibration

 Non-ionizing radiation

 Thermal work environment CHEMICAL HAZARDS such as

 Irritants

 Sensitizers (particularly skin and respiratory)

 Alkalis/caustic agents

 Potential Carcinogens

 Exposure to fumes from welding activities BIOLOGICAL HAZARDS such as

 Bacteria or viral infections that would develop from possibility sub-standard and close living conditions

 Personnel hygiene from a workforce that is most likely originating from developing countries

 Food pathogens, drinking water management ERGONOMIC HAZARDS such as

 Heavy and bulky loads stresses

 Machinery ergonomic stresses

 Repetitive movements and Upper Limb disorders

 Working at height

The risk assessment addresses the life cycle of any operation and takes account of all employees, contractors and third parties at work. The risk assessment is adequately performed at an early stage of the project and should be reviewed periodically and revisited when there is a significant change or as required by local legislation.

6.4. Methodology

A comprehensive HAZID/ENVID/OHRA study has been undertaken for Phases 1-3 of the Project. The study was carried out at the Al Ghaith offices in Musaffah, Abu Dhabi, on 10^th July, 2011. The study team consisted of representatives from Al Ghaith Industries and URS.

The output from the study has been used to develop a HER for the Project, which is contained within this section of the PEHSR. The hazards have been assessed against

 Health and Safety impact on people;

 Environmental impact from accidental and planned events;

 Impacts on Company assets; and

 Impacts on Company reputation.

An analysis of the hazards by risk and project phase is also presented, to provide an indicative risk profile of the project.

The HER demonstrates that all hazards and effects have been identified, understood, and are being properly controlled. It demonstrates that the facility is adequately controlled and that preparations are in place to handle any consequence that could result, if control is ever lost. The purpose of the HER is to present in a clear and concise form the results of the analysis made of each hazard or effect present in the facility/project. The HER has been developed based on the guidelines set out in the Zonescorp CoP EHS03 and EHS04.

For each entry into the HER the following information has been provided

 Phase (i.e. operational);

 Hazard description;

 Consequence;

 Risk Ranking (See section below); and

 Safeguards/Controls in place.

Hazards associated with the Decommissioning Phase have not been assessed. Overall, these are likely to present similar challenges to those associated with construction, though this will depend on the extent to which adjacent or interconnected facilities are operational at that time. The decommissioning of these facilities will present similar challenges and issues to the many other existing facilities of a similar nature in the region.

A more detailed assessment will need to be undertaken as the plant approaches the decommissioning phase when requirements, methods and expectations may have changed considerably.

6.4.1. Risk Classifications

Each hazard was measured in terms of the potential impact posed to each impact area (people, environment, assets, reputation) using the Risk Assessment Matrix (RAM) (Zonescorp EHS03), shown below in table XX.

Table 6-13 Risk Assessment Matrix

Probability

Consequence

Insignificant (A) Minor (B) Moderate (C) Major (D) Catastrophic (E)

Rare (1) A1 B1 C1 D1 E1

Possible (2) A2 B2 C2 D2 E2

Likely (3) A3 B3 C3 D3 E3

Often (4) A4 B4 C4 D4 E4

Frequent (5) A5 B5 C5 D5 E5

Red Extreme Risk Activity or industry should not proceed in current form.

Amber High Risk Activity or industry should be modified to include remedial planning and action and be subject to detailed EHS Assessment.

Yellow Moderate Risk Activity or industry can operate subject to management and / or modification.

Green Low Risk No action required, unless escalation of risk is possible.

1. Risk is the combination of “probability” (1 to 5) and “consequence” (A to B).

2. Probability: Refer to Appendix XX for definitions of probability of occurrence in relation to each impact area.

3. Consequence: Refer to Appendix XX for definitions of potential EHS impact & potential incident consequence rating.

The severity was assessed on the basis of the unmitigated hazard and the probability of occurrence was assigned based on the likelihood of that scale of event occurring given the safeguards (prevention, control, detection, mitigation) provided.

The impacts addressed in this section are grouped into categories related to the causative factor, such as physical presence, air emissions, noise, fluid discharges, solid wastes, and wastewater.

6.4.2. Acceptance Criteria

Acceptance criteria for control, mitigation and recovery measures provided for EHS hazards have generally been specified according to the method suggested in the Appendix 1 of Zonescorp CoP EHS03, as reproduced below.

Figure 6-19

6.4.3. Hazards

Accidents and hazard can be defined as an event or process, which presents a threat, and may lead to severe or catastrophic consequences, to people, assets, the environment and/or company reputation. Consequences may be immediate or delayed and may occur outside as well as inside the site. There will generally be a high potential for escalation.

Examples of hazards and accidents would include, but are not limited to:

 Loss of containment of flammable and/or toxic fluids leading to fire, explosion and/or toxic injury;

 Events resulting in structural failure which could lead to further progressive collapse;

 Gas leakage;

 Well blowouts;

 Ships colliding with offshore installations or onshore jetties used for bulk loading explosive, flammable or toxic substances;

 Delivery vehicles colliding with or otherwise affecting industrial facilities;