Risk Analysis for a Research Laboratory

Summary

Risk management is defined as "all measures undertaken within an organization to improve and maintain occupational safety measures." The objective of occupational health and safety risk management is to establish an effective safety framework to prevent the emergence of hidden hazards by gathering the most valid and accurate information available about the causes of workplace accidents and occupational diseases and the factors that influence them. Good risk analysis carries significant value in protecting against potential accidents and enables the identification of hidden hazards and the implementation of effective safety measures. In this study, risk analysis and its application were conducted in a sample research laboratory using the L-Matrix and HAZOP risk assessment methods. The laboratory was investigated from an occupational health and safety perspective, and necessary measures were taken using the applied risk analysis method. Within the scope of this study, risk-creating conditions were first identified, a risk table was prepared, and necessary methods to address these risks were investigated. A floor plan was drawn for the safe evacuation of the laboratory in case of an emergency. Because no risk analysis study conducted in any university or laboratory registered in Turkish literature was found, and also due to the requirement of Occupational Health and Safety Law No. 6331, the importance of such a study is high. Although universities are classified as low-hazard sectors, conducting such studies in laboratories, which are highly hazardous, is very important and necessary while remaining a subject that needs to be addressed.

1. Introduction

Risk is expressed as "the probability of an undesired event occurring within a certain period or under certain conditions, frequency and probability according to environmental conditions." It is also defined as "a combination of the probability of an event occurring and its consequences." Sometimes a hazard is expressed as the impact on health rather than actual harm or danger. For example, the disease tuberculosis (TB) may be called a hazard by some, but generally the bacteria that cause TB are considered a "hazard" or "hazardous biological agent"[1]. Risk analysis is conducted in two important ways: qualitative and quantitative risk analysis. The purpose of conducting a qualitative risk analysis is to provide safety against accepted risks and to increase the alertness of management, team members, and all personnel vulnerable to them. This risk analysis method is designed to identify problems viewed as project management obstacles, but has the potential to be precise risk factors. A detailed qualitative analysis will also direct resources more sensitive to such risks. The objective is to identify corrective measures that can be included to limit or eliminate the causes of such risks and to ensure that these safety measures become part of the risk-based analytical protocol for future reference. Quantitative risk analysis focuses more on the implementation of safety measures established to protect against each identified risk. Using a quantitative approach, an organization can produce a highly precise analytical interpretation that clearly demonstrates which risk resolution measures are most suitable for various project needs.

This makes the quantitative approach preferred by many management teams, as it emphasizes the use of tools such as measurements and can be explicitly represented in empirical forms such as percentiles or probability charts [2].

Hazard and Operability Studies, or HAZOPs, have been commonly used to examine what effects deviations in chemical processes can have on a process. When performing a HAZOP, the basic assumption is that when there is a deviation from normal conditions, normal and standard conditions are safe and dangerous. A HAZOP can be performed at any stage of a project, although it is most beneficial in subsequent stages of design. Characteristics can be flow, level, pressure, concentration, or temperature. Guide words are used to identify possible deviations. HAZOP is a structured and systematic technique for system review and risk management. In particular, HAZOP is commonly used as a technique for identifying potential hazards in a system and identifying operational problems that could lead to unsuitable products. HAZOP is based on a theory that assumes risk events are caused by deviations from design or operational intentions. The identification of these deviations is facilitated by using sets of "guide words" as a systematic list of deviation perspectives. A risk matrix is a matrix used to define various risk levels as the product of harm probability categories and harm severity categories during risk assessment. This is a simple mechanism to increase risk visibility and assist management in decision-making. Although many standard risk matrices exist in different contexts, individual projects and organizations may need to create their own risks or adapt an existing risk matrix [3-5]. The L-type matrix was used in this project as a qualitative risk analysis method. Within the scope of this study, potential hazards were first identified and the consequences of these hazards and possible risky situations were determined. A risk table and necessary methods to solve these risks were investigated. Although a risk table was created, risks were identified and categorized. These categories were occupational hygiene and occupational schema, machinery and hand tools, electrical, chemical, and psychosocial factors, which were transferred to the risk table and each was scored in terms of probability and severity assigned to its risk category. These categories are shown in detail in Table 1 [6]. The product of probability and severity values gives the risk value. According to the L-type risk matrix, these risk levels are given as negligible, low, medium, high, very high, and intolerable [7].

Table 1. Severity and Probability Assessment.

The objective of this study is to investigate hazards according to occupational health and safety requirements in a sample research laboratory and to conduct risk analysis work using different methods to take necessary measures. For this purpose, risks were determined in terms of the probability of an uncontrolled event occurring and the probability of the consequences of this event emerging. Two different risk analysis methods (L-matrix and HAZOP) were applied to the laboratory's experimental setups, reactors, chemicals, and physical conditions.

2. Results and Discussion

In this study, the laboratory was examined from an occupational health and safety perspective, and necessary measures were taken to implement the Occupational Health and Safety Law No. 6331. Potential hazards and risky situations were identified, risk tables were created, and necessary actions were taken to eliminate these risks. In this study, all risks and risk scores in a sample research laboratory are presented in Table 2 [6].

Table 2. Risk Assessment Table

HAZOP includes recommendations on hazards that can be improved to reduce hazards and improvements. The risk associated with each deviation can be categorized according to Table 3. Determination of the risk category allows an appropriate method to determine corrective preventive action [8]. HAZOP was applied to the research laboratory which contains two types of reactors: fixed-bed and drip-bed reactors. HAZOP work was performed around these reactors. The experimental setup containing the fixed-bed reactor also includes a peristaltic pump, preheater, flow meter, and gas cylinder. In the HAZOP method, guide words such as flow, pressure, and temperature were applied to this system. Accordingly, possible causes, consequences, and measures were arranged in terms of flow, temperature, and pressure (Table 4). The application of the HAZOP method to the fixed-bed reactor is given in Table 5. HAZOP was applied to the drip-bed reactor for parameters such as flow, pressure, and temperature. The experimental setup contains a fixed-bed reactor and an HPLC (pressure) pump. Possible causes, consequences, and measures were applied around the reactor's flow, temperature, and pressure with the help of guide words in the HAZOP methodology. Dr. Canan Uraz / Department of Chemical Engineering / Faculty of Engineering Ege University

Table 3. Risk determination and assignment

References 1. http://www.ccohs.ca/oshanswers/hsprograms/hazard_risk.html. 2. http://www.brighthubpm.com/risk-management/33403-qualitative-and-quantitative-risk-analysis. 3. http://www.safetyshare.org/documents/sec3.pdf 4. Arben Mullai, Risk Management System – Risk Assessments Frameworks and Techniques, Dagob Publication Series 5, 2006. 5. Center for Chemical Process Safety (CCPS), Practical Approach to Hazard Identification for Operations and Maintenance, 2015. 6. Occupational Health and Safety Law in TURKEY, Act No. 6331, 20.6.2012, http://www.ilo.org/dyn/natlex/natlex4.detail? p_lang=en&p_ isn=92011 7. David J. Leggett, Lab-HIRA: Hazard identification and risk analysis for the chemical research laboratory, Part1 and Part 2, 2012.