Risk Assessment: Tools, Techniques, and Their Applications

Risk Assessment: Tools, Techniques, and Their Applications

by Lee T. Ostrom, Cheryl Wilhelmsen
Released July 2012
Publisher(s): Wiley
ISBN: 9780470892039

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Book description

All the tools needed to perform a thorough risk assessment—whether you're working in insurance, forensics, engineering, or public safety

Risk analysis is the method of analyzing the dangers to individuals, businesses, and government agencies posed by potential natural and man-made hazards. The central task of the risk assessor is predicting the success of a project. This includes isolating the entire spectrum of adverse events that can derail a project or threaten the health and safety of individuals, organizations, and the environment.

Designed as a practical, in-the-field toolkit, Risk Assessment details every aspect of how a risk assessment is performed, showing the proper tool to be used at various steps in the process, as well as locating the tool that best fits the risk assessment task at hand. Examining not only the very nature of risks and consequences, with fascinating historical examples, the book progresses from simple to more complex risk assessment techniques used by the authors in their daily work, all presented in a form that can be readily adapted to any number of real-life situations:

  • Ecological Risk Assessment

  • Task Analysis Techniques

  • Preliminary Hazards Analysis

  • Failure Mode and Effects Analysis

  • Human Reliability Analysis

  • Critical Incident Technique

With numerous industry-specific case studies, as well as additional case studies for risk assessments for a restaurant and a process plant, the book provides readers with complete examples of how each of the techniques can be used in a variety of real-world situations. Including downloadable worksheets and other useful assessment materials, as well as guidance on using PRA software, this unparalleled reference offers all the tools and techniques needed to conduct a thorough and accurate assessment of risk.

Note: The ebook version does not provide access to the companion files.

Table of contents

  1. Cover
  2. Title Page
  3. Copyright
  4. List of Figures
  5. List of Tables
  6. Acknowledgments
  7. Chapter 1: Introduction to Risk Assessment
    1. 1.1 Terminology
    2. 1.2 Performing Risk Assessments
    3. 1.3 Risk Assessment Team
    4. References
  8. Chapter 2: Risk Perception
    1. 2.1 Knowledge Level
    2. References
  9. Chapter 3: Risks and Consequences
    1. 3.1 Introduction
    2. 3.2 Risk and Consequence
    3. 3.3 Credible Consequences
    4. 3.4 Summary
    5. References
  10. Chapter 4: Ecological Risk Assessment
    1. 4.1 Introduction
    2. 4.2 Deep Water Horizon
    3. 4.3 Love Canal
    4. 4.4 Minimata Methylmercury
    5. 4.5 Agent Orange
    6. 4.6 Seveso, Italy
    7. 4.7 Risk of Ecological Disasters
    8. 4.8 Ecological Risk Assessment
    9. 4.9 Summary
    10. References
  11. Chapter 5: Task Analysis Techniques
    1. 5.1 What Is Task Analysis?
    2. 5.2 Why A Task Analysis?
    3. 5.3 When To Use Task Analysis?
    4. 5.4 Task Analysis Process
    5. References
  12. Chapter 6: Preliminary Hazards Analysis
    1. 6.1 Description
    2. 6.2 Using Process Hazard for Procedure Design
    3. 6.3 Using PHA for Preliminary Product Design
    4. 6.4 Summary
    5. References
  13. Chapter 7: Primer on Probability and Statistics
    1. 7.1 Introduction
    2. 7.2 Probability Theory
    3. 7.3 Combining Probabilities
    4. 7.4 Conditional Probability
    5. 7.5 Probability Distributions
    6. 7.6 Using Probability
    7. 7.7 Summary
    8. References
  14. Chapter 8: Developing Probabilities
    1. 8.1 Risk Assessment Data
    2. 8.2 Overall Summary
    3. References
  15. Chapter 9: Failure Mode and Effects Analysis
    1. 9.1 Introduction
    2. 9.2 Summary
    3. References
  16. Chapter 10: Human Reliability Analyses
    1. 10.1 Introduction
    2. 10.2 Task Analysis
    3. 10.3 HRA Modeling
    4. 10.4 Quantifying Human Error Probability (HEP)
    5. 10.5 Documentation
    6. 10.6 Use of Human Reliability Analysis Techniques for Analyzing Procedures
    7. References
  17. Chapter 11: Critical Incident Technique
    1. 11.1 Introduction
    2. 11.2 Method
    3. 11.3 Building on the Results of a Critical Incident Technique Session
    4. 11.4 Summary
    5. References
  18. Chapter 12: Event Tree and Decision Tree Analysis
    1. 12.1 Event Trees
    2. 12.2 Decision Trees
    3. 12.3 Case Study: Chernobyl
    4. 12.4 Summary
    5. References
  19. Chapter 13: Critical Function Analysis
    1. 13.1 Introduction
    2. 13.2 Critical Functions
    3. 13.3 Conducting a Critical Function Analysis
    4. 13.4 Summary
    5. References
  20. Chapter 14: Basic Fault Tree Analysis Technique
    1. 14.1 History
    2. 14.2 Application
    3. 14.3 Fault Tree Construction
    4. 14.4 Event Symbols
    5. 14.5 Logic Gates
    6. 14.6 Analysis Procedure
    7. 14.7 Examples of Fault Tree Analysis
    8. 14.8 Summary
    9. References
  21. Chapter 15: Probabilistic Risk Assessment
    1. 15.1 Description
    2. 15.2 Requirements of the Risk Assessment
    3. 15.3 Simplified PRA Procedure
    4. 15.4 Hazard Identification and Evaluation
    5. 15.5 Qualitative Risk Assessment
    6. 15.6 Quantitative Risk Assessment
    7. 15.7 Uses of PRA
    8. 15.8 Conclusion
    9. References
  22. Chapter 16: Qualitative and Quantitative Research Methods Used in Risk Assessment
    1. 16.1 What Is Qualitative Research?
    2. 16.2 Quantitative
    3. 16.3 Risk Assessment Perspective
    4. 16.4 Conclusion
    5. References
  23. Chapter 17: Vulnerability Analysis Technique
    1. 17.1 Introduction
    2. 17.2 Case Study 1: Intruder
    3. 17.3 Case Study 2: Multipurpose Academic Building
    4. Reference
  24. Chapter 18: Developing Risk Model for Aviation Inspection and Maintenance Tasks
    1. 18.1 Introduction
    2. 18.2 Failure Mode and Effect Analysis
    3. 18.3 Event Tree and Fault Tree Analysis
    4. 18.4 Summary
    5. References
  25. Chapter 19: Risk Assessment and Community Planning
    1. 19.1 Introduction
    2. 19.2 Example Analysis
    3. 19.3 Summary
    4. References
  26. Chapter 20: Risk of an Epidemic
    1. 20.1 Introduction
    2. 20.2 Plague Example
    3. 20.3 Tularemia Example
    4. 20.4 Anthrax Example
    5. 20.5 Ebola Example
    6. 20.6 Smallpox Example
    7. 20.7 TB Example
    8. 20.8 Typhoid Fever Example
    9. 20.9 Influenza Example
    10. 20.10 Example of Measles, Mumps, and Rubella
    11. 20.11 Polio Example
    12. 20.12 Pertussis (Whooping Cough)
    13. 20.13 Cholera Example
    14. 20.14 Summary
    15. References
  27. Chapter 21: Process Plant Risk Assessment Example
    1. 21.1 Introduction
    2. 21.2 Example Analysis
    3. 21.3 Summary
    4. References
  28. Chapter 22: Industry Specific Case Studies
    1. 22.1 Case Study 1: Overview
    2. 22.2 Case Study 2: Overview
    3. 22.3 Case Study 3: Overview
    4. 22.4 Case Study 4: Overview
    5. References
  29. Chapter 23: Restaurant Risk Assessment Case Study
    1. 23.1 Introduction
  30. Glossary
  31. Acronyms
  32. Index

Product information

  • Title: Risk Assessment: Tools, Techniques, and Their Applications
  • Author(s): Lee T. Ostrom, Cheryl Wilhelmsen
  • Release date: July 2012
  • Publisher(s): Wiley
  • ISBN: 9780470892039