Risk analysis is a process that defines and analyzes the cause and consequences of a potential and undesirable natural or human activity.

Preventative and mitigation measures are implemented in dangerous enterprises and in enterprises liable to be affected by a major accident. These measures are supervised on a regular basis by relevant authorities, but this is not enough to completely rule out the possibility of an accident. In these kinds of enterprises, it is possible that storing and treating hazardous chemicals may cause severe consequences and greatly affect the environment outside the enterprise property.

This is the reason why it is necessary to acknowledge and assess the risks, derived from the activity, by regular and systematic analyzing – by risk assessment . A risk assessment can raise the public awareness and awareness of the people in the danger area. It is also useful in spatial planning process carried out near the properties of dangerous enterprises and enterprises liable to be affected by the major accident.

Services we offer for our clients:

  • Risk assessment compiling (for dangerous enterprises and enterprises liable to be affected by major accident)
    – choosing the best assessment method (qualitative, quantitative, semi-quantitative), danger identification method (HAZOP, PPA etc) and risk matrix in cooperation with the enterprise;
    – determining dangers, analyzing and describing the potential accident scenarios;
    – accident probability assessment and consequence impact scale evaluation and description. In the consequence impact evaluation impacts to the human life, health, property, and environment are assessed. In addition impacts to vital services are considered;
    – risk assessment, risk class determination and prioritisation of risks based on risk matrix;
    – determining danger areas and dangered objects in that area;
    – analyzing existing or planned preventive or mitigation measures(technical supervision, schoolings, doubled systems, monitoring etc)Process-outcome is a complex risk analysis, which has mapped and assessed potential risks in the enterprise. Based on the results from risk analysis, an enterprise can decide the importance of the risk for them and if it needs attention (preventive and mitigation measures, insurance) or this is an acceptable risk and enterprise is prepared to face the consequences. Emergency situation action plan, safety system and safety report are compiled based on the risk analysis.
  • Danger zone determining and identifying objects in danger zone
    – Depending on the chemical types and treatment practices a danger zone calculations are made with ALOHA (freeware by U.S. Environmental Protection Agency) or/and with Excel application (used for liquid fuels) compiled by professor Andres Talvari and Urmas Paejärv from Estonian Academy of Security Sciences. ALOHA is used to determine the danger zone from an explosion or a gas cloud caused by specific substance and container. With the Excel application, it is possible to determine the intensity of heat radiation from burning liquid fuels.
    – Identifying enterprises, institutions and other important objects (residential areas, highways, populous areas) inside the danger zone. Based on the calculations objects in dangerous areas, very dangerous areas, and especially dangerous areas are pointed out.
  • Risk analysis as a part of comprehensive and detailed plans
    According to Chemical Act, it is obligatory for local authorities to take into account the risks from enterprises liable to be affected by the major accident when compiling and adopting comprehensive and detailed plans or giving out construction permits.

It is necessary to take the risks into account when:

  1. New enterprise liable to be affected by major accident is planned;
  2. Alterations to an existing enterprise liable to be affected by major accident are planned;
  3. Alterations to the surrounding area of an existing enterprise liable to be affected by major accident are planned
    – Hendrikson & Ko compiles risk assessments for enterprises liable to be affected by the major accident, in the extent determined by the information presented about the planned object. Potential typical accidents, their probability, and consequences are described and mitigation measures are offered by the risk analysis.
    Determining danger areas and dangered objects in that area.
  • Risk analysis as a part of integrated environmental permit
    It is obligatory, according to Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control Act, to present an accident prevention system as a part of an integrated environmental permit application. When dangerous enterprises or enterprises liable to be affected by major accident are applying for an integrated environmental permit, it is necessary to present a risk analysis of the other relevant documents (Chemical Act).

Accident prevention system in integrated environmental permit application includes:

– Identification and description of typical accidents in the enterprise, their probability and consequence assessment and preventive/mitigation measures.