Use of Process Safety Tools in the Evaluation of Road Transportation Incidents

The use of Process Safety tools is little known outside the Process Safety and Risk Analysis disciplines. One potential area of application is in the evaluation of road incidents involving hazardous chemicals. An overview of the Consequence Analysis and Event Tree Analysis in determining the potential output of a road transportation incident resulting in a chemical release is given. A list of outcome thresholds is given for toxic, flammable and pollutant releases, and their potential use in emergency preparedness and response. The general methodology for development of a quantitative transportation risk analysis based on the CCPS guidebook and a published case is reviewed. A comparison with the risk elevation criteria from a Brazilian State Environmental Agency is made. The usefulness and limitations of both Consequence and Quantitative Risk Analysis in assessing the risks of road transportation incidents involving hazardous chemicals are discussed as a conclusion.