Brandon University

1
Risk Factors
Let choose a person-induced hazard first. The
following are risk factors for an airplane
crash ? A study completed by the International
Civil Aviation Organization in 1981, found that
the larger the aircraft, the less likely it is to
crash so places in the flight path of large
aircraft are less likely to be impacted by a
crash.
2
Risk Factors
? Since most air accidents occur on or near
airports, airports and areas with large numbers
of flights are clearly more at risk.
3
Risk Factors
? Areas near flight paths which are near
mountains are more at risk. ? Areas near flight
paths which are near areas of poor weather
visibility are more at risk. ? Areas near air
craft training stations.
4
Risk Factors
? Areas near military missile and artillery
training areas. ? Areas near air shows.
Therefore there are seven factors that have been
found to have an influence as to whether or not a
particular area is more or less likely to
experience an air crash.
5
Risk Factors
For each area in the community, the HIRV
committee would then determine whether or not the
risk factors would apply to that particular
area. While the risk to a small communities, or a
number of areas in close to proximity to each
other may be the same, in other cases it will be
quite different.
6
Risk Factors
Depending on the number of risk factors that have
been identified, the HIRV Committee would then
record whether or not 3 out of 7, or 6 out of 7,
etc. factors have been identified.
7
Risk Factors
After carefully considering the risk factors, the
committee should delete hazards that have no
possibility of occurring in the community (this
does not, of course, include hazards for which
information is unknown). For example, an inland
community surrounded by flat prairie land could
safely delete tsunamis and avalanches from its
list of potential hazards.
8
Risk Factors
The risk factors that are marked indicate the
risk to the community. Experts on the committee
can advise HIRV committee members as to the
importance of the risk factors, depending upon
local conditions. For example, the fact that a
landslide has previously occurred in the area is
so significant that even in the absence of many
other factors, it may indicate a strong
likelihood of a future landslide (United Nations
Disaster Relief Organization 1991).
9
Risk Factors
Risk factors are an important tool in ensuring
that community stakeholders have access to
adequate data. As risk factors are identified,
they will assist in determining exactly why a
particular hazard is more (or less) likely to
occur in a particular area.
10
Risk Factors
Lets look at the risk factors for another
hazard Hazardous Material Spills - in situ.
? Many industrial sites contain large amounts of
toxic hazardous materials. Areas close to sites
where dangerous substances are being handled in a
quantity that could cause a serious accident.
11
Risk Factors
? Generally speaking chemicals stored under
pressure (greater than ambient pressure) pose a
greater threat to employees, the community, and
the environment than those not under pressure
12
Risk Factors
? Although disagreement prevails concerning what
constitutes a safe distance from a chemical
plant, a distance of 2,000 feet has been
considered as fatality free from flying fragments
in 99 of plant explosions. The same source
indicates that a distance of 4,900 feet or over
is 100 safe, although the implementation of such
a standard would probably not be economically
feasible
13
Risk Factors
? Areas near sites where hazardous materials
have been stored for long periods of time. ?
Areas in proximity to deteriorating hazardous
material storage containers or buildings. ?
Areas in proximity to large-scale chemical
plants especially if the area has large
fluctuations in temperature and weather
conditions.
14
Risk Factors
? In the recent past, a material of increasing
concern has been polychlorinated biphenyls
(PCBs). Areas around PCB storage sites are at
risk. ? Previous hazardous materials spills
have occurred in the area. ? Areas in proximity
of fixed sources of hazardous wastes and waste
disposal sites.
15
Risk Factors
? Areas near forest mills which have large
quantities of anti-sapstains, a group of
chemicals similar in chemical composition to PCBs
which are applied to wood to prevent staining of
timber in storage or transport. ? Areas in the
proximity of active pulp and paper mills which
contain a number of serious pollutants which may
contaminate the ocean and the air.
16
Risk Factors
? Once valuable ores are extracted from the
earth during mining processes, the remaining ore
is discarded as waste rock or tailings. Areas
near these sites can be at risk. ? Areas in
proximity to local municipal or regional garbage
dumps.
17
Risk Factors
? Increased patients care produces a growing
amount of biomedical or infectious wastes. For a
number of years, these wastes were dumped in
municipal landfills. Wastes are often stockpiled
for several days between collections, a
concentration of wastes which presents a threat
to regional health, in the case of earthquake,
flood, or other disaster.
18
Risk Factors
? Areas in proximity to nuclear power plants. ?
Areas in proximity to run-down areas susceptible
to large urban fires. ? Lack of inspection of
sites and willingness to enforce regulations for
the storage of and training in the use of
hazardous materials. ? Storage of radioactive
and toxic materials (e.g. plutonium).
19
Risk Factors
In this case there are 18 primary risk
factors. In most cases the greater the number of
risk factors that exist, the greater the
likelihood of a hazard occurring. But again, it
is important to involve the experts.