Quantitative Risk Assessment Of Hazardous Materials Transport Systems

Industrial development is essential to improvement of the standard of living in all coun tries. In a given region, old and new plants, processes, and technologies have to coexist Technological penetration and substitution processes are generally taking place; they are entirely dynamic and this trend is going to stay like this. People's health and the environment can be affected, directly or indirectly, by rou tine waste discharges or by accidents. A series of recent major industrial accidents and the effect of poUution highlighted, once again, the need for better management of rou tine and accidental risks. Moreover, the existence of natural hazards complicate even more the situation in any given region. Managing the hazards of modern technological systems has become a key activity in highly industrialized countries. Decision makers are often confronted with complex issues concerning economic and social development, industrialization and associated infrastructure needs, population and land use planning. Such issues have to be ad dressed in such a way that ensures that public health wiD not be disrupted or substan tially degraded.

Industrial development is essential to improvement of the standard of living in all coun tries. In a given region, old and new plants, processes, and technologies have to coexist Technological penetration and substitution processes are generally taking place; they are entirely dynamic and this trend is going to stay like this. People's health and the environment can be affected, directly or indirectly, by rou tine waste discharges or by accidents. A series of recent major industrial accidents and the effect of poUution highlighted, once again, the need for better management of rou tine and accidental risks. Moreover, the existence of natural hazards complicate even more the situation in any given region. Managing the hazards of modern technological systems has become a key activity in highly industrialized countries. Decision makers are often confronted with complex issues concerning economic and social development, industrialization and associated infrastructure needs, population and land use planning. Such issues have to be ad dressed in such a way that ensures that public health wiD not be disrupted or substan tially degraded.

How can we predict and control risks related to the transportation of hazardous substances? This book explains what a transportation quantitative risk analysis is, how to communicate risk study objectives to an experienced risk analyst, and how to do a reasonably detailed calculation based on available risk data. The author explains the quantitative risk analysis (QRA) procedure and its application to transportation. He familiarizes readers with sources of data specific to accident rate, probabilistic distribution of accident force magnitude, and conditional probability of container failure. Risk analysis methodologies and data uncertainties are also clearly explained. A special feature of the book is an extended example of a quantitative risk analysis for bulk transport of chlorine by truck and train. This detailed example explores every step of the QRA from preliminary hazards analysis to risk reduction alternatives. This example can be adapted to many practical situations. Methodologies are provided for accident scenario development, frequency and consequence analysis, and risk presentation. The book has in-depth discussions of Definitions of basic risk analysis terms Mathematical formulations for transportation quantitative risk analysis Databases for accident rate and frequency, accident force types and magnitudes, container failure probability, and release amounts Engineering models for container failure analysis Quantification of the risk reduction of modifying container design A generalized fault tree that can be easily modified for different types of transportation risk analysis The discussion of consequence analysis delves into release rates and amounts, airborne dispersion, toxic material effects, exposed populations, and exposure mitigation measures. Analysis results for both individual and societal risks are discussed. Appendices cover numerical evaluation of train and truck accident scenario frequencies and source term characterization. Hazardous Materials Transportation Risk Analysis will be a valuable reference for supervisors and managers who ship, receive, or transport hazardous materials: state, federal, and local transportation officials; transportation packaging engineers; and others, such as emergency planners and environmental analysts, who have reason to understand transportation risk.

This final report presents the process and findings of a project documenting the current state-of-the-practice for hazardous materials transportation risk assessment. The first phase of the project captured the status of the current practice of hazardous materials transportation risk assessment, including current uses, existing models, and available data sources. The second phase of the project focused on synthesizing the research compiled in Phase I and determining where gaps exist in available tools, techniques, and data. Phase II also included presenting a path forward for addressing these gaps and supporting better risk assessments in the future.

Written in a clear language, for use by scholars, managers and decisionmakers, this practical guide to the hot topic is unique in treating the security aspects of hazmat transportation from both uni-modal and multi-modal perspectives. To begin with, each transport mode and its relation to security vulnerability, analyses, figures, and approaches is discussed separately. Secondly, the optimization process of a hazmat supply chain is examined from a holistic, integrated viewpoint. Finally, the book discusses and compares the various hazmat transport security policies and strategies adopted in various regions around the world. The result is a must-have source of high-quality information including many case studies.

This book addresses a key issue in today’s society: the safer transport of dangerous goods, taking into account people, the environment and economics. In particular, it offers a potential approach to identifying the issues, developing the models, providing the methods and recommending the tools to address the risks and vulnerabilities involved. We believe this can only be achieved by assessing those risks in a comprehensive, quantifiable and integrated manner. Examining both rail and road transportation, the book is divided into three sections, covering: the mature and accepted (by both academia and practitioners) methodology of risk assessment; the vulnerability assessment – a novel approach proposed as a vital complement to risk; guidance and support to build the tools that make methods and equations to yield: the Decision Support Systems. Throughout the book, the authors do not endeavor to provide THE solution. Instead, the book offers insightful food for thought for students, researchers, practitioners and policymakers alike.

In today's environment, management and citizen concerns make the skilled practice of Transportation Risk Analysis (TRA) imperative. This book offers a sound, basic approach to TRA, which can be used to manage and control transportation risks by identifying the parameters with the greatest influence on a given movement, or to identify and evaluate risk reduction strategies. Together with Guidelines for Chemical Process Quantitative Risk Analysis (CCPS, 1989), it will enable the process engineer to run basic analyses and to effectively manage those, which are more complex.