TOOLKIT FOR HAZARDOUS MATERIALS
TRANSPORTATION EDUCATION
1
This work is sponsored by the U. S. Department of Transportation
Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration
(PHMSA). It was conducted through the Hazardous Materials
Cooperative Research Program (HMCRP), which is administered
by the Transportation Research Board of the National Academies.
Prepared by
3 Sigma Consultants, LLC
909 Edenbridge Way, Nashville, TN 37215
Module 5: Hazmat Risk Management
2
Learning Outcomes
At the end of this module students will be able to:
1. Recognize some common types of hazmat transportation
incidents
2. Identify root causes of typical hazmat transportation
incidents
3. Define risk and key terms associated with risk
management
4. List the steps involved in the risk management process
5. Evaluate the likelihood and consequences associated
with hazmat transportation risk scenarios
3
Topics
•
•
•
•
•
Hazmat transportation case study examples
Overview of hazmat transportation incident statistics
Overview of risk management techniques
Risk communication and management tools
Risk management for hazmat transportation
4
Hazmat Transport Case Study 1: Rail
• In 1979, in Mississauga, Ontario, a train consisting of 3
engines, a caboose and 106 cars derailed at a level crossing. In
the wreckage were 11 cars of propane, 4 cars of caustic soda,
3 cars of styrene, and a car of chlorine. Not long after the
derailment, a massive propane explosion occurred, followed
by two other propane explosions within 25 minutes.
• Approximately 217,000 people were evacuated from the area
including a hospital due to concerns about the chlorine gas.
Watch the video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hEi2Do9tNPI
5
What went wrong?
Could it have been prevented?
• Heat began to build up in an improperly-lubricated bearing
on one of the wheels on the 33rd car, resulting in the
condition known among train workers as a "hot box".
• The friction eventually burned through the axle and bearing,
and a wheelset (one axle and pair of wheels) completely fell
off causing the derailment.
6
Hazmat Transport Case Study 2: Highway
• On the night of April 7, 1982, a drunk driver in the
Caldecott Tunnel, CA, hit the tunnel wall and then
pulled to the left lane to inspect the vehicle.
• Moments later, a double tanker carrying gasoline
hit the car causing gasoline to begin leaking into the
gutters with small fires emerging around the tank
and leaks. The driver escaped the tunnel, but
others continued to enter. The tunnel ventilation
system remained off for the majority of the time.
• Many drivers were able to back out of the tunnel,
but four remained trapped.
• Seven individuals died as a result of the accident :
two in crashes, five by smoke inhalation and fire.
Another two were treated for injuries at the
hospital.
7
Hazmat Transport Case Study 3: Marine
• John Bavaret, a licensed apprentice-mate aboard the M/V Mel Oliver,
steered the towboat without a properly-licensed captain present from
approximately July 20, 2008 through July 23, 2008. During this time, at 1:30
A.M. on July 23, 2008, the M/V Mel Oliver collided with the M/V Tintomara,
a 600-foot tanker ship, causing the release of approximately 282,828 gallons
of fuel oil in the lower Mississippi River near downtown New Orleans. .
• All four crewmembers were safely rescued from the water and the waterway
was closed for six days to maritime traffic to facilitate the cleanup and
salvage.
• The event caused a ripple effect throughout the transportation system and
delays to other industries.
http://www.ecaptain.com/node/19
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Watch the video and read more:
http://gcaptain.com/captain-mvoliver-sentenced/
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Hazmat Transport Case Study 4: Pipeline
• An electrical problem triggered an explosion at a PG&E Gas control center in
Milpitas, California, causing valves that regulate pipeline pressure to open,
allowing more gas into the line.
• As the pressure built up, inadequate welds in a section of pipe ruptured,
allowing 47 million cubic feet of gas to escape in a huge pillar of fire.
• This series of events led to a gas pipeline explosion in September of 2010
that killed eight people and destroyed 38 homes in the Bay Area.
9
Hazmat Transport Case Study 5: Air
• ValuJet Flight 592 was a domestic passenger flight
carrying chemical oxygen generators from SabreTech
that had not been properly packaged in the cargo
compartment. The firing pins of the generators
activated (likely by accident) causing heat and fire in
the cargo area.
• The NTSB investigation found that SabreTech workers
had improperly prepared the canisters for travel and
incorrectly indicated on the cargo manifest that the
canisters were “expired”, leading handlers to consider
them empty when they were not.
• The fire in the cargo area led to electrical problems,
the crew and passengers lost consciousness from the
toxic fumes.
• The flight crashed at 500 mph in the Florida
Everglades killing all 110 individuals on board.
Photo from:
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Watch the video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wkmr1V5smKA
Incident vs. Accident
• Accident – used to describe things that happen
unintentionally
• Incident - has a wider meaning and can be used both
for accidents and for intentional actions such as
crimes.
Note: Accidents are counted as a subset of incidents.
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Case Study Discussion
• Are there any distinguishable trends among the case
studies presented?
– Causes
– Consequences
• Would any be defined as accidents?
• How frequently do you think these types of events
occur?
– Large-scale releases
– Small-scale releases
• Can you identify some potential causes of hazmat
transportation incidents?
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Hazmat Incident Occurrences
• Many incidents occur each year in all modes of transportation
with varying degrees of severity
• Many are minor and do not make headlines
Source: PHMSA
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Hazardous Materials Transportation Incidents:
1980-2010
1Water
category only includes packaged (nonbulk) marine. Non-packaged (bulk) marine hazardous
materials incidents are reported to the U.S. Coast Guard and are not included.
2Other category includes freight forwarders and modes not otherwise specified.
NA = not available; R = revised
Source: US D.O.T. FHWA
(http://ops.fhwa.dot.gov/freight/freight_analysis/nat_freight_stats/docs/11factsfigures/table5_4hist.htm)
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Potential Impacts of a Hazmat Release
• Human health
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
Acute fatality/injury
Reproductive failure and birth defect
Cancer
Impaired immune system
Respiratory illness
Cardiovascular disease
Effects of contaminated drinking water
• Environment
–
–
–
–
–
–
Crop and vegetation destruction
Damage to fish/birds/mammals and their habitats
Endangered species and loss of plant/animal diversity
Soil degradation
Disruption of food chain
Water contamination
*Impact severity will depend on the duration and rate of exposure (dose) and the
manner in which the recipient reacts when subjected to that dose (response).
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Hazardous Materials Transportation
Incidents, Injuries and Fatalities: 2009
• Less than 10% of large truck
shipments include hazmat as all
or part of the cargo load.
• In contrast, less than 5% of
large truck accidents involve
trucks carrying hazmat.
Source: FMCSA
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2011 Hazmat Incidents and Fatalities by State
Number of Incidents
Number of Incidents with Fatalities
Source: PHMSA
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Hazardous Materials Transportation
Incidents by Mode, 1985-2009
Source: PHMSA
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2011 Hazmat Incidents by Hazard Class
Source: PHMSA
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2011 Hazmat Incidents by Material Type
Material
Percent of Total
Flammable-combustible liquid
48.9
Corrosive material
24.8
Combustible liquid
6.7
Non-flammable compressed gas
3.6
Oxidizer
3.5
Flammable gas
2.2
Poisonous material
2.2
Other
8.1
Source: PHMSA
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Hazmat Incidents by Transport Phase
Source: PHMSA
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Hazardous Materials Transportation
Incidents: 1980-2010
Source: US D.O.T. FHA
(http://ops.fhwa.dot.gov/freight/freight_analysis/nat_freight_stats/docs/11factsfigures/table5_4hist.htm)
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Consider These Numbers for 2011…
• 32,367 people lost their lives on America’s roadways in
motor vehicle crashes
• 8,302 train accidents occurred
• 26 people were killed by lightning strikes
• 12 people were killed by shark attacks
• 5 people died as a result of hazmat incidents
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Total Annual and Normalized Risk Associated with
Transportation Incidents
Source: HMCRP Report 9
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Increasing Number of
Occurrences
Incident Severity Pyramid
Major
Injuries
Minor
Injuries
Property Damage
Incidents
Near-Miss Incidents
Substandard Act and
Conditions
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What are Risks and How do we Manage Them?
• Risk - The potential for an unwanted outcome
resulting from an incident as determined by its
likelihood and the associated consequences.
• Risk Management - A process for identifying,
assessing and reducing risks to public safety and
security, environmental quality and economic
well-being or a method for prioritizing risk
management needs and evaluating risk control
strategies.
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The Tradeoffs of Hazmat Transportation
Example: Transport of a necessary hazmat commodity (e.g., chlorine gas)
• Potential Risks:
– Exposure of employees,
public, and environment
– Potential fines for
improper handling and
packaging
– Potential incident
• Company reputation
• Clean-up and recovery
costs
• Loss of business
• Rewards:
– Income/profit
– Limited competition
– Good company
reputation if job handled
properly
– For chlorine gas
example, large
population will have
access to safe drinking
water
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Fundamental Questions of Risk Management
• What can go wrong?
• How likely is it?
• What are the consequences?
http://www.math.ucsb.edu/~atzberg/fall20
05/index_files/financialRisk.jpg
• How can we use available resources to
most effectively control undesirable
risks?
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Types of Risks Associated with Hazmat Transport
• Operational
– Failed procedures
– Improper packaging
• Information Systems
– Improper tracking, marking or documentation
• Environmental
– Population/carrier/environmental exposure
• Human Resource
– Unqualified drivers/handlers
• Security
– Theft or malicious acts
• Reputational
– Bad corporate reputation
– Loss of customers
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Key Terms for Risk Management
• Hazard – the inherent characteristic of a material, condition, or activity
that has the potential to cause harm to people, property, or the
environment
• Risk – the combination of the likelihood and the consequence of a
specified hazard being realized
• Risk assessment – the systematic approach to organizing and analyzing
scientific knowledge and information about potentially hazardous
activities
• Risk management – the systematic application of policies, practices, and
resources to assessment and control of risk affecting human health and
safety and the environment
• Risk control point – a place or step within a given process where actions
can be taken to reduce risk
• Enterprise risk management – an approach that considers all potential
hazards that may threaten an organization on a daily basis
Source: http://phmsa.dot.gov/staticfiles/PHMSA/DownloadableFiles/Files/risk_framework.pdf
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Increasing involvement and
investment
The Corporate Risk Pyramid –
Varying Levels of RM
(4) CompanySpecific Risk
Management
Activities
(3) Company
Policies
(2) Industry Practices and
Standards
(1) Regulations
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The Risk Pyramid
Tiers 1 and 2: Regulations and Industry Practices
• Regulations
– At a bare minimum, companies are required to meet
regulations to protect the public and environment.
– Failure to do so may result in fines and adverse actions
against the company (including decreased reputation).
• Industry Practices and Standards
– Some protocols have been adopted by industry sectors to
go above and beyond the minimum regulations.
– For example, carriers may choose to have dedicated
drivers with certain qualifications for specific types of
shipments.
32
Sample Regulations Associated with Hazmat
Risk Management
• Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA)
– Hazardous Materials Endorsement (HME) for commercial drivers to carry hazmat materials
• Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA)
– Performs risk assessments to ensure safety of employees in the workplace
– The risk associated with occupational exposure to a toxic substance at the current
permissible exposure limit (PEL) must be quantified. If OSHA determines that there is
significant risk to workers' health at its current standard, then it must quantify the risk
associated with a variety of alternative standards to determine at what level, if any,
occupational exposure to a substance no longer poses a significant risk.
• Transportation Security Administration (TSA)
– Hazardous Materials Endorsement Threat Assessment Program conducts a security threat
assessment for any driver seeking to obtain, renew, or transfer a hazardous materials
endorsement (HME) on a state-issued commercial drivers license (CDL)
• Many more exist
Source: TSA, OSHA, FMCASA
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Industry Risk Management Protocols Used in
Hazmat Transport
• Responsible Care® – the chemical industry’s world-wide
performance initiative. Its participating companies are industry
leaders, bound together by a commitment to address challenges
and continuously improve the performance of the chemical
industry.
• Responsible Care Management System (RCMS) - combines
Responsible Care® with the practices of leading private-sector
companies, the International Standards Organization and federal
regulatory requirements
• Responsible Distribution® – Responsible Distribution is a
mandatory, third-party verified environmental, health, safety &
security program established by the National Association of
Chemical Distributors (NACD) that lets members demonstrate their
commitment to continuous performance improvement in every
phase of chemical storage, handling, transportation, and disposal.
Source: American Chemistry Council, National Association of Chemical Distributers
34
Industry Risk Management Protocols Used in
Hazmat Transport
• ChemStewards® - The Synthetic Organic Chemical Manufacturer
Association's (SOCMA) ChemStewards® management program is a stepwise system approach to managing environmental, health, safety and
security (EHS&S) activities which is designed specifically to meet the
needs of batch, custom and specialty chemical manufacturing facilities.
It defines core principles and provides guidance that helps ensure
compliance with legal and regulatory requirements.
• American Waterways Operators’ (AWO) Responsible Carrier Program
(RCP) - is not specific to hazardous materials; however, it is all
encompassing for improving the safe transportation on the waterways.
AWO members use the RCP as a guide in developing company-specific
safety and environmental programs that are tailored to the unique
operational environments found in the barge and towing industry. The
program complements and builds upon existing government
regulations, requiring company safety standards that exceed those
required by federal law or regulation. Companies are required to obtain
a third party audit by an AWO-certified auditor to verify compliance.
Source: Society of Chemical Manufacturers and Affiliates, The American Waterways Operators
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Responsible Care© Management System
(RCMS)
• PLAN – Identify and evaluate potential hazards and risks associated with their
products, processes, distribution and other operations (establish goals and
objectives to address any significant hazards and risks, taking concerns of
employees, communities, customers, suppliers and other stakeholders into
consideration)
• DO – Implement the plan. Establish, document and communicate
responsibilities to meet stated goals and objectives, including processes to
identify and meet staff training needs.
• CHECK – Assess the progress. Companies measure and evaluate their
performance, including compliance with regulatory and legislative
requirements, and take corrective and preventive action to make necessary
adjustments to the management system. Companies also establish procedures
for identifying and maintaining Responsible Care records.
• ACT - Senior management periodically reviews the adequacy and effectiveness
of the management system and makes any changes necessary to enhance
performance. The results of this process are shared with the company’s
stakeholders.
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Source: American Chemistry Council
The Risk Pyramid
Tiers 3 and 4: Company-specific Risk Management
• Company Policies and Company-Specific Risk Management
Activities
– Some companies go above and beyond the industry practices to be
“risk aware” or “risk averse” by investigating their potential exposure
to risks and implementing internal policies to limit or reduce these
risks
– This often requires significant investment by the corporate leadership
to perform the risk assessments and also implement policies
– Sometimes third party consultants or auditors are hired to evaluate
risks for an organization
– Company size and resources may limit the ability of an organization to
perform this higher level of risk management
• Major corporate decisions may require a higher level of risk
management (regardless of company size)
– Siting of new facility, fleet modifications, etc.
37
Risk Management – An Enterprise-Wide Approach
• Enterprise Risk Management allows you to
– Identify all potential hazards
– Assess the severity (frequency and consequences)
– Evaluate mitigation options to reduce risk
• Having a “risk aware” organization provides
foresight and potential reduction in those events
that could lead to major losses.
38
Managing Risks Related to Hazmat Transport
• Attempt to predict, prevent, or
plan for incidents to lessen their
impacts
– Evaluate routes
– Modes of shipments
– Containers used
• The Risk Management (RM)
Process
–
–
–
–
Identify
Analyze
Assess/Evaluate
Treat/Control (Mitigate or Reduce)
(Source: EPCB Risk Management Consultants)
39
PHMSA’s Stepwise Approach to Risk Management
for Hazardous Materials Transport
Source: http://phmsa.dot.gov/staticfiles/PHMSA/DownloadableFiles/Files/risk_framework.pdf
40
The RM Process: Step 1 - Risk Identification
• What could go wrong?
–
–
–
–
–
–
Natural hazards
Chemical spills
Transportation accident
Equipment failures
Human error
Others?
• How do we plan for the future/unknown events?
– Look at history and statistics
– Consider future demands and projections
– Combination of small events leading to a larger event
(e.g., BP Horizon Oil Spill)
– “Black Swan” events
41
What Could (or has) Gone Wrong - Root
Cause Investigation of Incidents
– To recognize the unsafe acts
and/or conditions that caused the
incident.
– To identify the management
system that failed to prevent it
from happening.
– To recommend remedial actions
that will prevent it from
happening again.
• Performing root cause
investigations
– Work backward toward source of
failure
Root Cause Model
Top Event
(Result)
Question Progression
• Why investigate past incidents?
Physical Roots
(Why it
happened?)
Latent Roots
(Management
System Issues)
42
Hazmat Transport Risk Factors
• Vehicle
– Configuration, weight
• Operator
– Age, experience, condition, training, valid license
• Packaging
– Type, age, protection
• Infrastructure and equipment
– Type, condition, use
• Situational
– Speed, weather, lighting, time-of-day, maneuvering,
impact location
Source: Battelle, Hazardous Materials Transportation Incident Data
for Root Cause Analysis, HMCRP Report 1
43
The RM Process: Step 2 – Analyze Risk Options
For each event identified, consider both the likelihood or
chance that it could happen and the potential consequences if
that event were to occur
Likelihood
• The potential frequency or chance
of occurrence
– Transport mode
– Material type
– Shipment volumes – bulk or
otherwise
Consequences
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Property damage
Environmental damage
Product loss
Emergency response
Evacuation/ disruption
Transportation system impacts
Others/intangibles
44
Hazmat Incident Data for Use in Risk Analysis –
Historical Frequency and Consequences
• U.S. DOT
– PHMSA (provides statistical data on hazmat incidents,
fatalities, causes, etc.)
– FHWA
– NTSB
• Environmental Protection Agency
– Maintains record of hazmat spills throughout U.S.
• U.S. Coast Guard
• Others…
45
Hazmat Transportation Incident Consequences
Category
Description
Injuries and
fatalities
Transportation workers, incident responders, general public; direct
and indirect (e.g., stress, secondary crashes)
Property damage
Damage to vehicles (carriers and others), transportation
infrastructure, utilities, neighborhoods, businesses, public facilities
Environmental
damage
Air, ground and/or water contamination with immediate or extended
impacts on human health, flora, and/or fauna
Product loss
Loss of the material/product being transported
Emergency
response
Costs to emergency responders and, for major events, other state
and federal agencies, NGOs, and private sector responders
Evacuation/
disruption
Costs to people displaced from homes, schools, businesses;
interference with normal community activities; loss of business and
earnings; potential for regional economic impacts
Transportation
system impacts
Costs for lost time, missed schedules, wasted resources, increased
operating costs for transportation system users
Cleanup
Costs of decontamination; removal of absorbed material, damaged
equipment, and other debris; disposal
Intangibles
Loss of credibility with investors, customers, partners, regulators,
employees, media, and others
46
Common Risk Analysis Methods
• Scenario Analysis
– What ifs?
– Evaluate all possible situations and
outcomes
– Scenario or event tree
– Probabilistic analysis – Monte Carlo
simulation
Outcome 1.1
60% likely
Outcome 1.2
30% likely
Outcome 1
30% likely
Risk B
$20,000
implication
• Internal Audit/Expert Panel
– Use checklists or guides for evaluation
– Provides expert/insider look at what
may go wrong
• External Audit/Third-Party Risk
Consulting
– Assists with entire RM process
– Performs combination of risk audit,
quantification, cost analysis, and
reporting of results
Risk A
$100,000
implication
Outcome 1.3
10% likely
Outcome 2
70% likely
Sample Risk Event Tree
47
Example Scenario Analysis Process
– What can go wrong?
• Assign frequency of scenario
occurrence
• Determine impacts of each
scenario
– What are the consequences?
• Use likelihood and
consequence estimates to
assess scenario risks
Rate hazards
Rate exposure
Rank risks
Risk Analysis
– How likely is it?
Risk Screening
• Develop scenarios of
reasonably foreseeable events
Inventory hazard
scenarios
Estimate event
likelihood &
consequence
Identify risk reduction
strategies
Interpretation of risk
analysis results
Strategies
recommended for
implementation
48
Qualitative vs. Quantitative Risk Analysis
Qualitative
• Provides fast, cost-effective
first-generation approach to
risk analysis
• Uses subjective judgment or
simplified formulas to
generate relative risk values
• Can identify situations
requiring more quantitative
(absolute) risk analysis
• Establishes benchmark of
current risk status for
evaluating effectiveness of
risk reduction strategies
Quantitative
• Can be robust and involved
process
• Requires data/knowledge of
frequency and potential
consequences of events
• Performed using statistical or
simulation methods including
event or fault trees, scenario
analysis, or physical modeling
• Provides absolute or relative
risk analysis
49
Quantitative Analysis - Sample Event Tree
50
Quantitative Analysis - Sample Fault Tree
51
Use of Models for Toxic Release Quantitative
Risk Analysis
• Models can be used to
determine the extent of
a release and
concentration to
identify the impacted
area and potential
consequences
• A few example models:
– ALOHA, CAMEO,
MARPLOT – air
dispersion
– CEQUAL-W2 – riverine
dispersion of chemicals
Hazardous Materials
Release
Discharge and
Dispersion Models
Flammable Release
Explosion & Fire
Models
Toxic Release
Effects Models
Mitigation Factors
Risk Calculation
52
The RM Process: Step 3 – Assess/Evaluate Risks
• There are difficulties in
comparing different types
of risks
– Property, assets, etc. ($)
– Human lives (?)
• Risk-cost
– Allows for comparison of
risks
– Assigns dollar values for
fatalities and injuries
– Based upon national
standards, medical bills, and
claims data
53
Consequences
Risk Heat Map – A Way to Rank and Prioritize Risks
Very
High
High
High
Very
High
Very
High
High
Medium
Medium
High
Very
High
Medium
Low
Medium
Medium
High
Low
Low
Low
Medium
High
Low
Medium
High
Very
High
Likelihood
54
Example Risk Heat Map – Route Evaluation
Likelihood (per year)
Routing Risk Options
4.5
4
3.5
3
2.5
2
1.5
1
0.5
0
$0.00
$50.00
$100.00 $150.00 $200.00 $250.00 $300.00 $350.00
Consequence per event (thousands of dollars)
Scenario 1
Scenario 2
Scenario 3
Scenario 4
Note: Each scenario represents a different route for transport.
55
Class Exercise
• In groups, fill in the provided Risk Heat Map with
each of the five scenarios for route/transport options
for the designated hazmat material
• Which route/packaging option would you choose for
transport of the hazmat material? Be prepared to
present and explain your choice to the class.
• Note: You may need to use online sources to
estimate the severity of consequences should an
incident occur.
56
Risk Appetite
• Risk appetite is the type and degree of risk the
company is prepared to accept.
• The risk appetite may be a dollar amount that a
company is willing to loose should an incident occur
and may be indicated on the Risk Heat Map.
• The risk appetite (or risk acceptance threshold) that
defines the basis upon which enterprise risks are
evaluated and treated. Depending on its appetite, an
organization may choose to tolerate, avoid, control
or transfer a particular risk. Any of these options may
be considered risk treatment strategies.
57
The RM Process: Step 4 - Risk Treatment/Control
• For risks chosen to be significant threats, one may wish to
“treat” or “control” the risk
• Choose strategies that remove or reduce risk by targeting
likelihood and/or consequences
Desired Treatment Strategies
• Treatment options
–
–
–
–
Accept
Control/Mitigate
Transfer
Avoid
58
Risk Treatment/Control Options
• A variety of activities are employed to control
or reduce a range of risks
• Everyday operations and planning for noncatastrophic risks
– Training of employees
• Proper packaging
• Use of personal protective equipment (PPE)]
• Proper handling of materials/packaging
– Tracking of shipments
– Following regulations and industry best practices
• More severe or catastrophic risks
– Hold or participate in drills or exercises to “play
out” roles
• Who’s responsible for what?
• Incident command center operations
59
Tools for Hazmat Transport Risk Management –
Evaluate Both Risks and Controls
• Geographic Information System (GIS)
analysis
– Route analysis
• Routes with high incident rates or
dangerous driving conditions
• Routes with heavy traffic volume or pass
through densely populated areas (i.e., high
exposure)
• Routes near vulnerable areas
(environmental or otherwise)
– Modeling of spill impact areas
• CAMEO and ALOHA (air dispersion)
• COSIM (petroleum products spill model for
marine systems)
• And there are others…
• Other Tools and Techniques
– GPS Tracking of Shipments
– PHMSA Risk Management SelfEvaluation Framework (RMSEF)
(http://phmsa.dot.gov/hazmat/risk/rms
ef)
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Risk Reduction Strategies
• Reduce likelihood of an incident occurring
– Avoid routes with poor terrain or known hazards
– Train employees on proper handling and packaging
– Regularly inspect packages and vehicles/vessels
• Reduce potential consequences if an incident occurs
– Avoid routes that pass through highly populated or environmentally
sensitive areas
– Train employees to contain spills quickly
– Have well documented emergency procedures
– Proved PPE to employees to minimize exposure during leakage
– Keep spill cleanup equipment on vehicles/vessels at all times
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Communication as a Tool for Hazmat Risk
Management
• Risks are inerrant in everyday life
• Awareness and proper communication of those risks can
assist in both risk mitigation and consequence mitigation
tool
• Common tools used for communication of hazmat
transport risks include the following:
– Documentation
– Signage/placards/markings
– Common terminology used in training
•
•
•
•
Marking
Labeling
Placarding
Shipping documents
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Risk Communication Roles and Responsibilities
• Risk communication is necessary at various times in a hazmat
shipment’s lifetime
– Prior to an event
– During an event (response)
– Following an event (recovery)
• Multiple stakeholders (audiences) are involved at each stage
and require certain information
–
–
–
–
–
–
Internal stakeholders
Business partners (e.g., shippers, carriers, customers)
Regulators
Emergency responders
Potentially impacted communities
Media
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Risk Communication Considerations
• Safety
– Provide information to public, transporters, and responders
– Hazmat materials are used to make many of the products in our lives
– Tradeoff: How much risk can be tolerated and still deliver the products
where they need to be?
– Example: Chlorine gas is used for drinking water treatment, but often
must be transported through communities to get from the chemical plant
to the water treatment facility.
• Security
– Some hazmat materials have potential to be used for intended harm (e.g.,
chlorine gas, explosives, etc.)
– Signage and placarding may create targets for ill-willed individuals
– Ranges from petty theft of shipments (batteries) to terrorist attack interest
– Tradeoff: Ensuring safe transport and response through placarding and
signage, but also identifying material properties to terrorists.
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Additional Risk Communication Considerations
• False Information
– When an incident occurs, the information shared with the public and
others by the media may be “glorified” to “sell a story”
– The media plays a critical role in public awareness and understanding
of hazmat transport
• Perspectives
– How much hazmat passing through your neighborhood is too much?
– Risk perception may be that all hazmat transport is bad or “too risky”.
However, decontamination of drinking water for the greater public
may outweigh the dangers to a few of a possible chlorine spill.
• BANANA – Build Absolutely Nothing Anywhere Near Anybody
– Some feel that this should be the case – no hazmat anywhere
– However, what would society be like if chemical plants and facilities
using hazardous materials weren’t allowed.
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Risk Management Limitations
• As we now know, risks are inherent in our everyday lives.
• Risk management (even at best) cannot prevent every
incident from occurring or ensure that there are no adverse
consequences associated with an event.
• Some events are beyond your control (e.g., natural disasters).
• In those cases, effective incident response can reduce the
impacts and consequences.
• Evaluating previous incidents can help us in managing the
risks of future events (e.g., develop new/better regulations,
improved packaging, etc.).
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Regulations Resulting from Historic Incidents
• Historic incidents have led to increased and improved regulations
of many hazmat materials and their transport processes
• Regulations are developed based upon an understanding of the
root cause failures that led to an incident’s occurrence
• Examples:
–
–
–
–
Amoco Cadiz Oil Spill (1978) – Port and Tanker Safety Act
Love Canal, NY (1979) – CERCLA (Superfund)
Times Beach, MO (1982) dioxin incident – EPCRA (SARA Title III)
Mississauga, Ontario, Canada, railcar explosion (1979) – After-Action Analysis and
Reports required
– Exxon Valdez (1989) – Oil Pollution Act
• While incidents still occur today, it is difficult to know how many
have been prevented thanks to implemented regulations and
improved risk management techniques
Source: Claire B. Rubin & Associates, LLC – Disaster Timeline
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RM Success Story: Trans-Alaska Pipeline
•
•
•
Proactively designed to provide a stable foundation and prevent accidents for a
high-magnitude earthquake with a recurrence interval of 300-500 years even
though at the time, no seismic criteria, codes, or standards existed for the area.
In 2002, Alaska experienced magnitude-7.9 quake and 336 km rupture along the
Denali Fault that resulted in damage to supports but none to pipeline itself.
Therefore, there was no release of crude oil or threat to safety or the environment
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RM Success Story: SS Santa Clara I
•
•
•
On January 4, 1992, Santa Clara I, a 479-foot long, 9593-gross-ton container ship,
departed from left Port Elizabeth under a weather forecast with severe storm warnings.
During the worst turbulence, the ship lost 21 containers including four containing arsenic
trioxide.
A three-phase response plan was developed:
–
–
–
•
Phase I - initial sub-surface search to locate probable locations of the containers along the Santa Clara I’s path
Phase II - positive identification of containers by remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) with video cameras
Phase III – recovery and salvage of the containers including packing and transporting the arsenic trioxide to a
facility capable of appropriate disposal
The response to the incident was considered a success.
–
–
New innovative techniques and imaginative combinations of technology proved to be the ultimate answer to
a difficult, dangerous and expensive recovery operation.
Methodical and scientific actions exceeded the “normal” requirements associated with a CERCLA response
activity, with multiple agencies working together to prevent any possible environmental impact.
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Key Takeaways
• Hazmat transportation events occur that put people, property,
and the environment at risk, but often the benefits outweigh the
risks.
• Most incidents are minor.
• Risk management can be used to minimize the impacts of these
incidents.
• Even at best, risk management cannot prevent every incident.
• Risk management includes identification, analysis, evaluation,
and treatment.
• Risk analysis can be either qualitative or quantitative.
• Multiple tools and programs exist that can assist with risk
management efforts.
• Communication is a critical component of successful risk
management.
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Student Exercises
• Incident statistics investigation:
– Using the PHMSA website and reports on incidents, generate reports
for the following:
• The number of incidents for your home state per year by mode.
• The top two causes of incidents for each mode for your home state in 2011.
• Case study evaluation:
– Choose two of the three case studies presented.
– Perform additional investigation into the causes and outcomes of each
event.
– For each event, use the PHMSA website and incident statistics to
determine the likelihood in a given year for such an incident type to
occur and the average consequences ($ as determined by PHMSA).
Plot these on a Risk Heat Map to determine which would be higher
concern if you were a hazmat transportation manager.
– Write a one page paper comparing and contrasting the events and
what could have been done (if anything) to reduce the likelihood
and/or consequences associated with each event.
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Resources for Support and Additional Learning
• PHMSA Incident Statistics
(http://www.phmsa.dot.gov/resources/data-stats)
• PHMSA Risk Management Self-Evaluation Framework
(http://phmsa.dot.gov/hazmat/risk/rmsef)
• Responsible Care
(http://responsiblecare.americanchemistry.com/Respons
ible-Care-Program-Elements/Management-System-andCertification/default.aspx)
• HMCRP Report 1 - Hazardous Materials Transportation
Incident Data for Root Cause Analysis
(http://onlinepubs.trb.org/onlinepubs/hmcrp/hmcrp_rpt
_001.pdf)
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