HOW TO PERFORM A RISK ASSESSMENT

ACCORDING TO NFPA 1600 2007 ANNEX A

RISK ASSESSMENT METHODOLOGIES

• Use a what-if analysis to identify specific threats and
  hazards. What-if questions are asked about what could
  go wrong and hazardous consequences are identified and
  analyzed. This type of analysis is a brainstorming activity
  and is carried out by people who have knowledge about
  the areas, operations, and processes that may be
  exposed to hazardous events and conditions.

• Use a checklist of known threats and hazards to identify
  your threats and hazards. The value of this type of analysis
  depends upon the quality of the checklist and the
  experience of the user.

• Use a combination of checklists and what-if analysis to
  identify your threats and hazards. Checklists are used to
  ensure that all relevant what-if questions are asked and
  discussed, and to encourage a creative approach to 
  risk assessment.

• Use a hazard and operability study (HAZOP) to identify your
  threats and hazards. If you need to do a thorough analysis,
  this method is for you. However, it requires strong leadership
  and is costly and time consuming. It also assumes that you
  have a very knowledgeable interdisciplinary team available to
  you, one with detailed knowledge about the areas, operations,
  and processes that may be exposed to hazardous events and
  conditions.

• Use a failure mode and effect analysis (FMEA) to identify
  potential failures and to figure out what effect failures would
  have. This method begins by selecting a system for analysis
  and then looks at each element within the system. It then tries
  to predict what would happen to the system as a whole when
  each element fails. This method is often used to predict
  hardware failures and is best suited for this purpose.

• Use a fault tree analysis (FTA) to identify all the things that
  could potentially cause a hazardous event. It starts with a
  particular type of hazardous event and then tries to identify
  every possible cause.

RISK ASSESSMENT PROCEDURE

According to NFPA 1600 Annex A.5.3, a comprehensive
risk assessment would take the following steps:

• Identify the range of hazards, threats, or perils:

  • Identify the hazards, threats, or perils that
    impact or might impact your organization.

  • Identify the hazards, threats, or perils that
    impact or might impact your infrastructure.

  • Identify the hazards, threats, or perils that
    impact or might impact the surrounding area.

• Determine the potential impact of
  each hazard, threat, or peril by:

  • Estimating the relative severity
    of each hazard, threat, or peril.

  • Estimating the relative frequency
    of each hazard, threat, or peril.

  • Estimating the vulnerability to
    each hazard, threat, or peril.

    • Estimate how vulnerable your people
      are to each hazard, threat, or peril.

    • Estimate how vulnerable your operations
      are to each hazard, threat, or peril.

    • Estimate how vulnerable your property
      is to each hazard, threat, or peril.

    • Estimate how vulnerable your environment
      is to each hazard, threat, or peril.

• Categorize each hazard, threat, or peril according
  to how severe it is, how frequently it occurs, and
  how vulnerable you are.

• Develop strategies to deal with the most
  significant hazards, threats, or perils.

  • Develop strategies to prevent hazards, threats, or
    perils that impact or might impact your organization
    and its people, operations, property, and environment.

  • Develop strategies to mitigate hazards, threats, or
    perils that impact or might impact your organization
    and its people, operations, property, and environment.

  • Develop strategies to prepare for hazards, threats, or
    perils that impact or might impact your organization
    and its people, operations, property, and environment.

  • Develop strategies to respond to hazards, threats, or
    perils that impact or might impact your organization
    and its people, operations, property, and environment.

  • Develop strategies to recover from hazards, threats, or
    perils that impact or might impact your organization
    and its people, operations, property, and environment.

Introduction to NFPA

Introduction to NFPA 1600

Overview of NFPA 1600 2007

NFPA 1600 2007 in Plain English

NFPA 1600 2004 in Plain English

NFPA 1600 2007 Plain English Audit

NFPA 1600 2007 Plain English Definitions

How to Develop an NFPA 1600 Mitigation Strategy

How to Conduct NFPA 1600 Business Continuity Planning

How to Develop an NFPA 1600 Corrective Action Procedure

Business Continuity Management using the NFPA 1600 Standard

Emergency Management using the NFPA 1600 Standard

Disaster Management using the NFPA 1600 Standard

Our Plain English Approach to NFPA 1600

PRAXIOM RESEARCH GROUP LIMITED
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Updated on November 30, 2009. On the Web since May 25, 1997.