Occupational risk assessment in AOPs labs and management system that comply with UN sustainable development goals

Abstract

Accidents in chemical laboratories are usually less significant than in the chemical industry but, sometime, they have serious consequences. As mandated by legislation, risk assessment is also needed at laboratory. In the present work, risk analysis is applied to laboratory dedicated to wastewater treatment by Advanced Oxidation Processes (AOPs). The analysis was carried out according to widely accepted methodologies, although innovative aspects, such as a new occupational risk index or the specific application to AOP laboratories, are introduced. Based on the hazards detected, a risk level with a normalized score between 0 and 10 is established. Based on the suggested prevention measures, their cost and their execution time, an annual cost and its relation to the previously assigned score are calculated. This gives a new index (another novelty) for the prioritization of preventive measures. To be able to identify the accident causes, Root Cause Analysis techniques were also included in the risk assessment. AcciMap, Why technique as well as the Ishikawa diagram, that shows the relationship between risk factors and accidents or occupational diseases have been used. This innovative risk assessment has been also framed in the implementation of management system for occupational health and safety, according to ISO 45001:2018. The here proposed improvements in safety are also a way of achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals.