Location, location, location

In response to increasing client demands for facility layout studies at the conceptual design stage, Risktec has developed a Layout Assessment Tool.

Application of safety principles during the development of concept design is one of the key strategies for reducing risks as low as is reasonably practicable. The appropriate locating of potential sources of hazard leading to events such as fire, explosion or gas dispersion, can help to reduce the vulnerability of sensitive areas, such as accommodation blocks, offices and fire fighting systems.

The tool maps the frequency and consequences of hazardous events onto the facility layout and calculates hazard levels at defined locations. Hazard source and target locations can then be readily altered to optimise layout.

One of the main benefits of the tool is that ‘real time’ hazard assessments can be conducted during team layout reviews to support decision making by the project.

So far, the tool has been successfully used to aid safety case and design development, including:

  • Option studies for temporary refuges and escape, evacuation and rescue provisions.
  • Optimisation of concept and detailed design.
  • ALARP assessment.


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This article first appeared in RISKworld Issue 4.