Risk and vulnerability analysis

If you are environmentally processing a project, you may have been asked to analyze the risks and vulnerability of the project. This request is made based on the Law 9/2018, of December 5, which modifies the Law 21/2013, of December 9, on Environmental Assessment, which establishes, in order to guarantee environmental protection, the need to adopt preventive measures with respect to certain projects, which, due to their vulnerability to serious accidents or natural disasters, may have negative effects on the environment.

In Environmental Ideas we have been analyzing the vulnerability of projects (exposure and resilience) to serious accidents or catastrophes for some time and we want to tell you how we do it.

Floods

The objective of this analysis is to obtain a preliminary evaluation of those areas that have a potential risk of flooding and in order to establish preventive measures, in order to prevent accidents or catastrophes such as the one in our cover photo.

Sea level rise

It is analyzed if a sudden, seasonal and future rise may affect the installation or project.

Seismic episodes

The seismic hazard of the area, and the vulnerability of the exposed elements, are evaluated. For this purpose, maps are used that represent the seismic hazard and the regional variation of the hazard for a given return period in terms of PGA (peak ground acceleration).

Adverse weather events

According to the State Meteorological Agency (AEMET) Adverse Weather Phenomenon (FEMA) is considered to be any weather event capable of causing, directly or indirectly, harm to people or significant material damage, including damage to the environment. Therefore, the areas where there is a risk of these extreme meteorological phenomena (frost, snowfall, torrential rain, fog, high temperatures, etc.) are analyzed.

Forest Fires

This risk is widely evaluated based on the existing forest fuel in the project area. The probability of any of the typical causes of fire is also analyzed, since the dangerousness of forest fuels is influenced by the predominant species and its state. Therefore, since this is information already available in the autonomous communities, the determination of the risk of forest fires in the field of action is always carried out based on the available information.

Hazardous waste or emissions

We evaluate the risk derived from each project or type of activity based on the waste generated by it, as well as emissions to the atmosphere that may cause situations of pollution or serious accidents and catastrophes due to hazardous substances that could be used during its construction or operation, including its transport.

Once the different risks present in the project area and its environment have been analyzed, a qualitative assessment of these risks is carried out in order to know the measures to be adopted and thus avoid serious accidents and catastrophes.

To estimate the existing risk in the environment where the project is being developed for each of the factors studied, a basic qualitative risk assessment is carried out, where categories are established according to the probability of occurrence of the factor: High, medium and low probability; and according to the vulnerability that the environment has to be affected by these risk factors: High, medium and low vulnerability, which will give us different categories of risk:

• Low Risk: No action is required.
• Tolerable Risk: No action is needed. However, regular checks are required to ensure that the effectiveness of control measures is maintained and that the risk does not increase.
• Moderate Risk: Efforts must be made to reduce risk, determining the precise actions. Measures to reduce risk must be implemented within a certain period of time.
• Major Risk: The project should not be executed until the risk has been reduced with appropriate measures. Considerable resources may be needed to control the risk, otherwise serious accidents and catastrophes can occur. Other options should be evaluated.
• Very Serious Risk: The project should not be carried out until the risk is reduced. The likelihood of serious accidents and catastrophes occurring is high. If it is not possible to reduce the risk, another location or area should be sought where there is no risk.
  

You know, if you need a risk and vulnerability analysis, don't hesitate to contact us.