The following case studies are provided to give you experience in completing risk assessments. 

Simple Assignment| Nursing homework help

Case Study: Graniteville, South Carolina, Chlorine

To begin a risk evaluation, you must first determine its purpose. The purpose of this risk assessment would be to assess the exposure risks to nearby residents when a release of chlorine occurs.

Hazard identification: In this case, the hazard is the chlorine gas released from a derailment. Evidence for the hazard in this case study is that the train carried chlorine gas. The subsequent release of gas was also evidence.

Exposure Assessment: In order for residents’ exposure to chlorine to be assessed, it would be necessary to take into account several factors. The concentration of chlorine released, wind speed and direction, as well as the distance of residents from the source of release, are all factors to be considered. Monitoring equipment and environmental information, along with eyewitness testimony can provide valuable insight into these factors.

Assessing the Dose Response: In order to assess the dosing response, you will need to know the toxicokinetics as well as toxicodynamics. These information include toxic effects from different chlorine gas doses, duration of exposure and target organs that are affected. These information can be obtained by literature reviews, toxicology tests, and expert opinions.

Final Risk Characterization: The risk characterisation would include a synthesis of all information collected in the assessment of exposure and the dosi-response to assess the overall risks to residents. The likelihood of exposure to the gas would need to be considered, as well as the strength of the gas.

Workplace Hazards:

Case Study: A Gloucester employee who developed occupational asthma after working in a large multinational company

This risk assessment is to identify the potential risks for exposure of employees to the rosin-based solder fume (colophony).

Hazard identification: This case involves exposure to solder fume containing rosin (colophony). This hazard can be proven by the fact that the employee was exposed to fumes throughout his career, and then developed occupational asthma.

Information about exposure assessment: In order to assess employee exposure to rosin-based solder fumes it is necessary that you have information on the amount of fumes present in the workplace, and how long they were exposed for. These details can be obtained by air sampling and monitoring as well as through employee records and interviews.

Dose Response Assessment: Information about toxic effects from exposure to solder fumes made with rosin is needed in order to assess dose response. These would include the organs and health effects that were affected as well as the link between dosage and effect. Literature reviews, toxicology and expert opinion can provide this information.

The final step in the process of risk characterization is to synthesize the data from exposure assessments and dose response analyses to assess the total risk for employees. It would be necessary to consider the probability of exposure, potency of fumes and severity of potential health effects.