Risk Assessment: Theory, Methods, and Applications

CHAPTER 7

DATA FOR RISK ANALYSIS

To understand the mechanisms of accidents and to develop accident prevention and control strategies, it is essential to know about and learn from past accidents.

—Khan and Abbasi (1999)

7.1 INTRODUCTION

A quantitative risk analysis requires access to a wide range of data. This chapter gives an overview of important types of data and where some of these can be found. In some industries, it is mandatory to collect, analyze, and store data relating to accidents and incidents. A few examples are given to illustrate the requirements:

• Nuclear power industry. In this industry, the data collection is rooted in the international convention on nuclear safety. According to this convention, each contracting party commits to taking the appropriate steps to ensure that:

  …incidents significant to safety are reported in a timely manner by the holder of the relevant license to the regulatory body; [and that] programs to collect and analyze operating experience are established, the results obtained and the conclusions drawn are acted upon and that existing mechanisms are used to share important experience with international bodies and with other operating organizations and regulatory bodies (IAEA, 1994a).

• Aviation. According to EU directive 2003/42/EC on “Occurrence reporting in civil aviation” (EU, 2003), data related to all civil aviation incidents and accidents must be collected, reported, and analyzed. The organization ECCAIRS has been established to “assist ...