An event in which an accident (that is, property damage, environmental impact, or human loss) or an operational interruption could have plausibly resulted if circumstances had been slightly different.
A substance or agent capable of altering the genetic material in a living cell. Importance: If a substance is known to be a mutagen, a potential health hazard exists, and special protection and precaution sections should be checked on the MSDS.
An index based on the observed average ratio of casualties to the mass of material or energy released, as derived from the historical record. It is used to characterize the potential hazard of toxic material storage.
A barrier designed to interrupt the chain of events after a loss event, given that there has been a loss of containment of a hazardous material or energy. Note: Specific to a hazards evaluation of an incident sequence, a mitigative barrier is in between the loss of event (the loss of containment)...
Systems or procedures, such as water sprays, foam systems, and sheltering and evacuation, which tend to reduce the magnitude of potential effects due to a release.
Equipment and/or procedures designed to respond to an accident event sequence by hindering accident propagation and/or reducing the accident consequences.
Lessening the risk of an accident event sequence by acting on the source in a preventive way by reducing the likelihood of occurrence of the event, or in a protective way by reducing the magnitude of the event and/or the exposure of local persons or property.
