Prioritizing health, safety and environmental hazards by integrating risk assessment and analytic hierarchy process techniques in solid waste management facilities

Abstract

The aim of this research was to assess and prioritize risk levels of health, safety, and environmental (HSE) hazards in solid waste management facilities of Tehran, Iran. The risk of HSE hazards was assessed using Fine-Kinney and environmental failure mode and effects analysis (EFMEA) methods and then the high-risk hazards were prioritized for implementing corrective actions by analytic hierarchy process (AHP) considering six criteria of (1) probability of occurrence, (2) severity of consequences, (3) simultaneous HSE effects, and (4-6) feasibility, effectiveness, and cost of corrective actions. A total number of 485 HSE hazards were identified, of which 78% were health and safety hazards and 22% were environmental hazards. The proportions of the transfer and transport, material recovery and composting facilities and landfill sites in the identified hazards were 21%, 38%, and 41%, respectively. Based on the AHP method, the leading hazards in the transfer and transport, material recovery and composting facilities, and landfill sites were exposure to bioaerosol in carwash facilities, exposure to bioaerosols and odor/volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in manual waste separation, and leachate spills in the former landfill site, respectively. This study showed that the hybrid method was an appropriate and reliable tool to prioritize HSE hazards.

Keywords:

• Environmental hazard
• occupational health and safety
• risk assessment
• risk management
• solid waste management

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank the staff of Workplace Health Promotion Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Iran, for their collaboration in this research.

Declaration of interests

The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper.

Additional information

Funding

This research was supported by Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences Grant Number 21383.