To estimate an accidental risk level, four factors have to be evaluated:
- Nanopowder Safety Parameter
- Process factors
- Probability of occurrence of accident
- Vulnerability of the target, worker or environment
Main results
- To evaluate nanopowder safety characteristics, morphologic, surface and bulk properties as well as their potential to disperse in their environment have to be characterized.
- Most nanopowders can display high reactivity characteristics that can lead to fire or explosion accidents. Specific tools and protocols are necessary to assess these parameters.
- Environmental and process factors (flow velocities, materials fluxes and inventories, Pressures , Temperatures and concentrations) are key elements to consider in the risk assessment
- Once the risk evaluated, one can propose various types of safety barriers to reduce the risk:
- A Prevention barrier to reduce the probability of occurrence of an accident.
- A Mitigation barrier to reduce the effects of process parameters or propose product substitution or severity attenuation.
- A Protection barrier, such as protection equipments, confinement technologies or venting system, to protect the worker or the environment.