ALARP is defined by the UK Health and Safety Executive (HSE) as:

“as low as reasonably practicable”, the core is the concept of “reasonably practicable”; this involves weighing a risk against the trouble, time and money needed to control it. Thus, ALARP describes the level to which we expect to see workplace risks controlled.

It can be a daunting prospect, following HAZOP you get the request to either implement additional protective measures or show that any "medium" risks identified do not justify additional measures. Fear not, OTECSA have been through this learning process and can guide you along the way. There are several ways to demonstrate that your risks are as low as reasonably practicable and in the extreme case you may be required to carry out a Cost Benefit Analysis. This involves weighing up the CapEx and OpEx costs of additional measures against the health and safety benefit they would bring. If the costs can be shown to be grossly disproportionate then there is no requirement to implement the additional measures.

As this is a specialised area we strongly recommend if you are requiring an ALARP demonstration to discuss it with OTECSA and we can assist you in complying with your requirements for the competent authority. Get in touch with us today for an informal discussion about how to tackle the challenges you are facing.