Paper Presentation on

1. Paper Presentation on “THE ROLE OF AS -LOW -AS REASONABLY PRACTICABLE (ALARP) IN DISASTER AND RISK EVALUATION “ PRESENTED AT THE 1ST ANNUAL NATIONAL CONFERENCE CMD, CMD VILLAGE, SHANGISHAHA, LAGOS, FRIDAY 2 DECEMBER, 2011. BY DIMAS, E. SKARI NATIONAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY, ABUJA.

2. Outline of Presentation • Background Information and Definitions • Effects and Challenges of Disasters- An Overview • Risk Management • Concluding Remarks

3. Background Infor… • ALARPis a term often used in an environment where safety is involved. • The principle is to demonstrate that the cost involved in reducing the risk is disproportionate to the benefit gained. • simply a quantitative measure of benefit against detriment - a practice of balance of risk and societal benefit. • Factor that comes into the ALARP principle, • Identification of Impacts • assessment and cost improvements to reduce risk.

4. Background Infor … In extreme cases it can be very high, and could result to limit the practicability of risk reduction. • ALARP requires cost benefit analysis. • Time, effort and fund and to achieve safety and risk improvements/reduction

5. Background Infor… • The term ALARP arises from UK legislation, through aahealth and Safety at Work Act 1974 which requires "Provision and maintenance of plant and systems of work that are, so far as is reasonably practicable, safe and without risks to health". • Outside the UK, ALARP principle is often not used; instead standards and 'good engineering practice' are adhered to, and legislation tends to require absolute levels of safety.

6. … Key Definitions Cont… • DISASTER is a severe disruption to the survival and livelihood systems of a society or community, resulting from their vulnerability to the impact of one or a combination of hazards and involving loss of life and/or property on a scale which overwhelms the capacity of those affected to cope unaided.

7. … Key Definitions cont… RISK refers to the expected or anticipated losses (lives lost, people injured, property damaged, and economic activities or livelihoods disrupted) from the impact of a given hazard on a vulnerable element over a specific period of time. • HAZARD is defined as a danger or source of danger or potential harm and which threatens human safety when provoked. The term Hazard is also used mean dangers, risks or problems.

8. … Key Definitions cont… • VULNERABILITY ` is defined as “the extent to which a community, structure, service, and/or geographic area is likely to be damaged or disrupted by the impact of particular hazard, on account of their nature, construction and proximity to hazardous terrain or a disaster prone area”. • Capacity/ Manageability • is the ability to withstand the effects of hazards

9. RISK = HAZARD CAPACITY VULNERABILITY x DISASTER RISK

10. HAZARD, DISASTER AND VULNERABILITY Disaster Vulnerability Hazard

11. Concept of disaster risk management • Disaster risk management is the systematic process of using administrative decisions, organization, operational skills and capacities to implement policies, strategies and coping capacities of the society and communities to lessen the impacts of natural hazards and related environmental and technological disasters.

12. Risk Management • RISK MANAGEMENT gives a framework for : Setting regulatory priorities for Decision Making that cut across various environmental areas. • RISK ASSESSMENT : is the systematic process to identify potential hazard & the possible consequences from these hazards which would assist in decision making to reduce risk

13. Effects of… • DISASTERS Over decade disasters triggered by natural and man induced hazards have claimed more than 600,000 lives and affected more than 2.4 billion people, majority of them is in developing countries like Nigeria. Years of developmental gains have been lost, deepening poverty for millions and leaving them more exposed to future hazards and disasters and disaster risks. Now more than ever, we must accelerate our efforts to reduce vulnerability amongst our communities.

14. Effects Cont… • Nigeria, like other countries in Africa, has had its own share of disasters, both from natural hazards and man-induced incidences, all with their debilitating consequences, indeed, the occurrences of disasters and emergencies in Nigeria have increased in frequency and intensities in the last decade and especially in recent times.

15. Challenges poised… • Disaster loss is on the rise with grave consequences for the survival, dignity and livelihood of individuals particularly the poor, women and children. • Disaster risk arises when hazards interact with physical, social, economic and environmental vulnerabilities. • Efforts to reduce disaster risks must be systematically integrated into polices, plans and programmes for sustainable development and poverty reduction through cooperation and partnerships

16. Challenges Cont… • Disasters are increasing in frequency and impact • The poorest of society are most affected • Children and women are proportionally the most vulnerable when disaster strikes • Disasters make the poorest even poorer • DRR is more cost effective than relief and recovery in the long-term: • $1 versus $4

17. Disaster limits or destroy development • Destruction of physical assets and loss production capacity, • Damage to infrastructure and erosion of livelihoods and savings • Destruction of health or education infrastructure and development personnel  • Death, disablement or migration of productive labour force

18. Development causes disaster risk • Unsustainable development practices that create unsafe working conditions and degrade the environment • Development paths generating inequality, promoting social isolation or political exclusion.

19. Development reduces disaster risk • Access to safe drinking water and food and secure dwelling which increases people’s resilience. • Fair trade and technology can reduce poverty, and social security can reduce vulnerability.  • Development can build communities and broaden the provision of opportunities for participation and involvement indecision making, recognizing excluded groups such as women. • Enhancing education and health capacity.

20. Disaster create development opportunities • Favorable environment for advocacy for disaster risk reduction measure • Decision makers more willing to allocate resources in the wake of a disaster. • Rehabilitation and reconstruction activities create opportunities for integrating disaster risk measures

21. The Role… ALARP: takes all measures to reduce risks through a technique called “Risk Assessment or Risk Analysis”.

22. In DRR form • That seeks to minimise vulnerabilitiesand disaster risks throughout a society, to avoid (prevention) or to limit (mitigation and preparedness) the adverse impacts of hazards within the broad context of sustainable development

23. Risk Analysis Process • Identify responsible Agency • Identify the hazards • Assemble the team: • Analysis: hazards vulnerabilities manageability • Quantify the risks • Analyze risk reduction • Report to decision makers

24. Risk Analysis Explained • 1. Identify responsible Agency Lead Agency Authority and Credibility • 2. Identify the hazards that could occur? Natural, Human, Complex, Historic evidence What if? • 3. Assemble the team Experts, Experience, and Team players

25. Risk Analysis Explained cont… • 4. Analyze Hazards, Vulnerability and Manageability Take each in turn What? – nature, impact, severity Where? – likely area When? – frequency, time and duration • Potential for growth • Collect information: Records, maps, scientific data, Reports (including others) local experience • Analyze – produce hazards profile, maps,- GIS

26. Risk Analysis Explained cont… • Vulnerabilities (for each hazard) Population distribution, Vulnerable groups Building standards, Infrastructure, Social, Cultural, Economic conditions, Environment, Essential services and Location in relation to impacts • ii. Collect information • iii. Analyze- produce vulnerability profile, maps

27. Risk Analysis Explained cont… • Manageability (for each hazard) Existing institutional systems, Preparedness, planning, mitigation measures, Laws and regulations, Early warnings or predictions Public awareness, Information systems Resources, Level of training and Participation

28. Risk Analysis Explained cont… • 5. Quantify the risks Tabulate, Scoring system- weight and • Apply formula • 6. Analyze risk reduction Apparent from previous analysis Cost/benefit, Time, Political expediency Public memory •  7. Report to decision makers • Note that: They are not experts, politicians or senior civil servants Cost will be a major concern

29. Risk Analysis Explained cont… Value of the asset at risk Perception of acceptable risk Visible achievements Penalties for inaction

30. Risk Analysis Process Cont… • Make findings Simple • Use graphics • Offer solutions • Emphasize benefits • To public (votes • To economy • Be realistic

31. Helpful tip for success • limit the scope ( at least initially)authority/backing • set a timetable with datelines and keep to it • offer solutions along side problems

32. Risk Analysis Explained cont…

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35. Risk Analysis Explained cont…

36. Conclusion • When the risk analyses steps are carefully followed it results to risk evaluation that can be termed As-low-as Reasonably Practicable in Disaster Risk and Evaluation

37. Remarks… Thank you for your attention !