qualitative risk assessment
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For risk assessment, two methods, quantitative risk assessment and qualitative risk assessment, are used. In this study, we identified the regional risk level for a disaster-prevention plan for an overall area at the national level using qualitative risk assessment. To overcome the limitations of previous studies, a heavy rain damage risk index (HDRI) was proposed by clarifying the framework and using the indicator selection principle. Using historical damage data, we also carried out hierarchical cluster analysis to identify the major damage types that were not considered in previous risk-assessment studies. The result of the risk-level analysis revealed that risk levels are relatively high in some cities in South Korea where heavy rain damage occurs frequently or is severe. Five causes of damage were derived from this study—A: landslides, B: river inundation, C: poor drainage in arable areas, D: rapid water velocity, and E: inundation in urban lowlands. Finally, a prevention project was proposed considering regional risk level and damage type in this study. Our results can be used when macroscopically planning mid- to long-term disaster prevention projects.

In South Africa, 15 percent of informal economy workers are street vendors. The organization of occupational health services in the country is fragmented and does not cover informal workers. Conditions of work make informal workers extremely vulnerable to human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and tuberculosis (TB) exposure. In this study, a qualitative risk assessment was conducted among street vendors, followed by focus group discussions. Interpretation of data was according to major themes extracted from discussions. Workers are exposed to several occupational health hazards identified during the risk assessment. There is a lack of workplace HIV and TB services and overall poor access to healthcare. Street vendors, especially females, are at higher risk of HIV, due to gender inequalities. Comprehensive gender-sensitive training on occupational health and safety, HIV, and TB should be prioritized. To reach Universal Health Coverage and achieve the Sustainable Developmental Goals’ targets, the health system should improve services for informal economy workers.

Qualitative risk assessment using the risk matrices recommended by International Maritime Organization (IMO) and International Standards Organization (ISO) cannot be used for the risk assessment of the pollution of precisely determined part of the coastal sea by black waters from various vessels. Therefore, an original model has been set for risk assessment by means of multiplicative matrices at three levels, allowing risk assessment for very complex assessments with a lot more input factors unlike the classic risk matrix that has two input factors (frequency of occurrence, intensity of consequences). The proposed model of risk assessment uses matrices which first determine the vessel risk index taking into consideration the factor of device for the processing of black waters and the factor of regulations that are applied to the respective vessels. Later, the location sensitivity index is determined, which takes into consideration the sensitivity factor of the location and the factor of impact on the location. Finally, at the third level the assessed risk of sea pollution by black waters is determined according to the type of vessel at precisely defined maritime zone locations. The offered model of risk assessment using multiplicative matrices has practical application and can be used also for many other risk assessments that take into consideration many input factors that affect the risk. The result of risk assessment of the pollution of the coastal sea can be used in decision-making in risk management for undertaking measures in order to protect the coastal sea, human health, and economic activities of a certain area in the coastal sea.

Objective The objective behind this article is to better characterize spatial distribution of animal rabies in Morocco through qualitative risk assessment framework. In Morocco, the occurrence of the disease is neither clearly distributed nor complete. Therefore, risk assessment methods become strongly recommended to cope with distorted geographic patterns. Methods Based on data collection set from 168 counties, qualitative changes on spatial epidemiology of rabies were analysed by mapMCDA tool covering a period from 2004 to 2017 and including information on determinants of the geographic distribution of animal rabies in Morocco defined in previous work. Results To validate the risk assessment model, the results were compared to rabies cases reported during the study period. The clustering of the rabies risk estimates is decisive and highly reliable. A significant alignment was shown between the very high and high-risk estimates. Conclusion This study is the first attempt that has been made for using MapMCDA for rabies. For a normative process aiming to avoid subjectivity related to expert-opinions, authors suggest conducting initially a statistical multiple component analysis that will provide quantified estimates of risk factors. It would be an advisable decision-making tool that helps to design oriented surveillance and allows better referral of actions to control the disease.

In the latest One Health ECDC EFSA technical report, Norovirus in fish and fishery products have been listed as the agent/food pair causing the highest number of strong-evidence outbreaks in the EU in 2019. This review aims to identify data gaps that must be filled in order to increase knowledge on Norovirus in bivalve molluscs, perform a risk assessment and rank the key mitigation strategies for this biological hazard, which is relevant to public health. Virologic determinations are not included in any of the food safety and process hygiene microbiologic criteria reflected in the current European regulations. In addition, the Escherichia coli-based indices of acceptable faecal contamination for primary production, as well as the food safety criteria, do not appear sufficient to indicate the extent of Norovirus contamination. The qualitative risk assessment data collected in this review suggests that bivalve molluscs present a high risk to human health for Norovirus only when consumed raw or when insufficiently cooked. On the contrary, the risk can be considered negligible when they are cooked at a high temperature, while information is still scarce for non-thermal treatments.

Subject. The article discusses main practical approaches to assessing the risks of digital transformation and proposes an integrated model of risk-based approach to digital transformation that rests on key performance indicators for digital transformation risk assessment. Objectives. The aim is to perform a critical analysis of the practice of assessing the risks of digital transformation of economic entities in the Russian Federation. Methods. To perform the comparative analysis of practices of assessing the risks of digital transformation, we apply methods of analysis, comparison, and systematization of the obtained information. Results. We analyzed the practice of assessing the risks of digital transformation of business entities, developed recommendations to improve models for assessing the digital transformation risks, and offered an integrated risk assessment model. Conclusions. Given the specifics of the approach of Russian business entities to assessing the risks of digital transformation and a clear trend towards boosting the digitalization, it is advisable to apply a combined model, which includes both the assessment of the impact of digitalization measures on the economic performance of a company and qualitative risk assessment models based on the introduction of a risk-based Agile approach, embedded in the corporate culture of the company, as well as Due Diligence methods; to implement a mechanism of State support for companies, which are in the process of digital transformation.

Abstract There is a growing interest in electrification of offshore production assets using renewable energy devices. Typical configurations have arrays of power generating devices, located a short distance away from the platform and linked by subsea cables. To date, floating offshore wind turbines and wave energy converters have been trialed as sources of electrical power. With hulls, moorings and cables set out in close proximity, there is a unique station keeping risk profile that needs to be managed, to ensure fitness for service through the life of the field. When developing electrification schemes, there is a body of relevant research that can be accessed to help identify and control mooring risks. In the early days of North Sea floating production, the industry encountered multiple instances of accelerated mooring line degradation. The causes and mitigations were researched through joint industry projects, leading to the publication of operating guidance through OGUK, the HSE, ISO and others. This guidance, along with a series of milestone papers, offers a valuable body of learning that is available to electrification projects. In this paper, the authors survey the integrity threats and challenges affecting moorings in electrification schemes that are based around small arrays of wind turbines or wave energy converters. Through qualitative risk assessment, comparison is made to mooring integrity issues in the floating production sector. The relevance of guidance from oil and gas is reviewed. Consideration is given to the consequences of a line failure, and how in some cases these may represent intolerable risks. It is argued that a through-life integrity risk assessment is essential for successful deployments; also, that existing OGUK guidance on mooring integrity be extended, to reflect the specifics of electrification projects.

CWD (chronic wasting disease) has emerged as one of the most important diseases of cervids and continues to adversely affect farmed and wild cervid populations, despite control and preventive measures. This study aims to use the current scientific understanding of CWD transmission and knowledge of farmed cervid operations to conduct a qualitative risk assessment for CWD transmission to cervid farms and, applying this risk assessment, systematically describe the CWD transmission risks experienced by CWD-positive farmed cervid operations in Minnesota and Wisconsin. A systematic review of literature related to CWD transmission informed our criteria to stratify CWD transmission risks to cervid operations into high-risk low uncertainty, moderate-risk high uncertainty, and negligible-risk low uncertainty categories. Case data from 34 CWD-positive farmed cervid operations in Minnesota and Wisconsin from 2002 to January 2019 were categorized by transmission risks exposure and evaluated for trends. The majority of case farms recorded high transmission risks (56%), which were likely sources of CWD, but many (44%) had only moderate or negligible transmission risks, including most of the herds (62%) detected since 2012. The presence of CWD-positive cervid farms with only moderate or low CWD transmission risks necessitates further investigation of these risks to inform effective control measures.

The International Maritime Organization (IMO) published the Guidelines on Maritime Cyber Risk Management in 2017 to strengthen cybersecurity in consideration of digitalized ships. As part of these guidelines, the IMO recommends that each flag state should integrate and manage matters regarding cyber risk in the ship safety management system (SMS) according to the International Safety Management Code (ISM Code) before the first annual verification that takes place on or after 1 January 2021. The purpose of this paper is to identify cybersecurity risk components in the maritime sector that should be managed by the SMS in 2021 and to derive priorities for vulnerability improvement plans through itemized risk assessment. To this end, qualitative risk assessment (RA) was carried out for administrative, technical, and physical security risk components based on industry and international standards, which were additionally presented in the IMO guidelines. Based on the risk matrix from the RA analysis results, a survey on improving cybersecurity vulnerabilities in the maritime sector was conducted, and the analytic hierarchy process was used to analyze the results and derive improvement plan priority measures.