Area risk analysis in an urban port: Personnel and major accident risk issues

As widely known, urban port areas represent considerably complex systems, both from the environmental and safety viewpoints, especially in case of nearness with installations of temporary storage, or handling of goods (known as "distriparks"). This paper offers a perspective on the different aspects of risk in an urban port area, considering both personnel and process related safety issues. Dealing with the latter aspect, area risk evaluation can be faced by recomposing the risk connected to loading/unloading activities and different transportation modes in the shipping areas, with the contribution due to the stationary industrial equipments/plants. The validity of the framework was tested considering a noticeable Italian case-study, starting from a detailed inventory of the more frequently dangerous goods handled in the area and the maximum credible amounts stored for a meaningful time (temporary storage).