ALARP & ALARA & SFAIRP

In the context of industrial hygiene ALARP is short for "as low as reasonably practicable" and SFAIRP is short for "so far as is reasonably practicable". The two terms mean essentially the same thing and at their core is the concept of "reasonably practicable". It is a principle used in risk assessment and risk management to determine the appropriate level of control for a particular hazard. It means that the risk should be reduced to a level that is as low as is reasonably possible, taking into account a range of factors including the severity of the potential harm, the likelihood of the harm occurring, and the cost of implementing controls to reduce the risk. The goal of the ALARP/SFAIRP principle is to ensure that the benefits of risk reduction outweigh the costs, and that resources are used in the most effective and efficient way to protect people and the environment. The ALARP/SFAIRP principle is often used in a range of industries, including construction, manufacturing, and healthcare, to ensure that risks are properly managed and controlled.

The Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 is the main piece of legislation in the United Kingdom that sets out the general duties of employers, employees, and self-employed people to ensure the health and safety of people at work. Under the Act, employers have a legal duty to protect the health and safety of their employees and others who may be affected by their work, so far as is reasonably practicable. This means that employers are required to take all reasonable steps to identify and control hazards in the workplace, and to provide a safe and healthy working environment for their employees.

If a company is prosecuted it is on the defendant to prove that you took all steps to reduce the risk to as low as is reasonably practicable. In legal terms “reasonably practicable” is a narrower term than “physically possible”. Thought should be given to risk on one side of the scale and sacrifice (for the measures necessary for averting the risk) on the other side. This should be weighed up, and that, if it be shown that there is a gross disproportion between them – the risk being insignificant in relation to the sacrifice – the defendants discharge the responsibility on them." The decision is always weighted in favour of H&S and the duty-holder must show that it would be grossly disproportionate.

ALARA is an acronym that stands for "As Low As Reasonably Achievable." It is a principle used in the field of radiation protection to ensure that the levels of radiation exposure to people and the environment are kept as low as possible, consistent with the achievement of the desired benefits. The goal of the ALARA principle is to minimize the risks associated with radiation exposure, while taking into account the potential benefits of the activity that is producing the radiation. To achieve this, the ALARA principle requires that all reasonable steps be taken to minimize radiation exposure, including the use of shielding, distance, and time to reduce the amount of radiation received by people and the environment. The ALARA principle is used in a variety of settings, including medical imaging, nuclear power plants, and research laboratories, to ensure that radiation exposure is kept to the lowest levels possible.

In occupational hygiene ALARP means keeping exposure to a substance as low as is reasonably practicable. It is important workplace exposure limits as a guidance, to reduce the levels of a substance as low as possible below the exposure limits. Also, substances that can cause cancer, asthma need to be reduced even lower.

Some fallacies about ALARP/SFAIRP Some myths or fallacies about what ALARP/SFAIRP means have grown up over the years. Here we explain what some of these myths are and, why they are wrong.

Fallacy 1 - Ensuring that risks are reduced ALARP means that we have to raise standards continually. Deciding whether something is safe enough (ie the risk is reduced ALARP) is a separate exercise from seeking a continual improvement in standards. Duty-holders should review what is available from time to time and consider whether they need to implement new controls. But that doesn't mean that the best risk controls available are necessarily reasonably practicable.

Fallacy 2 - If a few employers have adopted a high standard of risk control, that standard is ALARP. Some organisations implement standards of risk control that are more stringent than good practice. They may do this for a number of reasons, such as meeting corporate social responsibility goals, or because they strive to be the best at all they do, or because they have reached an agreement with their staff to provide additional controls. It does not follow that these risk control standards are reasonably practicable, just because a few organisations have adopted them.

Fallacy 3 - Ensuring that risks are reduced ALARP means that we can insist on all possible risk controls. ALARP does not mean that every measure that could possibly be taken (however theoretical) to reduce risk must be taken. Sometimes, there is more than one way of controlling a risk.

Fallacy 4 - Ensuring that risks are reduced ALARP means that there will be no accidents or ill-health. ALARP does not represent zero risk. We have to expect the risk arising from a hazard to be realised sometimes, and so for harm to occur, even though the risk is ALARP. This is an uncomfortable thought for many people, but it is inescapable.