Risk calculations by prescription

In Dutch external safety policy, the acceptability of risk in the area surrounding a hazard is assessed based on a limit value for individual risk (IR). Additionally, changes to societal risk (SR) must be justified, in which a less strict (with regards to the IR) so-called orientation criterion for the societal risk in practice forms an important reference point. In The Netherlands, a single software program (SAFETI-NL) with associated manual (Reference Manual Bevi Risk Assessments, Handleiding Risicoberekeningen Bevi) is prescribed for the calculation of levels of individual and societal risk for establishments. This prescribed “Bevi calculation method” forms the basis for decisions with important consequences for industry, land use planning and the protection of citizens.