ABSTRACT
As part of the major hazard modelling and risk estimation process HSE and HSL produce risk assessments to provide estimates of the potential risk. A risk assessment is an estimation of the level of risk and the evaluation of the significance of that risk in order to inform decisions about risk management. It is a recognised integral part of successful health and safety management and is implicitly and explicitly included in much of the UK Health and Safety legislation (HSW 1974, MHSWR 1999). Risk estimates require a knowledge of the numbers and locations of people that may be exposed to potential hazards. This has resulted in the HSE developing a National Population Database (NPD) for use in its risk estimation work.
