Environmental risk assessment is a good framework for identifying, analysing and managing potential hazards and impacts to the environment.
Simmonds & Bristow conducts risk assessments of exposures to hazardous substances or hazards associated with development proposals. The types of risk assessments are case-specific and vary from contaminated sites, air emissions, occupational hygiene, public safety issues to environmental risks from pollution.
Risk assessments are generally performed as part of a risk management process which includes remedial work or setting guidelines for control or clean-up.
Quantitative Risk Assessment
Methodology includes United States Environmental Protection Agency guidelines for health and environmental assessments covering:
- Hazard identification
- Exposure assessment
- Dose-response relationship
- Risk characterisation.
Advice on management of risks through to project management is also available.
Qualitative Risk Analysis
Methodology used includes risk analysis matrix for:
- Initial screening of risks
- Where level of risk does not justify more time and effort
- When numerical data is inadequate.
Performance and Decision-Making Risk Assessment
- Identification or evaluation of Licence Compliance using risk-band methodology e.g. Australian Standard For Risk Management
- Decision trees for approvals / licencing of activities.
Recent key projects include:
- Hughes Trueman: Risk assessment of treated water for onsite reuse
- Santos Ltd: Environmental and Health Risk Assessment of air emissions
- Berlese Developments: Site investigation, risk assessment and remediation action plan.
Ecotoxicology
Simmonds & Bristow conducts investigations into or critical reviews of the effects of physical, chemical and biological agents on individuals, populations, communities and ecosystems. Effects cover human health and terrestrial and aquatic organisms (including plants).
The scope of human services includes:
- Ecotoxicology tests e.g. laboratory-based and analyses
- Field studies e.g. effects of effluent on freshwater communities; fate and behaviour of pesticide residues in catchments or eutrophication studies in lakes
- Critical reviews or pollutants or environmental activities e.g. effects of oil spills in marine environments; assessment of water quality and their catchments; water re-use effects.
Recent key projects include:
- Santos Ltd: River health monitoring and environmental risk assessment
- Tree Crop Technologies: Irrigation potential of produced formation water.