The exposure - damage approach in the quantification of occupational risk in workplaces involving dangerous substancesThe exposure - damage approach in the quantification of occupational risk in workplaces involving dangerous substances Peer-Reviewed Journal Publication Δημοσίευση σε Περιοδικό με Κριτές 2015-11-112008enThe work proposes a new approach for the quantification of occupational risk overcoming the limitations of the common qualitative methodologies widely used by industry and authorities. The proposed methodological approach has been developed at the Technical University of Crete and is based on the principles of quantitative risk assessment (QRA) for the control of major-accident hazards involving dangerous substances. It aims at establishing a systematic risk analysis tool for the quantitative assessment of occupational risk. The index of ‘individual occupational risk’ is introduced as a probability function of four variables, normalized over actual working time: the frequency of an active hazard, the probability of an employee being present at a work-place, the extent of distinct consequence zones and the employee vulnerability. The methodology has been applied to several industrial environments and has verified its potentiality to provide documented support on important decisions on occupational (health and safety) improving measures related to process safety conditions, job management, protective systems, consequence mitigation measures and personal protective measures.http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/Safety Science466972-991 Papadakis Georgios Παπαδακης Γεωργιος Chalkidou Anastasia Χαλκιδου Αναστασια Elsevier Climate, Workplace Environment, Work Places of work Work places Working conditions, Physical Working environment Workplace Workplace climate Workplace environment Worksite environment work environment climate workplace environment work places of work work places working conditions physical working environment workplace workplace climate workplace environment worksite environment