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ALARP—What does it really mean?

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  • Jones-Lee, M.
  • Aven, T.

Abstract

This paper examines the requirements that might reasonably be regarded as being implied by the ALARP principle. The principle stipulates that those responsible should reduce risks of death and injury for workers and members of the public to levels that are ‘As Low As Reasonably Practicable’. The main aim of the paper is to resolve the apparent conflict between the ALARP principle on the one hand and, on the other, conventional social cost–benefit analysis. In particular, cost–benefit analysis prescribes that a safety improvement should be undertaken only if the cost of doing so is less than or equal to the resultant benefits, whereas some regulatory agencies interpret ALARP as requiring that the improvement must be undertaken provided that costs are not in ‘gross disproportion’ to benefits, which would clearly include cases in which costs might substantially exceed benefits.

Suggested Citation

  • Jones-Lee, M. & Aven, T., 2011. "ALARP—What does it really mean?," Reliability Engineering and System Safety, Elsevier, vol. 96(8), pages 877-882.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:reensy:v:96:y:2011:i:8:p:877-882
    DOI: 10.1016/j.ress.2011.02.006
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Judith Covey & Angela Robinson & Michael Jones-Lee & Graham Loomes, 2010. "Responsibility, scale and the valuation of rail safety," Journal of Risk and Uncertainty, Springer, vol. 40(1), pages 85-108, February.
    2. Sunstein, Cass R, 1997. "Bad Deaths," Journal of Risk and Uncertainty, Springer, vol. 14(3), pages 259-282, May-June.
    3. Jones-Lee, M W & Loomes, G, 1995. "Scale and Context Effects in the Valuation of Transport Safety," Journal of Risk and Uncertainty, Springer, vol. 11(3), pages 183-203, December.
    4. Chilton, Susan & Covey, Judith & Hopkins, Lorraine & Jones-Lee, Michael & Loomes, Graham & Pidgeon, Nick & Spencer, Anne, 2002. "Public Perceptions of Risk and Preference-Based Values of Safety," Journal of Risk and Uncertainty, Springer, vol. 25(3), pages 211-232, November.
    5. Susan Chilton & Michael Jones-Lee & Francis Kiraly & Hugh Metcalf & Wei Pang, 2006. "Dread risks," Journal of Risk and Uncertainty, Springer, vol. 33(3), pages 165-182, December.
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    Cited by:

    1. Aven, Terje, 2019. "The cautionary principle in risk management: Foundation and practical use," Reliability Engineering and System Safety, Elsevier, vol. 191(C).
    2. Sujan, Mark A. & Habli, Ibrahim & Kelly, Tim P. & Gühnemann, Astrid & Pozzi, Simone & Johnson, Christopher W., 2017. "How can health care organisations make and justify decisions about risk reduction? Lessons from a cross-industry review and a health care stakeholder consensus development process," Reliability Engineering and System Safety, Elsevier, vol. 161(C), pages 1-11.
    3. Moura Carneiro, F.O. & Barbosa Rocha, H.H. & Costa Rocha, P.A., 2013. "Investigation of possible societal risk associated with wind power generation systems," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 19(C), pages 30-36.
    4. Patrik Baard, 2016. "Risk-reducing goals: ideals and abilities when managing complex environmental risks," Journal of Risk Research, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 19(2), pages 164-180, February.
    5. Antonio Nesticò & Shuquan He & Gianluigi De Mare & Renato Benintendi & Gabriella Maselli, 2018. "The ALARP Principle in the Cost-Benefit Analysis for the Acceptability of Investment Risk," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(12), pages 1-22, December.
    6. Aven, Terje, 2016. "Risk assessment and risk management: Review of recent advances on their foundation," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 253(1), pages 1-13.
    7. Maria-Monika Metallinou & Torgrim Log, 2018. "Cold Climate Structural Fire Danger Rating System?," Challenges, MDPI, vol. 9(1), pages 1-15, March.

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