An operational framework for workplace risk assessment of healthcare facilities in seismic-prone areas

Damages, out-of-services and interruptions of activities triggered by natural events on healthcare facility networks highlight their vulnerability and the relevance of the consequences in terms of post-event emergency phases. In this perspective, a key role is played by rational and effective risk assessment methods guiding the design of mitigation countermeasures avoiding lack of operativity of the structures and of the services to the patients in the case of natural hazardous events. In this paper an approach to a comprehensive workplace risk assessment of healthcare facilities in seismic-prone areas is proposed. The novel feature of the methodology consists of the introduction of an operational probabilistic framework aimed at integrating survey and assessment actions commonly adopted for occupational safety of health facilities whose non-structural components, medical equipment, installations are investigated and monitored with those related to overall performance of the structures. It is intended as a support for (i) the implementation of preventive practice-oriented risk mitigation measures and for (ii) near-real time decisions-making concerning the prioritization of on-site inspections aimed at usability assessment in the event of an earthquake and the associated level of detail. Two software applications have been developed and herein presented to support risk analyses, encompassing the two relevant stages of the data collection and occupational safety risk computation including the structural one. An explanatory case referring to the health facility network of the Molise Region (Italy) is illustrated and discussed, highlighting its value in supporting a comprehensive workplace risk assessment in a rational and practice-oriented way.