Design and Development of a Hazard Identification Tool for Laboratory Fire Risk Assessment using Delphi Technique

The prevalence of fire in laboratories is high due to the potential sources of the fire hazards, including the use of various equipment and chemicals, as well as the possibility of human error. Accordingly, this study was designed and conducted with the aim of developing a tool to identify hazards a...

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Main Authors: Ahmad Soltanzadeh, Abolfazl Mohammadbeigi, Hamidreza Heidari
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Tehran University of Medical Sciences 2021-09-01
Series:International Journal of Occupational Hygiene
Subjects:
Online Access:https://ijoh.tums.ac.ir/index.php/ijoh/article/view/494
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author Ahmad Soltanzadeh
Abolfazl Mohammadbeigi
Hamidreza Heidari
author_facet Ahmad Soltanzadeh
Abolfazl Mohammadbeigi
Hamidreza Heidari
author_sort Ahmad Soltanzadeh
collection DOAJ
description The prevalence of fire in laboratories is high due to the potential sources of the fire hazards, including the use of various equipment and chemicals, as well as the possibility of human error. Accordingly, this study was designed and conducted with the aim of developing a tool to identify hazards and assess laboratory fire risk. In the present study, we used the Delphi technique in three rounds in 2020 with the participation of 17 experts in the fields of safety engineering, occupational health engineering, chemistry, and chemical engineering. The scattering index of coefficient of variation (CV) was higher than 20% and the acceptance criterion for each item was considered with an average of ≥4. In addition, the validity and reliability of this tool were evaluated using content validity ratio (CVR), content validity index (CVI), and Cronbach's alpha reliability index. After three rounds of Delphi study, the hazard identification and risk assessment questionnaire for laboratory fire were developed with 45 items, including chemical materials and compounds, electricity, and fire response. The coefficient of variation (CV) in this Delphi study was equal to 0.05. The results of the validity and reliability evaluation of this tool showed that the content validity index (CVI) and Cronbach's alpha coefficient were equal to 0.902 and 0.88. The questionnaire of the present study indicated an acceptable validity and reliability for identifying hazards and assessing laboratory fire risk. Therefore, this tool provided a quick, easy, and practical way to identify hazards and assess the risk of laboratory fires.
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spelling doaj.art-44db7b08a6aa4105a2c4f2546c2483402022-12-21T21:09:18ZengTehran University of Medical SciencesInternational Journal of Occupational Hygiene2008-51092008-54352021-09-01133Design and Development of a Hazard Identification Tool for Laboratory Fire Risk Assessment using Delphi TechniqueAhmad Soltanzadeh0Abolfazl Mohammadbeigi1Hamidreza Heidari2Department of Occupational Safety & Health Engineering, Research Center for Environmental Pollutants, Faculty of Health, Qom University of Medical Sciences, Qom, IranDepartment of Biostatistics & Epidemiology, Research Center for Environmental Pollutants, Faculty of Health, Qom University of Medical Sciences, Qom, IranDepartment of Occupational Safety & Health Engineering, Research Center for Environmental Pollutants, Faculty of Health, Qom University of Medical Sciences, Qom, IranThe prevalence of fire in laboratories is high due to the potential sources of the fire hazards, including the use of various equipment and chemicals, as well as the possibility of human error. Accordingly, this study was designed and conducted with the aim of developing a tool to identify hazards and assess laboratory fire risk. In the present study, we used the Delphi technique in three rounds in 2020 with the participation of 17 experts in the fields of safety engineering, occupational health engineering, chemistry, and chemical engineering. The scattering index of coefficient of variation (CV) was higher than 20% and the acceptance criterion for each item was considered with an average of ≥4. In addition, the validity and reliability of this tool were evaluated using content validity ratio (CVR), content validity index (CVI), and Cronbach's alpha reliability index. After three rounds of Delphi study, the hazard identification and risk assessment questionnaire for laboratory fire were developed with 45 items, including chemical materials and compounds, electricity, and fire response. The coefficient of variation (CV) in this Delphi study was equal to 0.05. The results of the validity and reliability evaluation of this tool showed that the content validity index (CVI) and Cronbach's alpha coefficient were equal to 0.902 and 0.88. The questionnaire of the present study indicated an acceptable validity and reliability for identifying hazards and assessing laboratory fire risk. Therefore, this tool provided a quick, easy, and practical way to identify hazards and assess the risk of laboratory fires.https://ijoh.tums.ac.ir/index.php/ijoh/article/view/494LaboratoryHazard identificationFireFire Risk AssessmentDelphi technique
spellingShingle Ahmad Soltanzadeh
Abolfazl Mohammadbeigi
Hamidreza Heidari
Design and Development of a Hazard Identification Tool for Laboratory Fire Risk Assessment using Delphi Technique
International Journal of Occupational Hygiene
Laboratory
Hazard identification
Fire
Fire Risk Assessment
Delphi technique
title Design and Development of a Hazard Identification Tool for Laboratory Fire Risk Assessment using Delphi Technique
title_full Design and Development of a Hazard Identification Tool for Laboratory Fire Risk Assessment using Delphi Technique
title_fullStr Design and Development of a Hazard Identification Tool for Laboratory Fire Risk Assessment using Delphi Technique
title_full_unstemmed Design and Development of a Hazard Identification Tool for Laboratory Fire Risk Assessment using Delphi Technique
title_short Design and Development of a Hazard Identification Tool for Laboratory Fire Risk Assessment using Delphi Technique
title_sort design and development of a hazard identification tool for laboratory fire risk assessment using delphi technique
topic Laboratory
Hazard identification
Fire
Fire Risk Assessment
Delphi technique
url https://ijoh.tums.ac.ir/index.php/ijoh/article/view/494
work_keys_str_mv AT ahmadsoltanzadeh designanddevelopmentofahazardidentificationtoolforlaboratoryfireriskassessmentusingdelphitechnique
AT abolfazlmohammadbeigi designanddevelopmentofahazardidentificationtoolforlaboratoryfireriskassessmentusingdelphitechnique
AT hamidrezaheidari designanddevelopmentofahazardidentificationtoolforlaboratoryfireriskassessmentusingdelphitechnique