One of the first questions we are often asked when discussing the requirement for a DSEAR Risk Assessment is the “how much will this cost?”. A DSEAR Risk Assessment could cost anywhere from around £1,500 to upwards of £10,000 depending on the many factors. To help clients understand these factors which impact cost, and give an idea of the likely scale of the cost we thought we should break down the process.
There are several factors which impact how much a DSEAR Risk Assessment will cost which we discuss further below:
- The complexity of the site.
- The number of flammable materials used, stored or produced on site.
- The operations handling these materials, and how good the starting information is.
- Whether hazardous area classification will also be required.
As DSEAR is such a widely applicable risk assessment – required for any site which handles, stores or produces flammable or combustible materials, we see sites of all shapes and sizes and have carried out DSEAR Risk Assessments on all types of sites including the simplest of sites and extremely complex sites with multiple areas and different processes.
Complexity of the site
The simplest site might be a workshop or lab operation, with storage of some flammables in the area, and limited use of these materials in small volumes for maintenance or workshop/lab operations. In this case the DSEAR Risk Assessment will be very straightforward and is likely to have very limited requirement for HAC zoning assessment and drawings. It is likely the cost of the assessment will be low, within the “small, simple site” cost range below.
Site complexity can either increase with the number of similar areas, or with additional different operations. The workshop for example might also have an associated storage room, or another similar workshop carrying out different activities. A simple production process handling small amounts of flammables might become more complex with additional processes, or associated handling or storage areas.
As we start to get into more complex sites, they will have several different unit operations, with different types of chemical processes, as well as the associated storage, handling, packing, waste processing and utility systems.
As sites become more complex with higher hazards, it is expected that the operators of the site will have other risk assessments and documentation in place. This can include process risk assessment such as HAZID or HAZOP studies, and drawings such as layout drawings, equipment information and datasheets. All of these will inform the DSEAR Risk Assessment and HAC zoning study. If this information is not readily available, it can add to the cost of the study as we will need to develop this information, or make assumptions to enable the risk assessment to be completed.
The Impact of HAC
A DSEAR Risk Assessment has two main parts that we assess – the risk assessment and the hazardous area classification (HAC). HAC adds another dimension to the cost of the assessment as it requires detailed calculations and analysis of the ATEX zoning requirements, including additional documentation such as schedules of releases, properties of materials and HAC zone drawings. Similar to the risk assessment complexity, the HAC zoning complexity will increase with site size and activities being carried out.
So how much does a DSEAR Risk Assessment cost?
The simple answer is: “it depends”. However to help you understand the order of magnitude costs, and some examples. If you are quoted figures significantly higher or lower than these costs, it’s likely you are either being overcharged or the supplier is not providing the necessary level of detail required in line with HSE Guidance.
Simple, small sites
A small simple site, requiring risk assessment but very limited HAC zoning may cost between £1,500 and £3,500, depending on the factors discussed above.
Mid sized sites
A medium size manufacturing site, comprising a few unit operations producing and handling flammables may cost between £3,000 and £6,000, again depending on the various factors involved.
Large, complex sites
For more complex sites where there are several unit operations, associated storage, handling and processing operations the cost could range from £5,000 to £10,000.
In some cases the costs can exceed these values, however we are always happy to discuss factors which can be used to reduce the cost of the study or ways to manage the cost to work within your budget. This can include breaking the project into smaller chunks, or carrying out the DSEAR RA before committing to the HAC study.
We hope this helps to break some of the stigma around the expected costs of a DSEAR Risk Assessment. As always we are happy to discuss your project and the likely commitment required to carry out these assessments.
Warning signs
Watch out for any suppliers who quote extremely low, or extremely high prices for this type of assessment.
Typically very low prices can be obtained from professionals who may not be competent for more complex assessments, leading to poor quality and non compliant risk assessments.
Low prices may also be an indication that the supplier has excluded HAC zone drawings from the scope. These are a necessary output from the study and often one of the most useful items. OTECSA always price to include zone drawings, and if this is not the case it will be explicitly stated.
High prices can be an indication that the consultants think they can overcharge, so we would always recommend getting at least one other quote to see if this might be the case.
We are always happy to have our proposals compared with other suppliers of DSEAR services and are certain due to our strength in numbers and experience we can be competitive on cost and delivery for any project.
This includes other suppliers including: DEKRA, Gexcon, TUV, ABB, Risktec, Arthian, Mabbett, Orbis Environmental, Sigma HSE and IDEA Integro Design Engineering Associates.