Escape Evacuation Rescue Analysis (EERA)

In the event of a major incident, the design of a facility must be such that any ensuing risk to personnel can be assessed to a level considered to be As Low As Reasonably Practicable (ALARP). This can often be achieved through the provision of suitable means of Escape, Evacuation and Rescue (EER) in conjunction with the implementation of suitable emergency response procedures and training.
The objectives of the Escape, Evacuation and Rescue Assessment (EERA) study are to:
⦁ Describe the EER arrangements and facilities for the offshore platform. The proposed EER arrangements cover both the physical means provided for escape, evacuation, and rescue, as well as the organisational and procedural measures in place to respond to emergencies
⦁ Define a set of performance standards and loss of integrity criteria for the EER arrangements
⦁ Identify and describe a set of major accident hazard events that could potentially affect the ability of personnel to escape or evacuate
⦁ Define a set of major accident hazard events whose effects the EER facilities should be designed to withstand, with no loss of integrity
⦁ Define a set of major accident events whose effects could result in the loss of integrity of escape or evacuation facilities (residual risk events)
⦁ Perform a risk assessment with respect to EER performance standards to show performance criteria can be met
⦁ If necessary, propose design changes and identify issues for further investigation to meet performance criteria
Method of EERA
There are a number of steps involved in undertaking an EERA study, beginning with the preparation and identification of project assumptions and goals, right through to the calculation of the endurance time and subsequent ‘ALARP’ evaluation of the EER conclusions. The assessment of the EERA facilities is carried out in five steps.  These are:
⦁ The identification of hazards which could potentially require personnel to seek refuge in the TR and the subsequent evacuation of the platform if considered necessary
⦁ From the hazards identified in the first step follows the identification of those hazards that could potentially impair the EERA facilities
⦁ An identification of the hazards associated with the emergency response to hazardous incidents
⦁ The assessment of the adequacy of the EERA arrangements with respect to the hazards identified in steps 1 to 3 above
⦁ The estimation of times required to evacuate the platform
The following methodology highlights the key phases to conducting a successful EERA study.