Which analysis method serves as a bridge between qualitative and quantitative risk evaluation?

Layers of Protection Analysis (LOPA) serves as a bridge between qualitative and quantitative risk evaluation by integrating both aspects into a cohesive framework. This method allows analysts to categorize risks and evaluate the effectiveness of safety layers in preventing hazards, offering a structured way to assess risk in a semi-quantitative manner.

In LOPA, hazardous events are identified and analyzed by considering the likelihood of occurrence and the potential consequences. It employs qualitative descriptors to assess risk factors and then applies numerical values to calculate risk metrics, providing a more comprehensive understanding of risk. This balance of qualitative input and quantitative assessment makes LOPA particularly useful in industrial contexts, where diverse factors need to be considered, and decision-makers require both descriptive insights and numerical data to guide safety measures and risk management strategies.

Other methods like Root Cause Analysis focus on identifying the underlying causes of incidents rather than evaluating risks, while Failure Mode Effects Analysis (FMEA) primarily emphasizes qualitative analysis of failure modes and their impacts without bridging into quantitative assessments. Risk Priority Number (RPN) Assessment is a component of FMEA and provides a numerical score to prioritize risks; however, it does not serve as a bridge in the same way LOPA does, as it predominantly revolves around qualitative judgments leading to numerical rankings rather than fully integrating