RISC 2.0 Hazard Definitions for LA County HPP Facilities_v.2024.12.05.xlsx

	A	B	C	D	E
1	RISC Category	Hazard	Definition	Workgroup Recommendation	Rationale
2	Internal	Active Shooter/Threat	An individual actively engaged in killing or attempting to kill people at a facility or in the nearby vicinity. This is considered an internal event that may require lockdown procedures (not a mass shooting occurring elsewhere).	Definition missing from RISC 2.0, or definition has been modified by LA County	Internal response that is different from a mass shooting. CHANGE TO HAZARD NAME ALSO RECOMMENDED
3	Custom	Air Quality	Conditions that may cause adverse health effects within a few hours or days after breathing polluted air.	New custom hazard (not part of RISC 2.0) - Facilities must manually add this.	Add to RISC with definition
4	External	Aircraft Crash at Facility/Asset	An aircraft hits facility (buildings or other assets) or the ground nearby the facility, causing serious damage to the facility and/or aircraft and with injuries/deaths.	Definition missing from RISC 2.0, or definition has been modified by LA County	Reworded RISC definition for greater clarity
5	External	All Flood	A general and temporary condition of partial or complete inundation of normally dry land area	Definition missing from RISC 2.0, or definition has been modified by LA County	N/A - added definition for greater clarity
6	External	All Snow	Any winter weather event with heavy snowfall that may cause road closures (impacting transportation) and utility failures.	Definition missing from RISC 2.0, or definition has been modified by LA County	Added definition to differentiate from cold temperatures and ice.
7	External	All Wind	Strong winds (often exceeding 58 mph) that can cause injuries and/or physical damage (fallen trees, damaged buildings, downed power lines etc.).	Definition missing from RISC 2.0, or definition has been modified by LA County	N/A - added definition for greater clarity
8	Internal	Annual Influenza Epidemic (Seasonal Epidemic)	Predictable uptick in respiratory viral illnesses that spread during cold weather months	Definition missing from RISC 2.0, or definition has been modified by LA County	Expanded definition beyond flu (other respiratory pathogens can cause similar prolonged patient surge). CHANGE TO HAZARD NAME ALSO RECOMMENDED
9	Internal	Biological Exposure, Internal	An exposure to biohazardous materials (including biohazardous water) that may pose a risk to human life and/or the environment. Example: A hospital staff member accidentally drops a medical waste storage container, spilling its contents.	No change to RISC 2.0 definition.	No change to RISC 2.0 definition
10	Internal	Bomb Threat	A threat, usually verbal or written, to detonate an explosive or incendiary device to cause property damage, death, or injuries, whether or not such a device actually exists. Example: A hospital staff members receives a telephone call indicating that there is a bomb in a hospital facility.	No change to RISC 2.0 definition.	No change to RISC 2.0 definition
11	Custom	Chemical HAZMAT Exposure, External	An exposure by release of hazardous chemical substances into the external environment, leading to potential contamination of air, water, soil. These events may pose risks to human health, wildlife, infrastructure. Example: A truck accident releasing hazardous chemicals on a major highway	New custom hazard (not part of RISC 2.0) - Facilities must manually add this.	N/A - added definition for greater clarity
12	Internal	Chemical HAZMAT Exposure, Internal	An exposure (by contact, inhalation or ingestion) to any chemical substance that poses a risk to the safety of facility staff, patients and/or visitors, the facility itself, or the environment. Example: An environmental services worker is exposed to harmful disinfectant while diluting a solution without wearing gloves.	No change to RISC 2.0 definition.	No change to RISC 2.0 definition
13	External	Civil Disturbance	An act of violence and/or disorder that violates the law and disrupts normal work activities and/or access to the workplace. Example: A protest closes the main roads into the hospital, delating staff in getting to work.	No change to RISC 2.0 definition.	No change to RISC 2.0 definition
14	Internal	Communications Failure	The loss of normal communication operations at a localized level, requiring the activation of redundant forms of methods of communications. Communication loss may be short-term or long-term. Example: A fiber optic line is cut in a construction zone on site, resulting in the loss of all Voice Over Internet Protocol (VOIP) communications in a hospital clinic. A back-up landline or “powerfail” phone is used to contact patients.	No change to RISC 2.0 definition.	No change to RISC 2.0 definition
15	Internal	Cyber Attack	A digital attack designed to cause harm to network infrastructure or steal critical asset data. This may result in an extended IT downtime lasting 4-6 weeks.	Definition missing from RISC 2.0, or definition has been modified by LA County	Added a timeframe to definition (to differentiate from an unplanned IT outage/downtime). CHANGE TO HAZARD NAME ALSO RECOMMENDED
16	External	Dam Inundation	A situation in which the area downstream from a dam becomes flooded and covered with water if the dam ruptures or fails. Example: Fears that the Oroville Dam might fail in February 2017 led to the evacuation of several towns in the Dam Inundation Zone.	No change to RISC 2.0 definition.	No change to RISC 2.0 definition
17	External	Drought	A deficiency of precipitation over an extended period of time resulting in a water shortage.	Definition missing from RISC 2.0, or definition has been modified by LA County	N/A - added definition for greater clarity
18	External	Earthquake	A major earthquake with the potential to cause significant damage to infrastructure, facility operations, and/or the local region.	Definition missing from RISC 2.0, or definition has been modified by LA County	Added definition for greater clarity. Did not include specific magnitude because it is situation-dependent (same event may not impact all facilities the same depending on distance from epicenter, etc.)
19	Custom	Electrical Failure, Planned	A scheduled outage that occurs when the power is turned off for internal or external equipment repairs or upgrades, or for a Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS).	New custom hazard (not part of RISC 2.0) - Facilities must manually add this.	Add hazard to RISC 2.0 since there are unplanned and planned power outages and the response differs
20	Internal	Electrical Failure, Unplanned	An unplanned power outage caused by a failed circuit breaker or similar technical failure or a localized loss of power to a facility due to an issue with the local electric distribution system. A loss of electrical power at this level is normally short term in nature.	Definition missing from RISC 2.0, or definition has been modified by LA County	Minor changes to definition. CHANGE TO HAZARD NAME ALSO RECOMMENDED
21	Custom	Elevator Failure	Elevator outage(s) that significantly disrupt critical facility operations. Example: rapid response team delayed or unable to get a patient to the operating room, etc.	New custom hazard (not part of RISC 2.0) - Facilities must manually add this.	Add hazard to RISC 2.0 since it's a critical emergency response concept
22	Custom	Epidemic (Infectious Disease Outbreak)	An infectious disease that have pandemic potential. Examples: novel coronavirus, novel influenza, mpox, measles. This does not include high consequence infectious diseases (Ebola, etc.)	New custom hazard (not part of RISC 2.0) - Facilities must manually add this.	Add hazard to RISC 2.0 since it's a new TJC standard. Definition is clear to distinguish from high consequence infectious diseases (which would require different response).
23	External	External Radiation	A incident causing exposures to nuclear radiation, such as a Radiological Dispersal Device (RDD or “dirty bomb”).	Definition missing from RISC 2.0, or definition has been modified by LA County	N/A - added definition for greater clarity
24	External	Extreme Cold	A rapid fall in temperature within 24 hours and extreme low temperatures for an extended period.	Definition missing from RISC 2.0, or definition has been modified by LA County	N/A - added definition for greater clarity
25	External	Extreme Heat	A period of abnormally and uncomfortably hot and unusually humid weather typically lasting two or more days with temperatures outside the historical averages for a given area.	Definition missing from RISC 2.0, or definition has been modified by LA County	N/A - added definition for greater clarity
26	Internal	Fire Alarm Failure	When the normal process associated with the activation of a fire alarm system fails. Example: Fire Alarm cabling is cut to the fifth floor during unrelated repair work and requires the entire floor to go on Intermittent Life Safety Measures (ILSM) alarms as repairs are made.	No change to RISC 2.0 definition.	No change to RISC 2.0 definition
27	Internal	Fire, Internal	A fire event initiated at the facility level as a result of human error, technical failure, or a local weather event, typically indicated by smoke, flames, or an alarm. Example: anesthesia gases are sparked in the hospital operating room causing a flash fire burning several staff and the patient.	No change to RISC 2.0 definition.	No change to RISC 2.0 definition
28	External	Flash Flood	The rapid flooding of low-lying areas. Flash flooding is usually caused by intense rainfall and can flood an area in less than six hours.	Definition missing from RISC 2.0, or definition has been modified by LA County	N/A - added definition for greater clarity
29	Internal	Flood, Internal	When unexpected or undesired loss of control over facility water systems occurs, resulting in water spillage and cleanup beyond normal operations. Example: The sprinkler head in a lab is hit by a duct mop causing it to break. High flow water floods the lab floor requiring remediation for mold.	No change to RISC 2.0 definition.	No change to RISC 2.0 definition
30	Internal	Forensic Admission	A patient admitted or being treated in a medical facility who is under the custody of a law enforcement agency or Department of Corrections. Example: A prisoner from a state prison or county jail is transported to a medical facility for admission.	No change to RISC 2.0 definition.	No change to RISC 2.0 definition
31	External	Fuel Shortage	A situation in which facility fuel requirements are not met by the supply on hand or are not readily available. Example: Local fuel distribution is disrupted due to a local transportation workers’ strike.	No change to RISC 2.0 definition.	No change to RISC 2.0 definition
32	External	Gas/Emissions Leak	A situation in which there is a probable or verified release of gas or gas emissions. Example: A construction crew working on site inadvertently cuts through a gas distribution pipe.	No change to RISC 2.0 definition.	No change to RISC 2.0 definition
33	Internal	Generator Failure	When a generator does not start or run to expectations. Example: A generator misses several monthly routine maintenance inspections; local facility managers attempt to start it during a local power outage situation, but it fails to operate.	No change to RISC 2.0 definition.	No change to RISC 2.0 definition
34	External	Hail	A form of precipitation that occurs during thunderstorms when raindrops, in extremely cold areas of the atmosphere, freeze into balls of ice before falling towards the earth's surface.	Definition missing from RISC 2.0, or definition has been modified by LA County	N/A - added definition for greater clarity
35	External	HAZMAT Facility	A hazardous materials incident at a nearby facility.	Definition missing from RISC 2.0, or definition has been modified by LA County	N/A - added definition for greater clarity. NOTE: Workgroup would like ASPR to explain why these hazards are relevant (recommend possible removal from RISC).
36	External	HAZMAT Highway	A hazardous materials incident on a nearby highway.	Definition missing from RISC 2.0, or definition has been modified by LA County	N/A - added definition for greater clarity. NOTE: Workgroup would like ASPR to explain why these hazards are relevant (recommend possible removal from RISC).
37	External	HAZMAT Maritime	A hazardous materials incident at a nearby harbor, port, or waterway.	Definition missing from RISC 2.0, or definition has been modified by LA County	N/A - added definition for greater clarity. NOTE: Workgroup would like ASPR to explain why these hazards are relevant (recommend possible removal from RISC).
38	External	HAZMAT Pipeline	A hazardous materials incident at a nearby pipeline.	Definition missing from RISC 2.0, or definition has been modified by LA County	N/A - added definition for greater clarity. NOTE: Workgroup would like ASPR to explain why these hazards are relevant (recommend possible removal from RISC).
39	External	HAZMAT Railway	A hazardous materials incident at a nearby railway.	Definition missing from RISC 2.0, or definition has been modified by LA County	N/A - added definition for greater clarity. NOTE: Workgroup would like ASPR to explain why these hazards are relevant (recommend possible removal from RISC).
40	Internal	HAZMAT Theft	Illegally taking possession of a chemical or substance that is a hazardous material. Example: A person steals a chemotherapy drug vial from a hospital pharmacy, or appropriates red waste containers from formalin from the hazmat storage area	No change to RISC 2.0 definition.	No change to RISC 2.0 definition. NOTE: Workgroup would like ASPR to explain why these hazards are relevant (recommend possible removal from RISC).
41	Internal	Heliport Accident (Heliport Outage)	Facility helipad is non-operational. Examples: a disabled aircraft or helicopter accident to helipad are not working	Definition missing from RISC 2.0, or definition has been modified by LA County	Added definition to greater clarity, not always an accident. CHANGE TO HAZARD NAME ALSO RECOMMENDED.
42	Custom	High-Consequence Infectious Diseases or Special Pathogens	Emerging or re-emerging infectious diseases that have high mortality and transmitted easily from person-to-person, but lack effective medical countermeasures (vaccine or prophylaxis). These diseases also often require prompt identification to implement infection control activities and notification to public health authorities. Examples: viral hemorrhagic fevers like Ebola, or novel pathogens with these characteristics.	New custom hazard (not part of RISC 2.0) - Facilities must manually add this.	Add to RISC with definition as part of new TJC standard (for emerging infectious diseases)
43	Internal	Hostage Situation	An incident in which a person of group of people are being held illegally against their will either by the threat of violence of the use of restraints. Example: a behavioral health patient threatens to harm anyone who tried to leave a group room on a psychiatric unit. Or, a parents who does not have custody of a child takes the child into a locked room inside the facility and refuses to give the child up.	No change to RISC 2.0 definition.	No change to RISC 2.0 definition
44	External	Hurricane/Tropical Storm	A localized, very intense low-pressure wind system, forming over tropical oceans and with winds of hurricane force	No change to RISC 2.0 definition.	No change to RISC 2.0 definition
45	Internal	HVAC Failure	A situation in which the facility heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) system fails to operate properly. Example: A hospital is experiencing record breaking heat, causing the HVAC system to run at full capacity for several days. Eventually one of the coolers does down causing the temperature to rise 8 degrees above normal range. Lab equipment starts shutting down and patients must be moved out of the hospital until it is repaired.	No change to RISC 2.0 definition.	No change to RISC 2.0 definition
46	External	Ice Storm	A freezing rain (rain that freezes on surface contact) with significant ice accumulations of 0.25 inches or greater.	Definition missing from RISC 2.0, or definition has been modified by LA County	N/A - added definition for greater clarity
47	Internal	Infant/Child Abduction	An incident in which an infant, child, or person under the age of 18 is taken from a facility without the knowledge or consent of the legal parent or guardian.	No change to RISC 2.0 definition.	No change to RISC 2.0 definition
48	Internal	Information Systems Failure	A disruption or outage of critical information systems and services. Example: a router or switch failure that results in a network downtime.	Definition missing from RISC 2.0, or definition has been modified by LA County	Changed definition to distinguish from Cyber Attack
49	Internal	Information Theft	Stealing information stored on computers or servers.	No change to RISC 2.0 definition.	No change to RISC 2.0 definition
50	Internal	Labor Action	A legally allowable action or actions organized by multiple employees that disrupts operations to change a policy or practice or negotiate terms of employment. Example: A union strike or picketing.	No change to RISC 2.0 definition.	No change to RISC 2.0 definition
51	External	Landslide	The movement of a mass of rock, debris, or earth down a slope.	Definition missing from RISC 2.0, or definition has been modified by LA County	N/A - added definition for greater clarity
52	External	Lightning/Thunderstorm	Lightning is a visible electrical discharge or spark of electricity in the atmosphere between clouds, the air and/or the ground often produced by a thunderstorm.	Definition missing from RISC 2.0, or definition has been modified by LA County	N/A - added definition for greater clarity
53	Custom	Mass Casualty Incident - Non-HAZMAT	An incident that requires you to activate your mass casualty incident response plan (with no known hazmat contamination with decontamination needs). This is an acute patient surge/rapid influx (not a prolonged viral patient surge)	New custom hazard (not part of RISC 2.0) - Facilities must manually add this.	Add hazard to RISC 2.0 since it's a critical emergency response concept
54	Custom	Mass Casualty Incident - HAZMAT	An incident that requires you to activate your mass casualty decontamination team	New custom hazard (not part of RISC 2.0) - Facilities must manually add this.	Add hazard to RISC 2.0 since it's a critical emergency response concept
55	Internal	Medical Gas Failure	A situation in which medical gases are not readily available to support normal operations. Example: Due to a leak in the main oxygen line into a hospital facility, the hospital is required to use portable tanks.	No change to RISC 2.0 definition.	No change to RISC 2.0 definition
56	Internal	Medical Vacuum Failure	A situation in which the vacuum system no longer provides vacuum power at the level needed to support normal operations. Example: The pump on the medical vacuum fails to undergo monthly maintenance checks for several months and runs low on oil, causing the pump to seize and stop working.	No change to RISC 2.0 definition.	No change to RISC 2.0 definition
57	Internal	Natural Gas Failure	A situation in which the supply of natural gas to the facility is no longer at sufficient levels to meet normal operational needs. Example: A construction crew accidentally cuts the natural gas distribution line to a local hospital facility. The natural gas supply to the hospital is disrupted for 8 hours as repairs are made.	No change to RISC 2.0 definition.	No change to RISC 2.0 definition
58	Custom	Pandemic	An epidemic that has spread over several countries or continents, usually affecting a large number of people.	New custom hazard (not part of RISC 2.0) - Facilities must manually add this.	Add hazard to RISC 2.0 as this would trigger an emergency response
59	Custom	Patient Elopement	A patient or resident who leaves the premises or a safe area without authorization and/or necessary supervision.	New custom hazard (not part of RISC 2.0) - Facilities must manually add this.	Add hazard to RISC 2.0 as this would trigger an emergency response
60	Custom	Pneumatic Tube System Failure	Tube system outage(s) that significantly disrupt critical facility operations. Example: pharmacy unable to deliver medications to the intensive care unit.	New custom hazard (not part of RISC 2.0) - Facilities must manually add this.	Add hazard to RISC 2.0 since it's a potential utility failure
61	Internal	Property Crime	Property is stolen or destroyed, without the use or threat of force against the victim. Property crimes include burglary and theft as well as vandalism and arson.	Definition missing from RISC 2.0, or definition has been modified by LA County	N/A - added definition for greater clarity. Workgroup does recommend removal from RISC because it is an everyday occurrence that would not trigger an Emergency Operations Plan.
62	Internal	Radiological Exposure, Internal	An exposure to a radiant energy or particles in the air, typically due to the accidental release of radioactive material. Example: An accidental spill of radioactive seeds during a radiation implant procedure.	No change to RISC 2.0 definition.	No change to RISC 2.0 definition
63	Internal	Sewer Failure	A situation in which normal solid and/or wastewater removal systems are disrupted or are not operating normally. Example: A construction crew doing repair work on the facility premises accidentally breaks a sewer line, causing a temporary disruption in normal waster removal operations.	No change to RISC 2.0 definition.	No change to RISC 2.0 definition
64	External	Space Weather	Space weather events such as solar flares, solar energetic particles, and geomagnetic disturbances occur regularly and could have measurable effects on critical Earth-based infrastructure, such as the Global Positioning System (GPS), satellite operations, communications, aviation, and the electrical power grid. Space weather events of extreme intensity have the potential to disable large portions of the electrical power grid, resulting in cascading failures that would affect key services such as water supply, healthcare, and transportation.	Definition missing from RISC 2.0, or definition has been modified by LA County	N/A - added definition for greater clarity
65	Internal	Steam Failure	A situation in which the steam supply to the facility is no longer available to support normal levels of operation. Such a situation may be due to physical or mechanical causes and can be short-term or long-term. Example: The facility boiler is accidentally struck by a delivery cart, knocking a pipe loose and requiring the boiler to be shut down with a resultant two hour shutdown in steam availability. Or, due to the main water line breaking during a hard-extended freeze, steam is disrupted for four days.	No change to RISC 2.0 definition.	No change to RISC 2.0 definition
66	External	Storm Surge	An abnormal rise of water, generated by a storm, over and above normal tides. Storm surge occurs when water is pushed toward the shore by the force of the storm’s winds.	Definition missing from RISC 2.0, or definition has been modified by LA County	N/A - added definition for greater clarity
67	External	Subsidence	Land subsidence is a gradual settling or sudden sinking (such as a sinkhole) of the Earth's surface due to removal or displacement of subsurface earth materials.	Definition missing from RISC 2.0, or definition has been modified by LA County	N/A - added definition for greater clarity
68	Custom	Suicide	The death of a patient, visitor, or staff caused by self-injury with the intent to die that occurs in a location that significantly disrupts facility operations.	New custom hazard (not part of RISC 2.0) - Facilities must manually add this.	Add hazard to RISC 2.0 with a specific definition that would trigger an EOP.
69	External	Supply Shortage	Any disruption in the flow of supplies, equipment, or services required to support normal operation at the facility.	Definition missing from RISC 2.0, or definition has been modified by LA County	N/A - added definition for greater clarity
70	Internal	Suspicious Package/Substance	An object whose origin and/or contents are unknown and are to be treated as it if MAY pose a risk to life or property until it is investigated and declared safe. Example: An unattended backpack in a common area.	No change to RISC 2.0 definition.	No change to RISC 2.0 definition
71	External	Terrorism	The use of force or violence against persons or property for purposes of intimidation, coercion, or ransom.	Definition missing from RISC 2.0, or definition has been modified by LA County	N/A - added definition for greater clarity
72	External	Tornado	A narrow, violently rotating column of air that extends from the base of a thunderstorm to the ground and is visible only if it forms a condensation funnel made up of water droplets, dust, and debris.	Definition missing from RISC 2.0, or definition has been modified by LA County	N/A - added definition for greater clarity
73	External	Tsunami	A long high sea wave caused by an earthquake, submarine landslide, or other disturbance	No change to RISC 2.0 definition.	No change to RISC 2.0 definition
74	Internal	Violent Crime	A victim is harmed by or threatened with violence. Violent crimes include rape and sexual assault, robbery, assault and murder.	No change to RISC 2.0 definition.	No change to RISC 2.0 definition
75	Internal	Violent Patient	An admitted patient who, due to their medical, mental or emotional states, is legitimately threatening to or actively physically assaulting (hitting, spitting, kicking, biting, etc..) another person or persons including other patients, visitors, or staff.	No change to RISC 2.0 definition.	No change to RISC 2.0 definition. Workgroup does recommend removal from RISC because it is an everyday occurrence and would not trigger the Emergency Operations Plan)
76	Internal	VIP Situation	The admission or visit (scheduled or unscheduled) of an individual whose presence in the hospital can attract and audience, prompt media attention, or create a heightened security risk. In some cases, these situations require pre-planning and coordination with outside agencies. Example: Government officially protected by the Secret Service, celebrities, community leaders, etc.	No change to RISC 2.0 definition.	No change to RISC 2.0 definition
77	External	Volcano	Volcanic activity resulting in earthquakes, release of toxic gases, landslides, and lahars.	Definition missing from RISC 2.0, or definition has been modified by LA County	N/A - added definition for greater clarity
78	Internal	Water Contamination	A situation in which the facility’s water supply is found to be affected by known or suspected contaminant. Example: The local water supply to the facility is found to be contaminated by Xylene and Toluene.	No change to RISC 2.0 definition.	No change to RISC 2.0 definition
79	Internal	Water Failure	A situation in which the supply of water to the facility is insufficient to meet normal operational needs. Example: An on-site construction crew accidentally cuts through the main water line to the facility, causing loss of water to the facility.	No change to RISC 2.0 definition.	No change to RISC 2.0 definition
80	External	Wildfire	An unplanned fire burning in natural or wildland areas such as forests, shrub lands, grasslands, or prairies.	Definition missing from RISC 2.0, or definition has been modified by LA County	N/A - added definition for greater clarity
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