Document ID: chunk:federal_register_of_legislation:F2013C00288:reg:9:p1
Version: federal_register_of_legislation:F2013C00288
Segment Type: reg
Provision Reference: reg 9 (pt 1/4)
Character Range: 1112044–1115186

9                   Appendix 1: Structure of a risk assessment report

9.1              Introduction
Health risk assessment reports should be clear and transparent in their development; stating the objective of the assessment, setting the scene (CSM summary), and clearly identifying the data sources and assumptions that the assessment has been based upon. A clear visual image of the site, contaminant source locations, potential exposed populations and exposure pathways present at the site should be conveyed, for example, site plans and schematic CSM diagrams. The risk assessment report should provide a systematic approach for characterising the nature and magnitude of the risks associated with environmental health hazards with justification for decisions made throughout the report provided at each stage.

9.2              General
The objectives of this section are to:
    * provide guidance to consultants on how to report Tier 2 quantitative health risk assessments
    * provide guidance to regulatory agencies/recipients reviewing risk assessment reports on what information to expect and the level of detail required based on individual situations.
Regulatory bodies should seek further information from consultants where reports:
    * are not clear and transparent
    * do not present a logical framework for the decisions and assumptions made in conducting the assessment.

9.3              Key principles

9.3.1          Overview
Quantitative health risk assessments should follow the guidance provided in Schedules B4 and B7 and should be divided into the five key steps listed below to ensure logical reporting of the assessment:
    1. issues identification
    2. data collection and evaluation (development of a CSM)
    3. exposure assessment
    4. toxicity assessment
    5. risk characterisation (and development of site-specific target levels, if required).

The level of detail required in a risk assessment report should be appropriate to the complexity of the site and individual scenario requiring assessment. In order to make this judgment, the risk assessor and reviewer should consider:
    * whether the objectives of the risk assessment have been clearly defined
    * whether the CSM fully represents the site conditions and complexity
    * whether the information obtained from the site assessment is robust and sufficiently characterises the current contamination status of the site, including contaminant source areas (refer to Schedule B2 for details on how to conduct an effective site assessment)
    * whether the available data has been appropriately interpreted and full justification provided as to how the data has been used within the assessment — Schedule B2 also provides information on data assessment
    * whether the exposure scenarios and settings selected adequately represent the relevant land uses and potentially exposed populations.
Interpretation of site data and selection of input data used in the risk modelling is paramount to the outcome of the risk assessment and requires professional judgement. In the selection of appropriate representative input data, the assessor