Hazard Assessment Matrix; Results of a Delphi Study

Abstract

Background: Identification of hazards is one of the most important parts of industries’ strategies. This can be done using a hazard matrix as an applicable tool which can also rank hazards properly. Methods: In this study, the Delphi method was used to select best alternatives for a hazard matrix. All possible items were gathered and passed Delphi rounds, in which mean, median and standard deviation were used to evaluate decisions. Moreover, Kendall’s coefficient of concordance was used to reach consensus between panel members. Results: The panel members found 42 items in five categories, of which 29 items benefited a mean and median more than 5. Moreover, Kendall’s coefficient of concordance reached 0.66, which indicated a statistically meaningful agreement for the number of experts. Conclusion: This study introduced a hazard matrix, in which different consequences were accounted based on a well-known decision making method. The matrix is developed for hospital application with respect to panel members’ knowledge and can be used suitably in this field of industry.