Environmental Project, 907 – LCA and the working environment

LCA and the Working Environment

9 The database

The database that was developed using the sector assessment procedure can be found on the following pages.

As described in the present report, most information in the database has been established by using Danish Statistics concerning reporting of work-related diseases and accidents, respectively the Danish goods statistics. The information that has been derived in this way has a 6-digit DB93-code attached in the second column. DB93 is a Danish nomenclature for sectors, the main principle being a classification of economic activities. The first four digits are identical to those used in the analogous EU Classification system, NACE Rev. 1. The last two digits are Danish sub-divisions, giving an increased level of detail. These two digits may differ from Denmark to other countries.

For a few of the processes in the database, company-specific information has been used. These are characterised in the database by not having a DB93-code attached. The representativity of this information is not known, and the results of life cycle assessments where these processes play a significant role should be interpreted with great caution.

For the database on transportation impacts, it is suggested that the figures in bold are used in the calculations. These figures represent the aggregated impacts from the different transportation modes, e.g. transportation by truck is an aggregation of handling of goods at terminals and the truck transportation itself. In the same way, transport by ship is an aggregation of impacts when handling the goods in land-based terminals and impacts on-board traders.

In total, the database comprises more than 80 unit processes. The information in the present report can not at the moment be found in a computer programme, neither the EDIP PC-tool nor any other commercial programme. It should, however, be a very straightforward procedure to integrate the information in commercial LCA-programs as the data format is comparable to that for other impact categories.

Until the information has been integrated in a computer programme it is suggested that LCA-practitioners create a spreadsheet, where a parallel examination of working environmental impacts throughout the life cycle can be performed. It is judged that a parallel assessment can be performed in a few days when some experience has been achieved. The level of detail – or rather the possibilities for analysing the results - is not so good in a spreadsheet as in a specially designed LCA-programme. Therefore, a skilled spreadsheet manager may be a valuable member of the LCA-team.

Click here to see tables.

9.1 Explantory notes

Note 1: Calculated for 1995-1997 on the basis of information in "Denmarks oil and gas production 1997". Energistyrelsen, 1998.

Note 2: This is a total number of accidents and diseases for both raw materials production (oil, gas and coal), and for the production and distribution of electricity. The number of diseases is underestimated because no diseases are reported for coal production.

Note 3: Calculated by using figures for Swedish steel production (average 1994 to 1996). Only data for accidents have been integrated.

Note 4: Calculated by use of information from WMC (1996 or an average of 1996-1997). WWW-address:http://www.wmc.com.au/

Note 5: The basic chemicals are made in the sectors 241300 "Manufacturing of other inorganic chemicals" and 241400 "Manufacturing of other organic chemicals".

Note 6: Notice the difference in level of detail in the DB93/NACE-codes (3-, 4-, 5-digit level). It is recommended that the highest level of detail is used.

Note 7: The goods statistics cannot be used for this sector because of differences in the collected information.

Note 8: Average figures for national and international transport with Danish carriers, because the accidents are reported for both national and international haulage.

Note 9: Notice, that in transport by ship accidents and diseases are reported per ton and not per ton-kilometer. The numbers also includes impacts from passenger transportation as most ships carry goods one way or the other. The amount of goods transported include transportation on Danish as well as foreign ships and the figures are therefore underestimated, because only the impacts on Danish ships are used in the calculations.

Note 10: For 1996 no diseases are reported. The average is therefore calculated for two years.