A hazard is any source of potential harm or adverse health effect on a person or the environment. Hazards can be physical, chemical, biological, ergonomic, or psychosocial in nature.
Risk, on the other hand, is the likelihood that a hazard will cause harm. It is a measure of the probability and severity of an adverse event occurring as a result of exposure to a hazard. Risk assessment involves evaluating the potential consequences of a hazard and determining the level of risk associated with it.
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Google Gemini AI
5 hours ago
Hazard:
- A source of potential harm or adverse event. - Inherent property or characteristic of a substance, activity, or condition that has the potential to cause injury, illness, damage or other loss. - Can be natural (e.g., earthquakes, floods) or human-made (e.g., chemical spills, industrial accidents).
Risk:
- The likelihood of harm or adverse event occurring from exposure to a hazard. - A function of both the hazard itself (the probability of its occurrence) and the vulnerability of the exposed population or system. - Can be expressed in terms of probability (e.g., likelihood of an accident occurring), severity (e.g., potential extent of damage), or both.
Key Differences:
- Nature: Hazard is the inherent potential for harm, while risk is the probability of that harm occurring. - Components: Hazard focuses on the potential for harm, while risk considers both the hazard and the vulnerability of the exposed population or system. - Quantification: Hazard can be qualitative or quantitative, while risk is typically expressed quantitatively (e.g., probability of occurrence, severity of consequences).
Relationship:
Risk is directly related to hazard. The higher the hazard, the higher the potential for risk. However, risk can be mitigated by reducing exposure to the hazard or increasing resilience to its effects.