1. Risk Notes

2. Risk and Risk Assessment
Risk – the possibility of suffering harm from a hazard that can cause
injury, disease, economic loss, or environmental damage.
Risk assessment
1. Identify a real or potential hazard.
2. Determine the probability of its occurrence.
3. Assess the severity of its health, environmental, economic and social
impact.

3. Risk Management Risk management
1. How serious is it compared to other risks? (comparative risk
analysis)
2. Should the risk be reduced?
3. If the risk should be reduced, what actions need to be taken in order for
this to be done?
4. How much money should be devoted to reducing the risk to an
acceptable level

4. Risk Analysis Risk analysis
1. identify the hazards and their associated risks.
2. Ranking risks
3. Determining options and making decisions about reducing or
eliminating the risk.
4. Informing decision makers and the public about the risks.

5. Major Types of Hazards
Cultural hazards – smoking, unsafe work conditions, poor diet, drugs,
drinking, driving, criminal assault, unsafe sex, and
poverty.
Chemical hazards – chemicals in the air, water, soil, and food. DDT, PCBs, dioxins,
organophosphates pesticides, fermaldehyde, heavy metals,
taluene, and xylene.
Physical hazards – radiation, fire, earthquakes, floods, volcanic eruptions, tornadoes and
hurricanes.
Biological hazards – pathogens, allergens, animals and plants.