Which statement best distinguishes hazard from risk?

Which statement best distinguishes hazard from risk?

• A. Hazard is the immediate cause of harm; risk is the exposure level at the moment of incident.
• B. Hazard is a potential source of harm; risk is the likelihood and severity of harm from the hazard.
• C. Hazard and risk are interchangeable terms.
• D. Hazard is the probability of harm; risk is the consequence.

Answer: (B)

Hazard is a potential source of harm, while risk describes how likely that harm is to occur and how severe it would be if it did, given the context and controls in place. This distinction matters because a hazard isn’t an event yet—it’s something that could cause harm. Risk, on the other hand, is about the chance and the impact of that harm happening in a specific situation. So the statement that best captures this is that a hazard is a potential source of harm and risk is the likelihood and severity of harm from that hazard. For example, an exposed electrical wire is a hazard. The risk depends on factors like whether the area is secured, whether insulation is intact, and whether people are exposed to it. If someone could touch it, the risk is higher; if it’s isolated behind a cover with proper safety measures, the risk is lower. The other descriptions mix up what constitutes a hazard or risk, or overlook how risk blends both probability and consequence.

Hazard is a potential source of harm, while risk describes how likely that harm is to occur and how severe it would be if it did, given the context and controls in place. This distinction matters because a hazard isn’t an event yet—it’s something that could cause harm. Risk, on the other hand, is about the chance and the impact of that harm happening in a specific situation. So the statement that best captures this is that a hazard is a potential source of harm and risk is the likelihood and severity of harm from that hazard.

For example, an exposed electrical wire is a hazard. The risk depends on factors like whether the area is secured, whether insulation is intact, and whether people are exposed to it. If someone could touch it, the risk is higher; if it’s isolated behind a cover with proper safety measures, the risk is lower. The other descriptions mix up what constitutes a hazard or risk, or overlook how risk blends both probability and consequence.