Hazards vs Risks
“Hazards” and “Risks” are words commonly used and heard in the workplace. While some people think these two mean the same thing, they are actually different.
WHAT IS A HAZARD?
Hazard is any source of potential harm or damage to humans, to property, to the environment or a combination of these. Hazard can be a thing, a condition, or a behavior. Generally, it is anything that can cause harm. Sometimes the effect is referred to as a hazard instead of the actual source of the consequence. For example, the COVID-19 might be called a hazard by some, but in general, the Corona Virus is considered a hazard or hazardous biological agent.
Here are some examples to help you identify hazards:
| Examples of Hazards | Harm Caused |
| Knife | Cut |
| Wet floor | Slips |
| Electricity | Shock, electrocution |
| CoronaVirus | CoronaVirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) |
| Transfer of hydrocarbons with pump | Release of hydrocarbon to the environment |
| Storing of LPG | Cold burns |
| Working at height | Falls |
WHAT IS A RISK?
Risk is the possibility of something bad happening if exposed to a hazard. It refers to the chance that the person will be harmed or injured, the environment will be affected or the property will be damaged if exposed to the hazard. Risks are expressed in probability or likelihood of developing a consequence like a disease and an injury. To understand further, here are some examples of risks based on the hazards in the previous table.
| Examples of Hazards | Risks | Harm Caused |
| Knife | Knife left uncovered every meal preparation | Cut |
| Wet floor | Wet floor without signages every morning | Slips |
| Electricity | Exposed wires during monthly maintenance | Shock, electrocution |
| CoronaVirus | Exposure to the virus when going to public places | CoronaVirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) |
| Transfer of hydrocarbons with pump | Pump leak during transfer of hydrocarbons once per week | Environmental damage |
| Storing of LPG | Release of 5 gallons of LPG once a year | Cold burns |
| Working at height | Working at a 3-layer scaffold every start-up | Falls |
Several factors influence the degree or likelihood of risk. These include the nature of exposure (e.g. every day), how the exposure happens (e.g. skin contact), and the severity of the effect (e.g. skin cancer vs skin irritation).
Oftentimes, hazards and risks are used interchangeably. To make it simpler, look at the illustration below.
The illustration above shows that the wet floor is the agent that can potentially cause harm. The wet floor can not harm anyone if an action will not happen, like an engineer running across the floor. Once an action is done, the word “risk” applies. The presence of a wet floor and the running engineer is now a risk. The risk can be influenced by how fast the engineer is or how wet the floor is.
It is also important to determine the hazard and the potential harm it can cause to eliminate risk. However, the hazard may remain even if the risk is minimized. These can be further understood through Hazard Identification and Risk Assessment and Control which aims to determine hazards, level of risk, and how to control the effect.