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If you Google for the definition of “Risk Assessment” you will find different but similar phrases (search for “define: risk assessment”).
Such as:
- The process used to determine risk management priorities by evaluating and comparing the level of risk against predetermined standards, target risk levels or other criteria or;
- A risk assessment is the identification of danger and estimation of the probability of an occurrence or;
- A process which estimates the likelihood that exposed people may have health effects or;
- The process of identifying hazards and assessing the risks of harm and loss threatened by that hazard. Risk Assessment also usually includes the evaluation of the consequences of a materialized risk and implements risk reduction control measures (etc.)
Risk assessment is however everything but a phrase, at least it can not be explained by a definition. Therefore these basic principles will introduce the elements which should be incorporated in any risk assessment in the field of (consumer) product safety.
1 The assessment should have clear objective(s) reflecting the informational needs of decision makers and determined in an iterative dialogue between the assessor(s) and the decision maker(s).
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2 The scope and content should be based on the objectives of the assessment and best professional judgement, considering the benefits and costs of acquiring additional information before undertaking the assessment.
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3 The type of risk assessment shall be responsive to the nature of the potential hazard, the available data, and the decision needs.
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4 The level of effort put into the risk assessment shall be commensurate with the importance of the decisions to be made.
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5 The assessment shall be objective, systematic, structured and –as far as practically possible – evidence based
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6 The risk shall be characterised qualitatively and, whenever possible, quantitatively.
7 Risk Assessment should explicitly describe its own uncertainty and the causes of the uncertainty
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8 Risk Assessment should be multidisciplinary and therefore transparent and understood by all involved and / or interested parties through their inclusion and involvement in the process.
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9 Appropriate procedures for peer review and public participation should be used in the process of preparing the risk assessment.
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These procedures will contribute to scientific objectivity, transparency and acceptance of the conclusions.
Peer review may include: issuing a draft risk assessment report;, considering comments received on this draft; issuing a "response-to-comment" document that summarizes the significant comments received and the risk assessor’s responses to those comments; and providing a rationale for why the risk assessor has not adopted the position suggested by commenters.
Involvement also ensures that their views are properly represented and are taken into account. It is particularly important that any risk criteria used adequately reflect the perceptions and views of the relevant interested parties because risk evaluation must determine what level of risk is tolerable to them and where and when further treatment is required. Of course, during risk identification the involvement of a representative group with a large and diverse experience base always ensures the most comprehensive of analyses. Finally, those held accountable for the monitoring of control measure benefit greatly from involvement in the risk assessment that lead to those controls.
10 Risk Assessment should be dynamic, iterative and responsive to change.
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