Hazard, Definition According to Legislative Decree 81/2008
Legislative Decree 81/08 defines a hazard as “the intrinsic potential of an activity or situation to cause harm in terms of injuries to individuals, damage to health, property, the work environment, or a combination of these.”
Definition of Hazard in Legislative Decree 81/08
Article 2, letter r, of Decree 81/08 describes a hazard as “the intrinsic property or quality of a specific factor with the potential to cause harm.” The concept of hazard thus refers to the potential capacity to cause harm to people and does not involve quantifying it.
Exposure to a hazard can lead to harm for any worker in the workplace.
According to the law, the responsibility for managing hazardous work rests primarily with the employer and only secondarily with employees. For example, the employer is required to provide appropriate information to institutional bodies regarding the use of specific agents that could harm workers’ health within the company.
Definition of Risk in Legislative Decree 81/08
Article 2, letter s, of the same decree defines risk as “the probability of achieving the potential level of harm under conditions of use or exposure to a specific factor or agent or their combination.” This term has a probabilistic connotation, as it expresses the likelihood of an event capable of causing harm to individuals.
Where there is risk, there is also a source of hazard and individuals exposed to it.
The goal of every safety manager in a workplace should be to minimize risk as much as possible, as completely eliminating the probability associated with it is often an unrealistic target.
Risk Assessment
When assessing risk, it is important to note that risk arises from the combination of two aspects, expressed through a mathematical formula: hazard × magnitude.
- Hazard: Indicates the likelihood of an event occurring.
- Magnitude: Represents the severity of the consequences associated with the damage.
It is crucial to emphasize that the probability of an incident alone is not enough to characterize risk; the potential severity of the associated harm must also be considered.
Key Distinction Between Hazard and Risk
Understanding the difference between hazard and risk is essential for properly assessing and managing safety in any workplace. This distinction allows for more targeted and effective interventions, ensuring improved safety outcomes.
