What is the difference between a hazard and a risk in workplace safety?

• A. A hazard is a source of potential harm; a risk is the likelihood and severity of harm occurring from the hazard
• B. A risk is a source of potential harm; a hazard is the likelihood of harm
• C. A hazard is a control; a risk is the energy source
• D. A risk is a type of equipment

Answer: (A)

The key idea here is distinguishing what can cause harm from how likely that harm is to occur and how serious it would be. A hazard is anything with the potential to cause harm—a chemical, a slippery floor, exposed wires, loud noise, or a hot surface. Risk, on the other hand, is about how likely it is that harm will occur from that hazard and how severe that harm could be, considering factors like exposure, duration, people affected, and what controls are in place.

So the best description is that a hazard is a source of potential harm, while risk is the combination of likelihood and severity of harm from that hazard. For example, a wet floor is a hazard; the risk depends on how often people walk there, whether signs or mats are present, and how bad an injury would be if someone slips. Other statements that treat the hazard as a control or as an energy source, or that misdefine risk, mix up the concepts and don’t capture the real relationship between hazard and risk.