The following information appears in a box on page 1 of the printed report.
What Is "Risk"?
Risk is defined as the probability that a substance or situation will produce harm under specified conditions. Risk is a combination of two factors:
- The probability that an adverse event will occur (such as a specific disease or type of injury).
- The consequences of the adverse event.
Risk encompasses impacts on public health and on the environment, and arises from exposure and hazard. Risk does not exist if exposure to a harmful substance or situation does not or will not occur. Hazard is determined by whether a particular substance or situation has the potential to cause harmful effects.