Definition of a Hazard
A hazard is a property or characteristic of something, such as a work environment, material, machine, or climatic condition, that increases the likelihood of a problematic situation occurring. Hazards are active properties capable of causing negative outcomes. Similar to threats, hazards serve as sources of risk. They can be physical, chemical, biological, or psychological.
- hazard is anything that can cause harm
Examples of Hazards
Dangerous Natural Conditions
- Floodplains
- Areas prone to hurricanes and storms
Unsafe Workplace and Working Conditions
- Working at heights
- Handling combustibles
- Working with hazardous chemicals
- Exposure to extreme temperatures (high or low)
- Operating moving machinery
- Exposure to radiation
Technical Failures
- Malfunctioning equipment
- Poorly designed technology
Hazardous Materials and Technology
- Chemical substances (including biological hazards)
- Inadequately designed technology
Unsafe Human Behavior (Man-Made Hazards)
- Locations with high crime rates
- Targeted cyber attacks
- Physical attacks and sabotage
Hazard vs Threat
Sometimes threats and hazards can be used interchangeably, professionals distinguish between threats and hazards.
- Hazard is of a more permanent nature, it is some condition or characteristic (for example, working at height means danger and increases the risk of injury)
- A threat is a more specific event or phenomenon
Why and why is it important to know the hazards
- Hazard is a Source of Risk: Hazards serve as the foundation for risk. Identifying hazards is crucial for effective risk management.
- When an asset remains permanently exposed to a hazard, the likelihood of an incident occurring significantly rises.
- Identifying hazards in advance allows organizations to prepare for potentially dangerous situations and minimize their impact.
- Hazard assessment is an integral part of comprehensive risk analysis.
How Aptien help manage hazards and danger
- List of possible hazards a dangers is part of the risk management system, you keep an overview of them together with the threats in the threat catalog.
- Hazards are a source of risk together with threats, so you hazard assessment is part of risk analysis
