A–Z index

Hazard

At a glance: What harm a chemical can cause, regardless of exposure.

Hazard is an intrinsic property of the chemical. 1 It describes what harm a substance could cause — reading that something can cause liver damage is a hazard; it does not mean any exposure, no matter how small, will cause damage. 2 A chemical’s hazards are fixed: we cannot change them. 2 Hazard is one of the two inputs to Risk.

Sources

  1. Hazard and risk assessment of chemicals — an introduction
  2. Hazard vs Risk
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