Chapter Seven - Applied Risk Assessment, Hazard Assessment, and Risk Management

Abstract

Applied risk assessment is a broad category, which covers the translation of exposure and toxicological data into risk assessments and applies this information into prevention and management or regulatory action. The term risk assessment usually implies consideration of quantitative information about dose–response relationships. When there is only qualitative or semiquantitative information about dose–response, the term hazard assessment is sometimes used. Risk and hazard assessment include a number of subcategories important for public health, discussed in this chapter. Among these are various types of risks, including critical and noncritical effects, threshold and nonthreshold effects, and severity of effects such as lethal versus nonlethal effects. In addition, the issue of sensitive subpopulations at special risk for adverse health outcomes is discussed in relation to appropriate risk assessment approaches. The central importance of high-quality exposure assessments in the development of dose–response relationship calculations is considered in the development of credible risk management regulations and practices in addressing the perceived risks. One section gives a summary of hazard assessment according to the Registration, Evaluation, Authorization and Restriction of Chemicals and the management in terms of classifying chemical substances in relation to concern from identified hazard. The value of effective risk communication to the populations impacted by any risk-based intervention is considered in relation to ethical issues and prevention of adverse effects in exposed populations.