What does risk refer to?

Risk is fundamentally understood as the likelihood of being impacted by a hazard. It involves assessing both the probability of an adverse event happening due to a hazard and the potential consequences that may arise from that event. When we talk about risk in a workplace context, especially in environments like rope access work, it emphasizes the importance of identifying hazards and evaluating how likely it is that these hazards could cause harm.

Considering this definition, the choice highlights the notion of risk assessment, which is crucial in creating safety measures and procedures that aim to mitigate potential accidents. It is not merely about recognizing the presence of hazards but evaluating how these hazards could affect individuals in practical scenarios.

While the potential for equipment failure, the severity of injury, and the duration of exposure to a hazard are all important factors in workplace safety, they represent components or consequences related to risk rather than defining what risk itself is. Therefore, focusing on the likelihood of being affected by a hazard provides a more accurate understanding of risk in the realm of safety management.