138
Risk assessment processes have usually four main stages: (1) hazard agent identification (e.g. does a hazard agent i.e., chemical of concern, cause an adverse health
effect, what is the lethal dose or LD50 of the agent, what is the specific form of
toxicity e.g. neurotoxicity, carcinogenicity), (2) exposure assessment (e.g. hazard
agent distribution, routes of exposure, number affected people, what is the intensity,
frequency, and duration of exposure, etc.), (3) dose-response assessment (e.g. how
is the identified adverse health effect influenced by the level of exposure or dose)
and (4) risk characterization (i.e., estimation of the probability of an adverse health
effect in a given population based on integrating the information gathered during the
hazard identification, exposure assessment, and dose-response assessment stages).
Based on the risk assessment, the public health risks can be estimated and the significance of the risk can be defined. Importantly, the underlying assumptions, uncertainties, and scientific judgements must be documented and communicated along
with the outcome of the risk assessment analysis.
An important risk analysis activity is the risk communication, which should be
an interactive process of exchanging information and opinions among individuals,
groups and institutions, related to the nature of risk. Furthermore, other related
information, not strictly about risk, expressing concerns, opinions, or reactions to
risk or to legal and institutional actions for risk management must be included in the
process of risk communication [31]. Finally, the risk management activity provides
the framework for selecting the most appropriate regulatory actions based on the
results of risk assessment and social, economic, and political concerns gathered during the risk communication activities.
Two strategies may be followed in a risk management process: a risk-based
approach (i.e., define an acceptable level of risk and implement any action required
to reduce the risk to the respective level) or a risk-informed approach (i.e., define an
acceptable level of risk and assess whether or not the risk can be reduced to that
level given economic, political, and social considerations). In both approaches,
should a satisfactory solution not be identified, a revision and re-definition of the
acceptable level of risk should be performed before repeating the risk management
processes.
Finally, the risk analysis provides a systematic approach for understanding and
designing strategies to reduce a risk. Whereas it considers objective factors (i.e.,
technical and scientific assessments, evidence based information), risk analysis also
includes subjective information (i.e., human wants, societal values, population
dichotomies like rich and poor), most of which is hard to quantitate. As result, while
accommodating for uncertainty and with the aim of protecting human populations,
risk assessments and analyses may tend to be conservative and overestimate risks.
D. C. Schmid
Risk assessment processes have usually four main stages: (1) hazard agent identification (e.g. does a hazard agent i.e., chemical of concern, cause an adverse health
effect, what is the lethal dose or LD50 of the agent, what is the specific form of
toxicity e.g. neurotoxicity, carcinogenicity), (2) exposure assessment (e.g. hazard
agent distribution, routes of exposure, number affected people, what is the intensity,
frequency, and duration of exposure, etc.), (3) dose-response assessment (e.g. how
is the identified adverse health effect influenced by the level of exposure or dose)
and (4) risk characterization (i.e., estimation of the probability of an adverse health
effect in a given population based on integrating the information gathered during the
hazard identification, exposure assessment, and dose-response assessment stages).
Based on the risk assessment, the public health risks can be estimated and the significance of the risk can be defined. Importantly, the underlying assumptions, uncertainties, and scientific judgements must be documented and communicated along
with the outcome of the risk assessment analysis.
An important risk analysis activity is the risk communication, which should be
an interactive process of exchanging information and opinions among individuals,
groups and institutions, related to the nature of risk. Furthermore, other related
information, not strictly about risk, expressing concerns, opinions, or reactions to
risk or to legal and institutional actions for risk management must be included in the
process of risk communication [31]. Finally, the risk management activity provides
the framework for selecting the most appropriate regulatory actions based on the
results of risk assessment and social, economic, and political concerns gathered during the risk communication activities.
Two strategies may be followed in a risk management process: a risk-based
approach (i.e., define an acceptable level of risk and implement any action required
to reduce the risk to the respective level) or a risk-informed approach (i.e., define an
acceptable level of risk and assess whether or not the risk can be reduced to that
level given economic, political, and social considerations). In both approaches,
should a satisfactory solution not be identified, a revision and re-definition of the
acceptable level of risk should be performed before repeating the risk management
processes.
Finally, the risk analysis provides a systematic approach for understanding and
designing strategies to reduce a risk. Whereas it considers objective factors (i.e.,
technical and scientific assessments, evidence based information), risk analysis also
includes subjective information (i.e., human wants, societal values, population
dichotomies like rich and poor), most of which is hard to quantitate. As result, while
accommodating for uncertainty and with the aim of protecting human populations,
risk assessments and analyses may tend to be conservative and overestimate risks.
D. C. Schmid