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Research draft

hazard

vr.tr.hazard · XCT.STA

Let an agent identify hazards by type, source and exposure, and keep hazard and risk apart, so that assessments and warnings are sound.

Thing Registry Cross-cutting context

Research draft, second pass

A second pass drafted this model: the structure a model of this thing needs, and what is known about it in the world. The line under this one says how the second half was obtained - researched against sources, or recalled without web access, in which case nothing here was read anywhere and every claim is a lead to verify. Unreviewed either way.

written by Claude from model knowledge without web access - no source was read, every claim is a lead to verify

Researched by: Claude

Purpose and description

Let an agent identify hazards by type, source and exposure, and keep hazard and risk apart, so that assessments and warnings are sound.

A source or situation with the potential to cause harm to people, property or the environment, as distinct from risk, which combines the likelihood and severity of that harm.

What it is for: Finding what could cause harm so that it can be controlled.

It can be identify it, in a hazard assessment; assess the risk it poses; control it, by elimination, substitution, engineering, administration or protective equipment; warn about it, with signs and labels.

Distinguishing features

Potential for harm, not the probability of harm

Risk depends on exposure; a hazard with no exposure carries little risk

Natural and human-made hazards

Handled through a hierarchy of controls

What it looks like

Varies: a chemical, a slope, a machine, a fault line, a minefield; many hazards are invisible.

How it is recognised

Warning signs and hazard pictograms

Hazard maps for natural hazards such as seismic zones

Absence of a sign does not mean absence of a hazard

Related models

is confused with - risk combines likelihood and severity

risk

is controlled by - standard approach

hierarchy of controls

is communicated by - warnings

safety sign and label

has kind - hazards in systems

failure mode

In practice

Families and kinds

physical, chemical, biological, ergonomic, psychosocial hazards

natural hazards: seismic, flood, volcanic, storm

anthropogenic hazards: industrial, explosive remnants such as minefields

travel and diving hazards

Standards and regulation

ISO 31000 risk management and ISO 45001 occupational safety

UN GHS for chemical hazards

Sendai Framework for disaster risk reduction

ISO 7010 safety signs

Failure modes and hazards

Confusing hazard with risk, leading to wrong priorities

Missing invisible hazards

Relying on protective equipment instead of eliminating the hazard

Also called

minefieldCognitohazardanthropogenic hazardtravel hazarddiving hazardshealth riskseismic hazardbiological hazardnatural riskhealth and safety hazards of nanomaterialsnuclear hazardreproductive toxicitychoking hazardoccupational hazardphysical hazardabrin exposureflood wavevolcano riskgeological hazardcoastal hazardsgeohazardVolcanic hazardsovervoltageAI alignmentHealth impact of fullerenesoccupational reproductive hazardregional environmental stressoroccupational hazard of grain facilitiesoccupational exposureeye damage from thermal radiationeye damage from thermal radiation and dusthand arm vibrationselectrical hazardtransient overvoltageSubcycle overvoltageOuter alignmentgrain dust exposurephotosensitivitycadmium dust exposurecoal dust exposure

+697

Where this came from

wikidata · CC0 1.0

Also registered as vr.tr.hazard

Drafted structure

Bundle to layer to finding to question, as the second pass will find it: 4 bundles · 8 layers · 8 findings · 16 questions.

Identification What could cause harm.

Controls start with finding the hazard.

Type

Physical, chemical, biological.

Hazard type

The hazard type.

  1. What type of hazard is this? definition
  2. What is its source? definition

Evidence

How it was identified.

Identification method

The identification method.

  1. How was the hazard identified? provenance
  2. What could have been missed? boundary
Risk Likelihood and severity.

Risk decides priority.

Exposure

Who and how often.

Exposure

Who is exposed and how.

  1. Who is exposed, how often and for how long? measurement
  2. Which groups are most vulnerable? boundary

Risk rating

Likelihood and severity.

Risk estimate

The risk rating.

  1. How likely and how severe is harm? measurement
  2. Which method produced the rating? provenance
Control Reducing the risk.

The hierarchy of controls orders measures by effectiveness.

Control measures

Hierarchy of controls.

Controls

Measures in place.

  1. Which controls are in place, from elimination to PPE? action
  2. Could the hazard be eliminated? action

Residual risk

What remains.

Residual risk

Risk after controls.

  1. What risk remains after controls? measurement
  2. Is it acceptable, and who decided? provenance
Communication Warning people.

Warnings must be clear, standard and noticed.

Signs and labels

Standard warnings.

Warnings

Signs and labels used.

  1. Is the hazard marked with standard signs or labels? boundary
  2. Are they understood by the people exposed? measurement

Emergency response

What to do if harm occurs.

Emergency plan

Response plan.

  1. What should people do if the hazard causes harm? action
  2. Who should be contacted? action

What the second pass must settle

  • Should hazard types be separate entries?
  • How should natural hazard maps be linked?
  • How should agents word warnings so they are clear and not alarmist?