Risk Assessment Flashcards
What is Risk?
A probability or threat of damage, injury, liability, loss, or any other negative occurrence that is caused by external or internal vulnerabilities, and that may be avoided through preemptive action
Equation for Risk
Risk= Hazard + Outrage
What is risk according to Dr. Sandman
The most important fact about risk communication is the incredibly low correlation between a risk’s “hazard” (how much harm it’s likely to do) and its “outrage” (how upset it’s likely to make people). What is dangerous is not always upsetting and what is upsetting isn’t always dangerous.
Risk Communication
Talking about things that COULD go wrong
Crisis Management
Talking about things that HAVE gone wrong
Risk Perception
We think about it logically and emotionally.
- Combination of thought and emotion
-Thinking (logic) focuses on the hazard and
the probability it will occur
·Hazard-something that can go wrong
·Probability-likelihood of it happening
- Feeling involves fear, anger, or other emotions that are evoked when considering potential consequences and value of what may be lost
·Consequences-implications of the hazard
·Value-subjective evaluation of the
importance of what may be lost
Fear Factors
- It is automatic
- It comes early
- It is temporary
- It is a small over-reaction
- It may need guidance
- It is slow to extinguish
- Easily re-established
- Contagious
Denial
-Denial is less common than fear
-More dangerous than fear
-More common response than panic
Denial is reduced when:
·we legitimize the fear
·we take actions to address fear
·we make decisions to act from a given
range of options
Trust
Trust is:
·slowly acquired
·readily extinguished
·difficult to re-establish
What is risk communication?
} Public health activities to ensure that messages and strategies designed to prevent exposure, adverse human health effects, and diminished quality of life are effectively communicated to the
public
} Most often used to describe an organization facing a crisis and the need to communicate about that crisis to stakeholders and the public

Who is our audience?
-Clients (animal owners, farmers, producers)
-Employees at a vet clinic, dairy, or processing
plant
-Reporters at a press conference
-The public at a town meeting
Factors that Contributed to the Growth of Risk Communication
} Public interest in health, safety, and environmental issues, and media coverage of them
} The demand for information generated by public concern about risks from the past, present, and future activities
} The number and reach of right-to-know laws relating to exposures to risk agents
} Mistrust in risk management authorities and public demands for the right to participate as a full partner
} Awareness by gov’t and industry that risk controversies often threaten the achievement of their organizational goals
} Awareness by all sides that the public’s response to a risk can be amplified or attenuated by those who wish to manipulate it
Harmful Human Behavior During a Crisis
} Demands for unneeded treatment } Disorganized group behavior (looting/stealing) } Bribery/fraud } Increased tobacco and alcohol use } Increased multiple unexplained physical symptoms (MUPS)
Risk Communication can….
} Empower audiences to make informed decisions
} Decrease illness, injury, and death
} Counter/correct rumors
} Build support for a response plan
} Assist in executing a response plan
} Keep decision-makers well informed
} Tailor communication to take emotional responses into account
} Discourages negative behavior and/or encourages constructive responses to danger
When the hazard is high and outrage is low:
When the hazard is high and outrage is low: ·task = precaution advocacy
·alerting insufficiently upset people to serious
risk ·“Watch out!”
