Hazards, risks and precautions
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Explainer Video
Summary
Hazards, risks and precautions
In a nutshell
Hazards can cause harm to people and things. A risk is the chance of harm due to a hazard.
Definitions
Keyword | Definition |
| Hazard | Something that can cause harm to someone or something. A hazard will potentially cause health risks, whether they are immediate or delayed. |
| Risk | The chance that someone or something will be harmed when exposed to a hazard. |
Precaution | A precaution will reduce the risk of harm from a hazard. |
Risk
Risks are dependent on:
- How often a person is exposed to the hazard
- How someone is exposed to the hazard
- How serious the effects are when exposed to the hazard
Hazard labels
To minimise the risks of hazards, labels are used to signify harmful substances. They are placed on the bottle that the substances are stored in.
The purposes of hazards labels are to:
- Warn people about that dangers associated with a particular substance
- Make people aware of the precautions they should take when handling the substance
hazard | description | hazard label |
| Harmful/irritant | The irritation to a body surface. |
 |
| Flammable | The ability for a chemical to ignite and burn. |
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|
Respiratory sensitiser | Can be the cause of respiratory diseases. |
|
| Toxic | Any substance that causes harm to living organisms. |
|
| Corrosive | Visible destruction to living tissue. |
|
| Oxidising | Substances that intensify burning. |
|
Precaution
Definition
A precaution will reduce the risk of harm from a hazard.
Examples
- Use a less hazardous substance
- Wear protective clothing (gloves, eye goggles)
- Use a different method
- Reduce object obstructions during an experiment (reduces spills and trips)
Example
A student is in the middle of an experiment when they experience difficulty breathing due to the chemicals they are handling. What type of hazard are they experiencing?
Respiratory sensitiser - The student is struggling to breathe so the substance must be a respiratory sensitiser hazard.
FAQs - Frequently Asked Questions
What is a precaution?
A precaution will reduce the risk of harm from a hazard.
What is a risk?
A risk is the chance that someone or something will be harmed when exposed to a hazard.
What is a hazard?
A hazard is something that can cause harm to somebody or something.