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The Definition of Risk and Associated Terminology for Risk Analysis

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Risk Assessment in Setting National Priorities

Part of the book series: Advances in Risk Analysis ((AIRA,volume 7))

Abstract

The broad field encompassing risk analysis through risk management involves a large number of different disciplines. The terminology used within the field has not been consistent. An attempt to create a set of definitions for use by the SRA was initiated by the formation of a committee on definitions. Initially, it was assumed that it would be easy to reach a consensus on the more commonly used terms. This assumption proved false. After about two years it was realized that a consensus was not being reached for the key definitions of risk, hazard, risk analysis and risk assessment. The Committee decided that rather than trying to establish “official” SRA definitions of these terms, it would recognize that different definitions are in use and prepare a discussion paper of different definitions. This process was started with emphasis on the single term “risk.”

This paper was prepared as a discussion document for use in a special session at the 1987 Annual Meeting of The Society for Risk Analysis.

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References

  1. National Research Council, Risk Assessment in the Federal Government: Managing the Process, National Academy Press, Washington, D.C., 1983.

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  2. L. B. Gratt, “Risk Analysis or Risk Assessment: A Proposal for Consistent Definitions,” in Proceedings of the Society for Risk Analysis International Workshop on Uncertainty in Risk Assessment, Risk Management, and Decision Making, pp. 241–249 (1984).

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© 1989 Plenum Press, New York

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Gratt, L.B. (1989). The Definition of Risk and Associated Terminology for Risk Analysis. In: Bonin, J.J., Stevenson, D.E. (eds) Risk Assessment in Setting National Priorities. Advances in Risk Analysis, vol 7. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4684-5682-0_73

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4684-5682-0_73

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Boston, MA

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4684-5684-4

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4684-5682-0

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

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