ABSTRACT

Over the years, several principles, theories, methods and approaches have been developed to assess and manage risks in different fields. One clear example of this is observed in the industries with potential for major hazards or risk of disaster, on which most of the literature has been focused and for which rigorous and sophisticated techniques and methods have been proposed. Conceptually, risk perception refers to a subjective assessment of the likelihood of experiencing an injury caused by exposure to a risk factor and it is mediated by the characteristics of the situation, surroundings and personal factors such as beliefs, values, experiences, feelings and attitudes. Misperceptions are frequently related to safety problems. Notwithstanding the importance of risk assessment for small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs), the overall process should be properly planned and organized to be effective. Hazard identification is the process of finding, recognizing and understanding the existing hazards and corresponding risks that may arise in the course of an enterprise's activities.