ABSTRACT
Risk.assessment.is.the.science-based.component.of.risk.analysis.that.answers.the. risk.manager’s. questions. about. the. risks.. It. provides. the. objective. information. needed. for.decision.making,. including.a.characterization.of. the. relevant.uncertainty.that.could.influence.the.decision..An.assessment.is.done.to.gain.an.understanding. of. the. risk(s). and. to.measure. and. describe. them. to. the. fullest. extent. possible..A.good.risk.assessment.meets.the.needs.of.risk.managers.for.decision. making.. It.meets. the.manager’s.specific.needs. for. timing,.quality,.and.comprehensiveness..It.provides.an.objective,.unbiased.treatment.of.the.available.evidence. in.well-organized. and. easy. to. understand. documentation. that. clearly. links. the. evidence.to.its.conclusions..It.also.describes.and.addresses.uncertainty.in.intentional.ways. Risk.assessment. is.based.on.orderly. reasoning.. It. is. a. set.of. logical,. systematic,.
evidence-based.analytical.activities.designed.to.provide.risk.managers.with.the.best. possible.identification.and.description.of.the.risk(s).associated.with.the.decision.problem..Evidence.can.be.considered.to.include.anything.that.helps.assessors.discern.the. truth.about.a.matter.of.concern.to.them..It.is.a.methodical.process.with.specific.steps. that.provide.for.a.thorough.and.consistent.approach.to.the.assessment.of.risks..It.also. provides.a.thorough.appreciation.for.the.uncertainties.that.attend.those.risks..Because. it.includes.the.best.available.scientific.knowledge,.it.is.science.based. This.chapter.begins.by.considering.what.makes.a.good. risk.assessment..This. is.
followed.by.a.few.definitions..Risk.assessment.models.and.techniques.vary.widely. from.one.application.to.the.next..The.common.elements.of.these.have.been.distilled. into.a.generic.set.of.risk.assessment.activities,.the.description.of.which.comprises.the. bulk.of.the.chapter..Several.specific.risk.assessment.models.are.presented.to.illustrate. the.manner.in.which.some.communities.of.practice.have.formalized.the.assessment. process..The.chapter.concludes.with.a.brief.description.of. the.differences.between. qualitative.and.quantitative.risk.assessment.
