Which term describes a real or potential condition that can cause injury or damage to personnel or the environment?

• A. Risk
• B. Dose
• C. Toxic
• D. Hazard

Answer: (D)

Think about safety terms in terms of potential to cause harm. A hazard is any real or potential condition, object, or situation that could injure people or damage the environment. The question points to the kind of condition that could cause harm, not the likelihood of harm (which would be risk), not how much exposure someone gets (dose), and not the poisonous nature of a substance (toxic). Risk would require considering how likely harm is given exposure; dose is the amount of exposure; toxic describes a substance’s harmful property. So the best fit is hazard, since it specifically denotes the potential to cause harm. Examples include a broken railing, exposed electrical wiring, or a chemical spill—all hazards that require control to prevent injury or damage.