risks and hazards

1. Risks and HazardsRisks and Hazards

2. Core Case Study: Mercury’s ToxicCore Case Study: Mercury’s Toxic
EffectsEffects
 All mercury compounds are toxicAll mercury compounds are toxic
 1/3 in the atmosphere from natural sources1/3 in the atmosphere from natural sources
 Human activities provide the rest – esp. coalHuman activities provide the rest – esp. coal
 Two main human exposuresTwo main human exposures

Fish contaminated with mercuryFish contaminated with mercury

Inhalation of vaporized mercuryInhalation of vaporized mercury
 Greatest risk is brain damageGreatest risk is brain damage

3. RISKS AND HAZARDSRISKS AND HAZARDS
 RiskRisk – a measure of the likelihood you will– a measure of the likelihood you will
suffer harm from a hazard –suffer harm from a hazard – probabilityprobability of anof an
eventevent

ex: 1 in 250 chance you will develop lung cancerex: 1 in 250 chance you will develop lung cancer
from smoking a pack a dayfrom smoking a pack a day
 Risk assessmentRisk assessment – estimating how much– estimating how much
harm a hazard can cause to human health orharm a hazard can cause to human health or
environmentenvironment
 Risk managementRisk management – deciding if and how to– deciding if and how to
reduce a risk to a certain level and costreduce a risk to a certain level and cost

4. RISKS AND HAZARDSRISKS AND HAZARDS

5. RISKS AND HAZARDSRISKS AND HAZARDS
 We can suffer from:We can suffer from:

Biological hazardsBiological hazards – from more than 1,400– from more than 1,400
pathogens – cause diseasepathogens – cause disease

Chemical hazardsChemical hazards – in air, water, soil, and food– in air, water, soil, and food

Physical hazardsPhysical hazards – such as fire, earthquake,– such as fire, earthquake,
volcanic eruptionvolcanic eruption

Cultural hazardsCultural hazards – such as unsafe working– such as unsafe working
conditions, and povertyconditions, and poverty

Lifestyle choicesLifestyle choices – such as smoking, alcohol,– such as smoking, alcohol,
poor dietpoor diet

6. RISKS AND HAZARDSRISKS AND HAZARDS
 We can suffer from:We can suffer from:

Biological hazardsBiological hazards – from more than 1,400– from more than 1,400
pathogens – cause diseasepathogens – cause disease

Chemical hazardsChemical hazards – in air, water, soil, and food– in air, water, soil, and food

Physical hazardsPhysical hazards – such as fire, earthquake,– such as fire, earthquake,
volcanic eruptionvolcanic eruption

Cultural hazardsCultural hazards – such as unsafe working– such as unsafe working
conditions, and povertyconditions, and poverty

Lifestyle choicesLifestyle choices – such as smoking, alcohol,– such as smoking, alcohol,
poor dietpoor diet