HAZARD/RISK EVALUATION – WHAT IS IT?  

Abstract - The term Hazard/Risk Evaluation is misunderstood. Some believe the procedures they have in place make up a hazard/risk evaluation. A Hazard/Risk Evaluation is a thought process. Many have struggled with how to address the requirement for an evaluation contained in NFPA^® 70E [1]. Many believe that Risk Management meets this requirement. This paper will provide one definition for what a Hazard/Risk Evaluation is and one method for performing a Hazard/Risk Evaluation. This paper will discuss risk assessment and how it fits in an overall risk management process. This paper will discuss the relationship between Risk Assessment and Hazard/Risk Evaluation. The flowchart currently in NFPA^® 70E does not start with the right question and needs modifying. This paper will explore a new starting place for the thought process and suggest that the flow-chart in NFPA^® 70E needs modification.