A hazard is a source of harm that is likely to cause injury or illness. We define it as:
“an activity, arrangement, circumstance, event, occurrence, phenomenon, process, situation, or substance (whether arising or caused within or outside a place of work) that is an actual or potential cause or source of harm. A hazard includes a situation where a person’s behaviour has the potential to cause death, injury, or illness to a person (whether or not that behaviour results from physical or mental fatigue, drugs, alcohol, traumatic shock, or another temporary condition that affects a person’s behaviour).”
Risk means an assessment of the severity of the consequences of being exposed to a hazard (eg death, injury or illness) combined with the likelihood of it happening.