In risk assessment within hazard analysis, what two factors are commonly used to rate hazards?

• A. Severity and likelihood (or probability) of occurrence
• B. Frequency only
• C. Cost and complexity
• D. Color and size

Answer: (A)

In risk assessment within hazard analysis, hazards are rated by two key factors: how severe the potential harm could be and how likely it is to occur. These two dimensions capture both the consequence of the hazard and its probability, allowing you to prioritize which hazards need the most controls. In practice, risk is often thought of as a combination of severity and likelihood, with higher severity and higher likelihood producing higher risk.

For example, a hazard that could cause serious illness but is very unlikely to occur may still be lower risk than a hazard that causes moderate illness but happens frequently. Conversely, a common hazard with severe consequences stands out as a top priority. The other options don’t fit because frequency alone doesn’t account for how serious the harm could be, and cost, complexity, color, or size aren’t direct measures of health risk in HACCP risk assessment.