Acceptable risk
- Slovak term: Slovenský termín
- This is a risk management term. The acceptability of the risk depends on scientific data, social, economic and political factors, and the perceived benefits arising from exposure to an agent (WHO 2004).
- The level of risk associated with minimal adverse effects (Symons et al. 2000).
Explanation
Acceptable risk to the public is where there is generally willingness by the public to agree to and not oppose a risk. To the public an acceptable risk can be one that is not perceived to be high or likely to affect them personally or where the personal benefits are very high.
For the professional risk manager the acceptability of the risk depends on its significance and countervailing benefits. Contributing factors include the quality of the scientific data that describes the risk, the likely validity of the risk assessment, the type of risk, the significance of the consequence, social, economic, and political factors, and the value of the assumed societal benefits arising from use of and exposure to an agent.
Example
For countries that use a stricter definition of the level of acceptable risk of carcinogens (such as 10-6), the tolerable loss will be proportionately lower (such as 10-7 DALYs per person-year) (WHO 2006).
References
- Symons, J. M., Bradley, L. C. Jr. and Cleveland, T. C. 2000. The Drinking Water
- Dictionary. American Water Works Association.
- WHO (2006) Guidelines for Drinking-water Quality, First Addendum to Third Edition, Volume 1, Recommendations
- WHO (2004). Ipcs Risk assessment terminology: Internationally harmonized terms in relation to chemicals
