Comparative risk analysis of technological hazards (a review)

Area of Science:

• Risk assessment and management
• Technological hazards
• Science and society

Background:

• Comparative risk and hazard analysis has evolved significantly since 1969.
• Recent technological advancements necessitate new approaches to hazard identification and risk perception.
• An interdisciplinary field has emerged with specialized terminology and methodologies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the literature on risk assessment and technological hazards.
• To identify recurring themes in the field.
• To define the role of science in hazard management.

Main Methods:

• Literature review of 54 English-language monographs and book-length collections (1970-1983).
• Identification and categorization of seven recurring themes within the risk assessment field.

Main Results:

• Seven key themes identified: risk assessment overviews, quantification, acceptability, perception, regulation, case studies, and research agendas.
• Science plays a unique role in understanding hazards beyond ordinary experience.
• Scientists' primary contribution is basic science, but they also aid in understanding hazard creation, risk estimation, and uncertainty handling.

Conclusions:

• Science is essential for informing risk assessment and management, particularly in understanding subtle hazard creation processes and managing uncertainty.
• Scientists can contextualize risks, study evaluation processes, and participate knowledgeably but cannot solely decide on tolerable risk.
• Science can enhance hazard management by broadening control options and devising evaluation methods.