Unit 2 Assignment: Hazard, Risk And Vulnerabilities
Unit 2 Assignment 1
UNIT 2 ASSIGNMENT: HAZARD, RISK AND VULNERABILITY
Unit 2 Assignment 2
Hazards, Risks and Vulnerabilities
Hazard, Risk and Vulnerability are individual terms that have different meanings but all three are used in the assessment of disasters. These three concepts can be used to create an analysis to better prepare an agency, community and individual to mitigate the undesired outcomes. The Federal Emergency Management Agency calls this analysis a Hazard, Vulnerability Analysis and Risk Assessment. The analysis and assessment will assist the organization properly prepare for the hazards, identify the risks and mitigate the vulnerabilities.
A hazard is “a potentially damaging physical event, phenomenon or human activity, which may cause the loss of life or injury, property …show more content…
damage, social and economic disruption or environmental degradation.” (UN/ISDR, 2002) Therefore, a hazard is considered a potential threat to humans and their way of life. A hazard can be chemical, biological, environmental or mechanical that may be harmful to humans and the environment. There are many forms of hazards such as meteorological, hydrological, geophysical and technological. In a hazardous material (HazMat) scene, the hazard can be mitigated with proper personal protective equipment and knowledge of the type of hazard. “FEMA describes hazard identification as a process of “defining and describing a hazard, including its physical characteristics, magnitude and severity, probability and frequency, causative factors, and locations/areas affected.” (Schwab et al. 1998)
“Risk is the combination of the likelihood and the consequence of a specified hazard being realized. It is a measure of harm or loss associated with an activity.” (DOT, 2005) Basically, risk is the probability of the hazard occurring and the severity of its outcome. Risk can be measured based on a risk matrix. An example of Unit 2 Assignment 3 the levels of risk can be categorized as negligible, marginal, critical and catastrophic. The probability of the occurrence can be categorized as certain, likely, possible, unlikely and rare. A risk assessment is an important step that assists decision makers to identify and evaluate probable risks so that countermeasures can be implemented to prevent the effects of the risk. FEMA often involves assessing three key elements threat, criticality, and vulnerability (FEMA, 1983).
“Vulnerability is the degree to which people, property, the environment, or social and economic activity – in short, all elements at risk – are susceptible to injury, damage, disruption, or loss.” (FEMA, 1983) Vulnerability can be best explained as the level of exposure and the susceptibility to the hazard.
In a HazMat scene, an individual or team may be vulnerable to the hazard if they are within close proximity to the chemical or biological agent especially if personal protective equipment are not worn or properly applied. Physical vulnerabilities consist of damage to homes, buildings and health. Social vulnerabilities are the secondary impacts to lives during and after a disaster such as displaced families, coping mechanisms and loss of income and livelihood. Vulnerability can be reduced with an appropriate vulnerability assessment and rapid response plan from a federal government entity such as FEMA. During the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, the vulnerability level was at its highest due to the lack of preparation and planning for such a disaster and recovery
effort.
In sum, knowledge, planning and implementation of a plan can help identify a hazard and understand the risks and prepare for the vulnerability that will eventually come after a catastrophic event such as a natural disaster, terrorist attack or an industrial accident.
Unit 2 Assignment 4 References
Department of Transportation. Risk Management Definitions. Office of Hazardous
Materials Safety, 2005. Retrieved from: http://hazmat.dot.gov/riskmgmt/risk_def.htm
Federal Emergency Management Agency. Hazards Analysis for Emergency
Management (Interim Guidance). 44 pages, September 1983.
Schwab, Jim, Kenneth C. Topping, Charles C. Eadie, Robert E. Deyle, and Richard
A. Smith. 1998. Planning for Post-Disaster Recovery and Reconstruction. PAS Report No. 483/484. Chicago, IL: American Planning Association. 346 pp.
United Nations International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (UN ISDR). Living
With Risk: A Global Review of Disaster Reduction Initiatives, July 2002 and 2004. Retrieved from: http://www.unisdr.org/eng/about_isdr/bd-lwr-2004-eng.htm
UNIT 2 ASSIGNMENT: HAZARD, RISK AND VULNERABILITY
Unit 2 Assignment 2
Hazards, Risks and Vulnerabilities
Hazard, Risk and Vulnerability are individual terms that have different meanings but all three are used in the assessment of disasters. These three concepts can be used to create an analysis to better prepare an agency, community and individual to mitigate the undesired outcomes. The Federal Emergency Management Agency calls this analysis a Hazard, Vulnerability Analysis and Risk Assessment. The analysis and assessment will assist the organization properly prepare for the hazards, identify the risks and mitigate the vulnerabilities.
A hazard is “a potentially damaging physical event, phenomenon or human activity, which may cause the loss of life or injury, property …show more content…
damage, social and economic disruption or environmental degradation.” (UN/ISDR, 2002) Therefore, a hazard is considered a potential threat to humans and their way of life. A hazard can be chemical, biological, environmental or mechanical that may be harmful to humans and the environment. There are many forms of hazards such as meteorological, hydrological, geophysical and technological. In a hazardous material (HazMat) scene, the hazard can be mitigated with proper personal protective equipment and knowledge of the type of hazard. “FEMA describes hazard identification as a process of “defining and describing a hazard, including its physical characteristics, magnitude and severity, probability and frequency, causative factors, and locations/areas affected.” (Schwab et al. 1998)
“Risk is the combination of the likelihood and the consequence of a specified hazard being realized. It is a measure of harm or loss associated with an activity.” (DOT, 2005) Basically, risk is the probability of the hazard occurring and the severity of its outcome. Risk can be measured based on a risk matrix. An example of Unit 2 Assignment 3 the levels of risk can be categorized as negligible, marginal, critical and catastrophic. The probability of the occurrence can be categorized as certain, likely, possible, unlikely and rare. A risk assessment is an important step that assists decision makers to identify and evaluate probable risks so that countermeasures can be implemented to prevent the effects of the risk. FEMA often involves assessing three key elements threat, criticality, and vulnerability (FEMA, 1983).
“Vulnerability is the degree to which people, property, the environment, or social and economic activity – in short, all elements at risk – are susceptible to injury, damage, disruption, or loss.” (FEMA, 1983) Vulnerability can be best explained as the level of exposure and the susceptibility to the hazard.
In a HazMat scene, an individual or team may be vulnerable to the hazard if they are within close proximity to the chemical or biological agent especially if personal protective equipment are not worn or properly applied. Physical vulnerabilities consist of damage to homes, buildings and health. Social vulnerabilities are the secondary impacts to lives during and after a disaster such as displaced families, coping mechanisms and loss of income and livelihood. Vulnerability can be reduced with an appropriate vulnerability assessment and rapid response plan from a federal government entity such as FEMA. During the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, the vulnerability level was at its highest due to the lack of preparation and planning for such a disaster and recovery
effort.
In sum, knowledge, planning and implementation of a plan can help identify a hazard and understand the risks and prepare for the vulnerability that will eventually come after a catastrophic event such as a natural disaster, terrorist attack or an industrial accident.
Unit 2 Assignment 4 References
Department of Transportation. Risk Management Definitions. Office of Hazardous
Materials Safety, 2005. Retrieved from: http://hazmat.dot.gov/riskmgmt/risk_def.htm
Federal Emergency Management Agency. Hazards Analysis for Emergency
Management (Interim Guidance). 44 pages, September 1983.
Schwab, Jim, Kenneth C. Topping, Charles C. Eadie, Robert E. Deyle, and Richard
A. Smith. 1998. Planning for Post-Disaster Recovery and Reconstruction. PAS Report No. 483/484. Chicago, IL: American Planning Association. 346 pp.
United Nations International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (UN ISDR). Living
With Risk: A Global Review of Disaster Reduction Initiatives, July 2002 and 2004. Retrieved from: http://www.unisdr.org/eng/about_isdr/bd-lwr-2004-eng.htm