Risk Assessment

Risk assessment is a general term that includes the four components: hazard identification, exposure assessment, dose-response evaluation, and risk characterization. A risk assessment can be quantitative or qualitative depending on the data available and the requirements for the assessment. RISK uses a risk calculation scheme described in references 13, 14, 15, and 16. The calculation scheme developed by these authors provides a systematic way for estimating risk.

Risk estimates based on currently available data are projections containing a great deal of uncertainty. This is particularly true when using a model such as this one to calculate risk estimates for individuals, because such numbers as carcinogenic potency, upon which the model depends for calculating individual and population cancer risk, are projections of population risks based upon a variety of extrapolations and assumptions. Risk estimates generated by models such as this one are useful mainly for the purpose of comparing scenarios rather than for determining absolute risks to individuals or populations.

Mølhave et al. (17) present an example of using an IAQ model to carry out a risk assessment. This paper demonstrates the steps necessary to carry out a risk assessment. Mølhave et al. show the importance of obtaining the right data from source testing to carry out the risk assessment. They also demonstrate the effects of the assumptions involved in risk assessment by providing examples of the range of answers possible depending on the assumptions used. Sparks et al. (18) discuss source testing necessary to obtain data required for conducting risk assessment.

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