Occupational risk assessment and management has been an increasingly
important concern in recent decades both at the scientific level and from the direct and
motivated perspective of all economic organizations that aim to improve their
efficiency and optimize their own results. From this perspective, the present chapter
summarizes, first of all, the principle elements that characterize the strength of a
systematic and structured managerial approach to the risk management process for
safety and health at work. Starting from the explanation of the concepts of hazard and
risk and their connection with uncertainty and acceptability, using Farmer's curve as a
tool, the general model of occupational risk management is presented, the basis of
which are the applicable standards of the International Organization for
Standardization. A set of risk assessment/analysis tools among the most frequently
used worldwide are inventoried and critically comparatively analyzed, highlighting the
characteristics from a multi-criteria perspective. The intended purpose is to offer a
micro-compendium that will facilitate the reader's evolution in the field of occupational
safety and health, considering that risk assessment is the basis for adopting decisions
regarding the allocation of resources to minimize risk, within the management process
of professional risks.
Keywords: Acceptability, Decision-making, Deterministic, Feasibility, Farmer's curve, Hazard, Occupational Health and Safety (OHS), Prevention, Probabilistic, Quantitative, Qualitative, Risk assessment tool, Safety ladder, Uncertainty.