Adoption Legal Definition of Risk Assessment

To assess and measure the likelihood that a child will be maltreated in the future, frequently through the use of checklists, matrices, scales and other methods of measurement.

Learn more with the Adoption Thesaurus

Browse or run a search for Risk Assessment in the American Encyclopedia of Law, the Asian Encyclopedia of Law, the European Encyclopedia of Law, the UK Encyclopedia of Law or the Latin American and Spanish Encyclopedia of Law.

Risk Assessment in Historical Law

You might be interested in the historical meaning of this term. Browse or search for Risk Assessment in Historical Law in the Encyclopedia of Law.

Search for legal acronyms and/or abbreviations containing Risk Assessment in the Legal Abbreviations and Acronyms Dictionary.

Browse

You might be interested in these references tools:

Vocabularies (Semantic Web Information)

<

Concept of Risk Assessment

In relation to securing dangerous material (in case of crisis or terrorism) a meaning of risk assessment may be outlined, in general regarding European law, as follows: Overall process of hazard identification (identification of a risk source capable of causing adverse effects to humans or the environment) and hazard characterization (quantitative evaluation of the nature of the adverse health effects associated with the hazard), exposure assessment (evaluation of the likely exposure of man and/or the environment to risk sources) and risk characterisation (estimation, including attendant uncertainties, of the probability of occurrence and severity of known or potential adverse health effects in a given population).[1]

Resources

Notes and References

1. Definition of risk assessment published by the European Commission

Risk assessment in Global Commerce Policy

In this regard, risk assessment is: members of the WTO may apply food safety, animal health and plant health regulations to their international trade, but they must not use them to discriminate arbitrarily or unjustifiably between members in similar conditions. The WTO Agreement on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures sets out rules for achieving this. The entries on trade policy are here. It encourages members to harmonize measures and to base them on international standards, guidelines and recommendations where these are available. The entries on trade policy are here. If members wish to maintain higher standards, they must carry out risk assessments. The entries on trade policy are here. A risk assessment can be an evaluation of the likelihood of the introduction or spread of a pest or disease in the light of the sanitary and phytosanitary measures applied. The entries on trade policy are here. It can also be an evaluation of the potential for adverse effects on human or animal health arising from the presence of additives, contaminants, toxins or disease-causing organisms in food, beverages or feedstuffs. Risk assessment must take into account available scientific evidence, relevant processes and production methods, relevant inspection, sampling and testing methods, prevalence of specific diseases or pests, existence of pest- or disease-free areas, relevant ecological and environmental conditions, and quarantine or other treatment. The entries on trade policy are here. An assessment of the economic factors involved is also required with the objective of minimizing negative trade effects if measures are taken. This is balanced by a consideration of the damage to production if a disease enters the country, the cost of control and eradication and the cost-effectiveness of possible alternative measures. See also acceptable level of risk and sanitary and phytosanitary measures.[1]

Risk assessmentin the wold Encyclopedia

For an introductory overview on international trade policy, see this entry.

Resources

Notes and References

1. Dictionary of Trade Policy, “Risk assessment” entry (OAS)

See Also