Glossary of risk-related terms
This glossary is a living document and could be added to or amended over time. Fire and rescue services will be notified should any of these terms change.
| Term | Definition | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Absolute risk | Metrics that directly quantify the risk, comparable to accident statistics. | Definition of Risk – Phase 1 Research |
| Acceptable risk | A risk level from an activity that most people are expected to consider insignificant and adequately controlled. | HSE R2P2 (adapted) |
| ALARP region | A risk level that should be made “as low as reasonably practicable”, using risk assessment to select appropriate controls. | HSE R2P2 (adapted) |
| Benefit | Improvement to something valued, such as health, well-being, wealth, property, or the environment. | Definition of Risk – Phase 1 Research |
| Cause | The reason why an event happens. Includes immediate and underlying causes. | Cambridge Dictionary (adapted) |
| Community risk | The risk of unwanted events that might occur in the community, which the fire and rescue service aims to reduce. Includes fires, road traffic accidents and other incidents that the fire and rescue service might respond to. | Definition of Risk – Phase 1 Research |
| Consequence | The outcome of an event. Specifically, the severity or extent of harm caused by an event. | ISO Guide 73:2009 (adapted) |
| Context | The circumstances that form the setting for an event. Specifically, the activity or setting in which risk arises. | Lexico.com (adapted) |
| Control | A measure that maintains or modifies the risk. Includes preventive, mitigating and management controls. | ISO 31000: 2018 |
| Corporate risk | The risk of events that might occur in the fire and rescue service. Includes operational risk and other events that might affect the ability of the fire and rescue service to carry out its operations. | Definition of Risk – Phase 1 Research |
| Decision criteria | Benchmarks that advise on cost/risk/benefit trade-offs. | Definition of Risk – Phase 1 Research |
| Demand | The pattern of emergency calls for fire and rescue service assistance. | Definition of Risk – Phase 1 Research |
| Downside risk | The possibility of something bad happening. This the same as “risk” by the definition here. | Definition of Risk – Phase 1 Research |
| Event | An occurrence or a change of a set of circumstances. | ISO Guide 73:2009 |
| Frequency | The number of events per unit of time. | ISO Guide 73:2009 |
| Group risk | The total risk to a specific group. | Definition of Risk – Phase 1 Research |
| Harm | Unwanted impact (such as loss, damage or injury) on something valued, such as health, well-being, wealth, property or the environment. | ISO Guide 51:2014 (adapted) |
| Hazard | A potential source of harm. | ISO Guide 51:2014 |
| Hazard identification | The process of recognising and describing hazards. | ISO 31000: 2018 (adapted) |
| Hazardous event | A potential event that can cause harm. | ISO Guide 51:2014 (adapted) |
| Incident | An event requiring fire and rescue service assistance. | Definition of Risk – Phase 1 Research |
| Individual risk | The risk to specific individuals. | Definition of Risk – Phase 1 Research |
| Likelihood | The chance of something happening. May be described by the probability, frequency or uncertainty of events. | ISO Guide 73:2009 (adapted) |
| Objective | The thing aimed at. Specifically, what the risk assessment aims to achieve. | Cambridge Dictionary |
| Operational risk | The risk of unwanted events that might occur to the fire and rescue service while carrying out its operations. Includes firefighter occupational accidents or illness. | Definition of Risk – Phase 1 Research |
| Opportunity | A potential source of benefit. | Definition of Risk – Phase 1 Research |
| Perceived risk | Subjective judgement of the risk level. | Definition of Risk – Phase 1 Research |
| Prevention | Reducing the risk of, and changing people's perception and behaviour towards fire and other hazards. | Definition of Risk – Phase 1 Research |
| Probability | The chance of occurrence expressed as a number between 0 and 1, where 0 is impossibility and 1 is absolute certainty. | ISO Guide 73:2009 |
| Protection | Enforcing fire safety legislation and providing related advice. | Definition of Risk – Phase 1 Research |
| Relative risk | Metrics that are proportionate to the risk but not comparable to accident statistics. | Definition of Risk – Phase 1 Research |
| Response | Responding to fire and rescue incidents. | Definition of Risk – Phase 1 Research |
| Risk (Non-technical) | The possibility of something bad happening. | Cambridge Dictionary |
| Risk (Technical) | A combination of the likelihood and consequences of hazardous events. | Definition of Risk – Phase 1 Research |
| Risk analysis | The process of characterising risks, including determining the risk level where appropriate. | ISO 31000: 2018 (adapted) |
| Risk assessment | The process of recognising and characterising risks and evaluating their significance to support decision- making. Includes hazard identification, risk analysis and risk evaluation. | ISO 31000: 2018 (adapted) |
| Risk criteria | Benchmarks that define the significance of risk. | ISO Guide 73:2009 (adapted) |
| Risk evaluation | The process of assessing the significance of risks. Compares the results of a risk analysis with risk criteria | ISO 31000: 2018 (adapted) |
| Risk identification | The process of recognising and describing risks. For down-side risks this is the same as hazard identification. | ISO 31000: 2018 (adapted) |
| Risk group | A set of people or assets that could be harmed. | Definition of Risk – Phase 1 Research |
| Risk level | The magnitude of a risk. Expressed by a risk metric. | ISO Guide 73:2009 (adapted) |
| Risk management | The process of directing and controlling a service with regard to risk. | ISO Guide 73:2009 (adapted) |
| Risk metric | A way of measuring the risk level. | Definition of Risk – Phase 1 Research |
| Threat | Another word for hazard, specifically one that is externally imposed. | Definition of Risk – Phase 1 Research |
| Tolerable risk | A risk level from an activity that people are expected to bear in exchange for the benefits from the activity. | HSE R2P2 (adapted) |
| Unacceptable risk | A risk level from an activity that people are not expected to bear whatever the benefits from the activity. | HSE R2P2 (adapted) |
| Uncertainty | Lack of knowledge about an event, its consequence, or likelihood. | ISO Guide 73:2009 (adapted) |
| Upside risk | The possibility of something good happening. This is not a risk by the definition here but is admitted in other definitions. | Definition of Risk – Phase 1 Research |
| Vulnerability | The susceptibility of a risk group to harm from a hazard. | Definition of Risk – Phase 1 Research |