Risk assessment primarily involves what?

• A. Evaluating financial risk
• B. Testing chemical properties
• C. Scheduling lab tasks
• D. Identification of source of harm

Answer: (D)

Identifying where harm could originate is the central activity in risk assessment. In a chemistry context, this means spotting all potential hazards in the environment, materials, and procedures—the sources of possible harm. For example, a flammable solvent, toxic vapors, corrosive liquids, hot equipment, or reactive chemical procedures are all sources of harm that need to be recognized first. Once these sources are identified, you can assess how likely an incident is and how severe it could be, and then decide on appropriate controls such as ventilation, proper storage, personal protective equipment, or changes to procedures.

The other options don’t fit this primary purpose. Testing chemical properties is about understanding what substances do, not about identifying what could cause harm. Scheduling lab tasks is about workflow and efficiency, not hazard identification. Evaluating financial risk is outside the safety context of a chemistry lab. The key step that drives effective safety planning is pinpointing the sources of harm.