What factors determine risk when dealing with a chemical hazard in the workplace?

• A. Toxicity of the chemical and duration of exposure
• B. Volume of the chemical and temperature
• C. Color of the chemical and odor
• D. Brand of the chemical and supplier

Answer: (A)

The key idea is that risk from a chemical hazard comes from two linked factors: how harmful the chemical is (toxicity) and how long people are exposed to it (duration of exposure). Toxicity tells you the potential to cause harm if the chemical reaches the body, while the duration of exposure determines the total dose someone receives. Even a highly toxic chemical can present low risk with very brief, well-controlled exposure, whereas longer or repeated exposure to a less toxic substance can still pose significant risk. The other options don’t determine risk in this fundamental way: color and odor aren’t reliable indicators of danger, brand and supplier don’t define how a chemical behaves in the body, and volume or temperature don’t directly capture the inherent harm and the exposure duration together.