 What's the difference between hazard and risk? We'll be exploring this more when Risk Bites launches fully in November, but until then he airs a quick taster. When it comes to health, hazard is the possibility of something causing harm, while risk is the probability of harm occurring. Take a bottle of bleach. There's always the possibility of someone doing something stupid with it. But until they do that stupid thing, it's a hazard, not a risk. And whether the bleach is in the cupboard or on a shelf or locked in an impenetrable vault, the hazard remains. Of course, as soon as someone does do something really stupid, like drink the stuff, there's a real probability of them harming themselves. The hazard is transformed into a risk. Standing on the edge of a tall building is hazardous, stepping off the edge is a risk. A hammer sitting on a workbench is a hazard. Using it is a risk, especially if you're cack-handed. A container of gasoline is a hazard. Pouring it while holding a candle is a risk. Of course, there's more to it than this, but the bottom line is that there's always something else that's needed to change a hazard into a risk. To find out more about how hazard and risk are related, subscribe to Risk Bites, launching officially November 2012.