Which statement correctly describes the roles of hazard identification, hazard assessment, and hazard controls in a safety program?

• A. Identification finds hazards; assessment evaluates severity and probability; controls implement measures; they form the hazard control loop
• B. Identification creates controls; assessment ignores probability
• C. Control is done before identification
• D. Assessment eliminates hazards without identification

Answer: (A)

In a safety program, hazards are handled through a continuous loop of identifying what could cause harm, assessing how serious and likely each hazard is, and then applying controls to reduce or eliminate the risk. First, you identify hazards across the workplace through inspections, reports, and job analyses. Then you assess the risk by evaluating the potential severity of harm and the probability of occurrence to set priorities. Finally, you implement controls—engineering fixes, administrative changes, or PPE—to lower the risk to an acceptable level. This cycle repeats as operations change or new information emerges, keeping the program focused on reducing risk over time. The described sequence reflects how identification leads to assessment and then to controls, forming an ongoing loop. The other options misstate the flow or purpose: you don’t create controls before identifying hazards, and you don’t rely on assessment alone or ignore probability in evaluating risk.