Hazard vs. Harm — What's the Difference?
Edited by Tayyaba Rehman — By Urooj Arif — Updated on May 4, 2024
Hazard refers to a potential source of danger or risk, implying the possibility of causing harm, while harm denotes actual damage or injury resulting from exposure to a hazard.
Difference Between Hazard and Harm
Table of Contents
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Key Differences
A hazard is something that can potentially cause harm or adverse effects, such as chemicals, electricity, or an icy sidewalk. Whereas, harm is the realization of these adverse effects, which might include physical injury, health issues, or property damage.
Hazards can exist without causing harm if they are effectively managed or avoided. On the other hand, harm occurs only when the exposure to a hazard is not prevented or mitigated, resulting in actual damage or injury.
The concept of a hazard is often used in a predictive and preventive context, encouraging actions to mitigate potential risks. Conversely, harm is discussed in a retrospective context, often focusing on assessment, response, and recovery from the damage that has occurred.
Risk assessments are crucial in distinguishing between hazard and harm, aiming to identify hazards and evaluate the likelihood of harm occurring. Whereas, the study of harm focuses on the consequences and severity of the damage after it has happened.
While hazards can be categorized (biological, chemical, physical, ergonomic, etc.), the nature of harm is categorized by its impact on health, safety, or well-being. On the other hand, harm can be physical, psychological, economic, or social, depending on the nature of the hazard and the context of the exposure.
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Comparison Chart
Definition
A potential source of danger
Actual damage or injury caused
Focus
Predictive and preventive
Retrospective and responsive
Occurrence
Can exist without actual damage
Occurs when hazard is not managed
Assessment
Risk identification and management
Damage assessment and recovery
Types of Examples
Chemicals, electricity, high places
Cuts, illnesses, emotional distress
Compare with Definitions
Hazard
A potential source of risk that could cause harm.
The icy steps are a serious hazard to residents.
Harm
Negative impact on well-being or quality of life.
Discriminatory practices cause harm to community cohesion.
Hazard
A condition that could potentially cause injuries.
Exposed wiring is an electrical hazard that needs immediate attention.
Harm
Physical injury or damage to health.
The accident caused severe harm to his leg.
Hazard
A situation that increases the risk of harm.
A wet floor in a supermarket is a slip hazard.
Harm
The adverse effect resulting from exposure to a hazard.
Prolonged exposure to loud noise can cause permanent harm to hearing.
Hazard
Anything that poses a potential danger.
Unlabeled chemical containers represent a significant hazard in the lab.
Harm
Emotional or psychological injury.
Bullying can cause long-term harm to a person's mental health.
Hazard
An object or condition that poses a risk of accident.
Broken glass on a playground is a hazard for children.
Harm
Economic loss or damage to property.
The flood caused significant harm to local businesses.
Hazard
A hazard is a potential source of harm. Substances, events, or circumstances can constitute hazards when their nature would allow them, even just theoretically, to cause damage to health, life, property, or any other interest of value.
Harm
Harm is a moral and legal concept. Bernard Gert construes harm as any of the following: pain death disability loss of ability or freedom loss of pleasure.Joel Feinberg gives an account of harm as setbacks to interests.
Hazard
A chance of being injured or harmed
Space travel is full of hazards.
Harm
Physical or psychological damage or injury
The storm did great harm to the crops.
Hazard
Risk or danger
A high degree of hazard.
Harm
Immoral or unjust effects
They made a mistake and meant no harm.
Hazard
A possible source of danger
This room is a fire hazard.
Harm
To do harm to
Pollutants that harm the environment.
People who were harmed in the accident.
Hazard
(Games) A game played with dice that is a forerunner of craps and was especially popular in England in the 1600s and 1700s.
Harm
Physical injury; hurt; damage
No harm came to my possessions.
You can do a lot of harm to someone if you kick them in the balls. Especially if they get revenge and bring out a bazooka and blast your head off.
Hazard
(Sports) An obstacle, such as a sand trap, found on a golf course.
Harm
Emotional or figurative hurt
Although not physically injured in the car accident, she received some psychological harm.
Hazard
(Archaic) Chance or an accident.
Harm
Detriment; misfortune.
I wish him no harm.
Hazard
To expose to danger or risk.
Harm
That which causes injury, damage, or loss.
Hazard
To venture (something)
Hazard a guess.
Harm
To cause injury to another; to hurt; to cause damage to something.
Hazard
To express at the risk of denial, criticism, or censure
"The wise young captain ... hazarded to the lieutenant-colonel that the enemy's infantry would probably soon attack the hill" (Stephen Crane).
Harm
Injury; hurt; damage; detriment; misfortune.
Hazard
The chance of suffering harm; danger, peril, risk of loss.
He encountered the enemy at the hazard of his reputation and life.
Harm
That which causes injury, damage, or loss.
We, ignorant of ourselves,Beg often our own harms.
Hazard
An obstacle or other feature which causes risk or danger; originally in sports, and now applied more generally.
The video game involves guiding a character on a skateboard past all kinds of hazards.
Harm
To hurt; to injure; to damage; to wrong.
Though yet he never harmed me.
No ground of enmity between us knownWhy he should mean me ill or seek to harm.
Hazard
(in driving a vehicle) An obstacle or other feature that presents a risk or danger that justifies the driver in taking action to avoid it.
Harm
Any physical damage to the body caused by violence or accident or fracture etc.
Hazard
(golf) A sand or water obstacle on a golf course.
Harm
The occurrence of a change for the worse
Hazard
(billiards) The act of potting a ball, whether the object ball (winning hazard) or the player's ball (losing hazard).
Harm
The act of damaging something or someone
Hazard
(historical) A game of chance played with dice, usually for monetary stakes; popular mainly from 14th c. to 19th c.
Harm
Cause or do harm to;
These pills won't harm your system
Hazard
Chance.
Hazard
(obsolete) Anything that is hazarded or risked, such as a stake in gambling.
Hazard
(tennis) The side of the court into which the ball is served.
Hazard
(programming) A problem with the instruction pipeline in CPU microarchitectures when the next instruction cannot execute in the following clock cycle, potentially leading to incorrect results.
Hazard
To expose to chance; to take a risk.
Hazard
To risk (something); to venture, incur, or bring on.
I'll hazard a guess.
Hazard
A game of chance played with dice.
Hazard
The uncertain result of throwing a die; hence, a fortuitous event; chance; accident; casualty.
I will stand the hazard of the die.
Hazard
Risk; danger; peril; as, he encountered the enemy at the hazard of his reputation and life.
Men are led on from one stage of life to another in a condition of the utmost hazard.
Hazard
Holing a ball, whether the object ball (winning hazard) or the player's ball (losing hazard).
Hazard
Anything that is hazarded or risked, as the stakes in gaming.
Hazard
Any place into which the ball may not be safely played, such as bunkers, furze, water, sand, or other kind of bad ground.
Hazard
To expose to the operation of chance; to put in danger of loss or injury; to venture; to risk.
Men hazard nothing by a course of evangelical obedience.
He hazards his neck to the halter.
Hazard
To venture to incur, or bring on.
I hazarded the loss of whom I loved.
They hazard to cut their feet.
Hazard
To try the chance; to encounter risk or danger.
Hazard
A source of danger; a possibility of incurring loss or misfortune;
Drinking alcohol is a health hazard
Hazard
An unknown and unpredictable phenomenon that causes an event to result one way rather than another;
Bad luck caused his downfall
We ran into each other by pure chance
Hazard
An obstacle on a golf course
Hazard
Put forward, of a guess, in spite of possible refutation;
I am guessing that the price of real estate will rise again
I cannot pretend to say that you are wrong
Hazard
Put at risk;
I will stake my good reputation for this
Hazard
Take a risk in the hope of a favorable outcome;
When you buy these stocks you are gambling
Common Curiosities
What are some examples of hazards?
Examples include toxic chemicals, electrical appliances, and high traffic roads.
What is a hazard?
A hazard is any potential source of danger that could lead to harm.
What does harm mean?
Harm refers to the actual injury, damage, or adverse effect that results from exposure to a hazard.
Can psychological effects be considered harm?
Yes, psychological effects like stress or trauma are considered forms of harm.
How can hazards be controlled to prevent harm?
Hazards can be controlled through safety measures, risk assessments, and preventive practices.
Why is it important to differentiate between hazard and harm?
Differentiating helps in planning safety measures and responses to prevent or mitigate damage.
How do professionals assess hazards and harms?
Professionals use risk assessments for hazards and damage evaluations for harms.
What types of harm can hazards cause?
Hazards can cause physical injuries, health problems, psychological effects, or property damage.
Can a hazard exist without causing harm?
Yes, a hazard can exist without causing harm if it is properly managed or if no interaction occurs.
Is a slippery floor a hazard or a harm?
A slippery floor is a hazard; if someone falls and gets injured, the injury is the harm.
How do safety regulations address hazards and harms?
Safety regulations aim to identify and control hazards to prevent harm.
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Written by
Urooj ArifUrooj is a skilled content writer at Ask Difference, known for her exceptional ability to simplify complex topics into engaging and informative content. With a passion for research and a flair for clear, concise writing, she consistently delivers articles that resonate with our diverse audience.
Edited by
Tayyaba RehmanTayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.
