RISK ASSESSMENT AND RISK MANAGEMENT - APPLICATION OF MODELS Assignment

RISK ASSESSMENT AND RISK MANAGEMENT - APPLICATION OF MODELS - Assignment Example Further, estimates show that the people living in developing nations, particularly women and children are more affected by indoor air pollution due to their reliance on bio fuels like coal, dung, wood etc (WHO 2006). Thus indoor air quality has been a major area of concern for scientists and policy makers in the recent years due to its implications for health and welfare. Hence, the risk assessment and risk management of indoor air quality deserve special attention. This report discusses the risk assessment and risk management of indoor quality using the NAS model. The NAS model consists of hazard assessment, exposure assessment, risk characterization and risk management (Common Wealth of Australia 2002).All these steps focusing on indoor air quality are discussed in detail in the following sections. A hazard is defined as an agent’s ability to produce any harmful effect on environment or health. It is not same as risk but can be the factor that can be a source of risk or risk factor. Hazard assessment involves two steps .They are hazard identification and dose response assessment (Common Wealth of Australia 2002).In the hazard identification stage of indoor air quality , it is determined whether nor not particular agents of indoor air are harmful to health or environment. The hazard identification for indoor quality is done based on epidemiological, toxicological and occupational or indoor studies. Hazard identification describes qualitatively the capability of agents to produce harmful effects .It is based on indoor observations that may potentially create adverse impacts on health or environment (ECA 2000). After identifying the hazards, the next step is doze response assessment. This describes quantitatively the links between the agents and adverse effects. The dose assessment is done using chamber studies