What characterizes a qualitative risk assessment in IH?

• A. A qualitative assessment uses numerical data to rank hazards
• B. A qualitative assessment uses probabilistic models and statistics
• C. A descriptive method using low/medium/high without numerical data to prioritize hazards
• D. A quantitative measure of cost of hazard

Answer: (C)

Qualitative risk assessment in industrial hygiene relies on descriptive judgments rather than numbers to judge and rank hazards. It uses simple categories such as low, medium, and high to indicate how severe a hazard is and how likely it is, based on expert judgment and available qualitative information. This approach works well when data are scarce or uncertain and you need to quickly prioritize which hazards to control first.

Numerical data, probabilistic models, and statistics describe quantitative approaches, which assign numeric risk scores or use statistical methods to estimate risk. A focus on cost reflects economic analysis rather than how hazards are prioritized qualitatively.