Posted By Peter John Scott I am currently undrtaking a M.S.C in Occupational Health and Safety Management with Portsmouth University and am dealing with the question of how the public perception of risk affects the work of am occupational hygienist? I would appreciate any feedback from any one has any experience or ideas on this subject. Thanks Peter Scott

Posted By Kevin West How does the public perception of risk affect the work of an Occupational Hygienist? From time to time the media pick up on the public's perception of risk in certain areas and then serve to build on it to a piont when mere mention of the subject sends people off shaking. Take the recent 'epidemic' of SARS that we all should have been concerned about, or asbestos in buildings or genetic foods or irradiated foods or nuclear power stations.... the list goes on. Health and Safety practitioners (and Occupational Hygienists) often spend much of thier time (often unproportionately) dealing with these 'risks' and so do not have adequate time dealing with the real risks as identified by risk assessment. It is my veiw that rather than scaremonger the media should spend its recources in educating the public so that they may perhaps be able to make thier own decisions as to the risk they represent. Kev PS Befotre I get lynched for mentioning asbestos is buildings. I mean that upon discovering for instance the ceiling panal above ones head is an ACM the response is often shock and concern (at the fact it is asbestos) before even considering the condition of it the liklihood of disturbance and damage etc. Also; Have you tried this thread on the UKOH (United Kingdom Occupational Hygiene) group discussion forum (links found on the BOHS website)?

Posted By Jay Joshi There are HSE research reports-these in turn have references to other original works. Risk perception and risk communication : a review of literature HSE Contract Research Report 248/1999 http://www.hse.gov.uk/re...rr_pdf/1999/CRR99248.pdf Public perception of risks associated with major accident hazards HSE Contract Research Report 194/1998 http://www.hse.gov.uk/re...rr_pdf/1998/CRR98194.pdf Quantifying risk amplification processes : a multi-level approach HSE Contract Research Report 367/2002 http://www.hse.gov.uk/re...rr_pdf/2002/crr02367.pdf Topping M D, Williams C R ET AL., (1998), 'Industry's perception and use of occupational exposure limits', ANNALS OF OCCUPATIONAL HYGIENE, Vol. 42 (6): 357-366

Posted By Dave Wilson Peter, Dont think that the public do have a petrception of Risk but more of a perception of what the media tell them, it was in the paper so must be true etc. To this end, you speak to any journalsit off the record and the only thing and I MEAN THE ONLY THING they will tell you what they are after is 'good copy', what sells !!! For all you people out there be on your guard around the media and one of trhe best course I have ever done was a @handling the Media' run by the BBC journalists and certainly opened my eyes in what to do when confronted etc. Sorry mate bit off the track here but, words like Asbests, E Coli, Salmonella, SARS legionella, Skin munching bacteria etc etc cause some level of panic within the generaal public at large because it is fuelled by the media, sells papers.

Posted By Jamie Peter, You could try contacting Prof David Walters at Cardiff University, I seem to remember him doing some research in the area of risk perception when at South Bank University Jamie