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When a risk assessment is undertaken, can the severity rating that you begin with ever be lowered?
I fully understand the likelihood side of things, mind, but someone has asked for my view on the severity rating.
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Rank: Forum user
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Can you dilute a chemical? Can you lower the current / voltage? 240v to 110v Can you lower the height that someone may fall? e.g. having a netting system in place Do you consider that these would reduce the severity?
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 1 user thanked Evans38004 for this useful post.
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Rank: Super forum user 
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Originally Posted by: bod212  When a risk assessment is undertaken, can the severity rating that you begin with ever be lowered?
I fully understand the likelihood side of things, mind, but someone has asked for my view on the severity rating.
Absolutely yes you can. For example, a fall from height risk you could install sprung nets or 'crash mats' on the ground. Soft mats on the ground don't affect the likelihood of falling at all, but they reduce the severity of the outcomes of falling. An energy absorbing fall arrest reduces the severity of the fall (though you could still have severe negative outcomes if you don't have a rescue plan for the suspended person). Speed limits are mostly about reducing severity of impacts. First aiders don't reduce the chance of an injury occurring.
Fire extinguishers don't prevent fires breaking out. Lots of measures address severity and not likelihood.
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2 users thanked achrn for this useful post.
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Rank: New forum user
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Yes, it can. How serious a problem seems can change. Here's why: 1. Looking Again at How Bad Things AreSometimes, when we look more closely, we realize things might not be as bad as we first thought. For example, if we find out that something won't cause as much damage as we thought, we can lower how serious we think it is. 2. Doing Things to Make It Less SeriousIf we take actions to make sure bad things don't happen, they won't be as bad if they do. For instance, if we make safety rules stricter or have backup plans, the bad things won't be as severe. 3. Things Around Us ChangingSometimes, things around us change, and that affects how serious a problem is. For example, if technology gets better, some problems might not be as bad anymore. Or if rules change, problems might not have as big an impact. 4. Learning from What Happened BeforeWhen we look at what happened in the past, we can learn. If we see that similar things weren't as bad before, we can think that this time might not be as bad either. 5. Always Checking and UpdatingWe need to keep an eye on things and make sure our understanding is up to date. If we get new information or things change, we need to adjust how serious we think the problems are. Changing how serious we think a problem is should be done carefully, by looking at all the facts. It's important to understand risks well so we can deal with them properly.
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