Framework model of product risk assessment

Abstract

Risk assessment has been a vital tool in the consumer product safety arena. However, the challenges have been to ensure scientific and robust assessments and to eliminate diverging risk results. Back in year 2005, EuroSafe took the initiative and orchestrated a working group (WG) on risk assessment (EuroSafe WGRA). The WG includes subject experts from regulatory bodies and industry. In the past 2 years the WG has devoted itself to vigorous research in the harmonisation of nomenclatures and the identification of basic principles of non-food consumer product risk assessment. More importantly, it has undertaken the groundbreaking work of the establishment of a risk assessment framework model. The framework model took a step-by-step approach to exemplifying a disciplined thought process: defining the objective, hazard identification and characterisation, exposure assessment, risk characterisation, risk evaluation, risk reduction and residual risk communication. The model is enriched with information source inventories and resource recommendations that can be consulted to develop practical risk assessment methods.

Keywords:

• risk assessment
• consumer product
• framework model

Acknowledgements

The following people are gratefully acknowledged for their contribution and participation as the core members of the EuroSafe Working Group on Risk Assessment: Jürgen Vogelgesang (EC DG SANCO, Belgium), Adrian Blades (Electrolux Home Products, UK), Ian Dalgetty (BV, UK), Christopher Davey (BV, UK), Freija van Duijne (VWA, Netherlands), Hanna Kuivalainen (Safety Technology Authority TUKES, Finland), Christiane Mahe (GIFAM, France), Enrico Tagliabue (Whirlpool, Netherlands), Florence Weill (Commission de la Sécurité des Consommateurs, France), and Francis Welvart (LNE, France).