Definitions
Hazard is an intrinsic property. Concentrated hydrofluoric acid is a hazard whether it sits sealed in a lab or spills on your hand.
Risk is hazard × exposure × probability. That same bottle in a sealed cabinet in a locked room has almost zero risk. On a wet bench with no gloves, the risk is enormous, even if the hazard is unchanged.
Why the distinction matters
- Regulation classifies hazards (GHS, CLP, OSHA HazCom). This is what an SDS reports.
- Workplace safety manages risk — which is what your engineering controls, PPE, procedures and training address.
- You cannot remove a hazard. You can only reduce risk.
Practical consequence
A well-run lab does not aim for "no hazardous chemicals". It aims for correctly assessed hazards + engineered exposure controls + trained operators. That combination is what turns a Section 2 pictogram into an accident-free year.