Define hazard risk.

Define hazard probability.

Explain three factors that affect the way that people perceive hazards.

Examine the impact of a recent human-induced (technological) hazard event.

Hazard risk is the probability (accept “potential threat”) of a hazard event causing harmful consequences [1 mark]. Award a further 1 mark for development of this in terms of threats to life/property, injury, possessions, building structures, infrastructure.

Hazard probability is the likelihood of a hazard event actually occurring [1 mark]. Award a further 1 mark for development of this in terms of the magnitude of an event and the frequency of its occurrence (the greater the magnitude, the less frequent the occurrence), or for reference to seasonal hazard occurrence, such as hurricanes.

Factors could include past experience of hazard events, level of education, age, gender, social status, access to information systems, level of technology, wealth, level of economic development, government awareness programs, religion (hazards as acts of God), personality. Award 1 mark for identifying a valid factor, with a further 1 mark for explaining how it affects hazard perception.

The hazard event should be identified and located. A description of the nature of the hazard event should be stated. The impact of the hazard on people, the environment, infrastructure and economy (as relevant) should be examined, though not necessarily all in the same depth. References to responses to the hazard should also be credited according to the markbands. Answers that do not relate to explosion or escape of hazardous material should not be credited beyond band C.

Marks should be allocated according to the markbands.

Some candidates did not do well on this question. 

Some candidates did not do well on this question.

Most candidates had relevant suggestions for this question.

Weaker candidates, apparently unfamiliar with the word "perceive" wrote only about why people continue to live in hazardous areas. One of the most common choices of human-induced (technological) hazard event was the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power station disaster (2011), though this was an inappropriate choice, given that it was caused by an earthquake and the resulting tsunami. Some credit was given in cases where candidates argued that human responses to the events had exacerbated the disaster. Wiser choices of example were the Deepwater Horizon oil spill (2010) or the Prestige oil spill in Spain (2002). Credit was given for the much older (and therefore not strictly "recent") Chernobyl disaster (1986) and the Union Carbide Bhopal toxic leak (1984).