Periculs

Periculs is a term used in theoretical discussions of risk assessment to denote a discrete unit of hazard or potential harm within a complex system. In this framework, each pericul represents a specific source of adverse outcome that can be characterized and tracked separately from other hazards.

The word appears in informal risk-management literature as a neologism derived from periculum, the Latin word for danger, with the English plural suffix -s. It is not part of formal international standards, but has been discussed in methodological papers and online glossaries since the 2010s.

Typical attributes assigned to a pericul include the likelihood of occurrence, the severity of impact, the magnitude of exposure, detectability, and the effectiveness of existing controls. Analysts may combine these attributes to produce a pericul score or to rank hazards within a risk matrix.

Applications emphasize modular risk assessment, where total risk is considered as the aggregation of individual periculs. Some approaches treat periculs probabilistically, while others use qualitative scales. Critics argue that the lack of standard definitions limits comparability across studies.

In practical terms, periculs can aid in prioritizing mitigation efforts by focusing on the highest-scoring hazards, though users should be aware that the term is not universally adopted and may be used differently across fields.