Skadesrisk

Skadesrisk is a concept used in risk assessment describing the potential for damage to assets, people, or the environment resulting from a hazard. The term combines 'skade' (damage) and 'risk' and is commonly used in Norwegian, Danish, and Swedish contexts where risk assessment is practiced. It can refer to the likelihood of an incident occurring and the severity of its consequences.

Definition and calculation: Skadesrisk is often expressed as a function of probability and consequence. In practice many organizations quantify it with qualitative scales (low–high) or quantitative measures such as expected loss, or through risk matrices that map likelihood against impact. Some methods apply Monte Carlo simulations to estimate expected loss distributions.

Measurement and methods: Tools include risk matrices, fault tree analysis, event-tree analysis, and probabilistic risk assessment. Data quality, exposure, and scenario specificity influence the resulting assessment, and some approaches separate inherent risk from residual risk after mitigation.

Applications: In insurance, skadesrisk informs underwriting and premium setting; in safety and operations management, it guides mitigation priorities and resource allocation. It is relevant in industries such as construction, manufacturing, energy, logistics, and transport, where understanding potential damage helps prioritize defenses and contingency planning.

Mitigation: Reducing skadesrisk follows the hierarchy of controls: eliminate hazards, substitute with safer options, implement engineering controls, establish administrative measures, and provide appropriate personal protective equipment, complemented by resilience and response planning.

Limitations and notes: The term is not a single universal standard; its definition and scoring can vary between organizations and countries. Data quality, subjective judgments, and context influence assessments, so skadesrisk is typically used as a guiding metric rather than an absolute measure.

See also: risk assessment, hazard, risk management.