Hazard/risk assessment is the second step after testing of chemicals for the management of risks to human health and the environment. It means evaluating the test results and other information, and drawing conclusions about hazards and risks which become the basis for risk management decisions. OECD contributes to this practice by developing and harmonising assessment methods.

Risks are determined by "hazard"(chemical properties that lead to harmful effects) and "exposure"(amount of intake or environmental concentration.) Guidance on various methods for hazard assessment, including estimation methods using structure-activity relationships , is being published in Testing & Assessment Series.

Many other OECD activities on hazard/risk assessment are undertaken within programmes such as Existing Chemicals, New Chemicals, and Pesticides & Biocides which deal with specific types of chemicals. For example,  a manual  has been developed to serve as guidance for the hazard assessment for high production volume chemicals in our Existing Chemicals programme.

The work on exposure assessment methods is undertaken by the Task Force on Environmental Exposure Assessment, consisting of experts. Most of the outcome of this work is published in the Series on Testing and Assessment or on Emission Scenario Documents.

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