Washington Pesticide Laws and Safety Practice Test

What is the difference between toxicity and hazard?

1. Toxicity is the degree of danger, hazard is the ability to cause injury

2. Toxicity and hazard are the same

3. Toxicity is the capacity to cause injury, hazard is the potential for injury

4. Hazard measures capacity, toxicity measures potential

The correct answer is: Toxicity is the capacity to cause injury, hazard is the potential for injury

Toxicity and hazard are often used interchangeably, but there is an important distinction between the two. Toxicity refers to the actual harm that a substance can cause, while hazard refers to the potential for harm. In other words, toxicity is a measure of the degree of danger that a substance poses, while hazard is a measure of the ability of that substance to cause injury. Option A is incorrect because it presents hazard as the ability to cause injury, when in fact it is the potential for injury. Option B is incorrect because it denies the distinction between toxicity and hazard. Option D is incorrect because it incorrectly defines hazard as measuring capacity, rather than potential.