In this three-part series, the role of personal perceptions and the influence of invalidated information on them used in risk assessments will be explored. Part 1 will discuss how perceptions are developed while part 2 will discuss how these perceptions are applied, sometimes unknowingly, to risk assessments. Part 3 will then discuss why ethics are so important in ensuring these perceptions do not have a negative impact on risk assessments and hazard controls.
“There is no truth. There is only perception.” (Stankovich, 2000, ix).