Which concept measures the level of potential harm in a safety framework?

• A. Risk
• B. Likelihood
• C. Severity
• D. Team Control Position

Answer: (C)

Severity is the measure of how bad the outcome could be if a hazard materializes. It focuses on the magnitude of harm, from minor injuries to permanent disability or death. In many safety frameworks, risk is described as a combination of how likely an event is and how severe the consequences would be, so severity specifically answers the question of how harmful the result could be. Likelihood, by contrast, describes how probable the event is, not how bad it would be. The Team Control Position is not a measure of harm level, but rather relates to how control measures are implemented and monitored.