Risk it is a four letter word, yet a word within safety circles that causes so much tension and can be the fuel to many heated debates. 'The effect of uncertainty on objectives' - International Organisation for Standardization (ISO) ' Risk is the chance, high or low, of somebody being harmed by the hazard, and how serious the harm could be.' - Health and Safety Executive (HSE) A quick search would lead people to a number of definitions of this four letter word, as illustrated above. After numerous discussions with some very educated people what I have managed to deduce is that; We will never agree on the definition of risk We all seem to believe that when assessing risk we need to consider two broad (I use the word broad intentionally) things; Risk = Consequence x Likelihood But that is not what I am here to look at. What I am here to try have you reflect on is... 'Are we doing more damage to risk in the way we manage, speak and educate about it ...