United States Government Publishing Office publisher pbl distributor dst United States Government Accountability Office author aut Government Organization text government publication eng GAOREPORTS Legislative Agency Publications gao legislative 2010-08-12 U.S. Government Printing Office 2001-08-06 monographic deposited born digital 234 p. GA 1.13:GAO-01-810 https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/GAOREPORTS-GAO-01-810 P0b002ee1803848d0 f:d01810 DGPO 2010-08-12 2011-03-24 GAOREPORTS-GAO-01-810 machine generated eng fdlp REPORT GAOREPORTS-GAO-01-810 GAO-01-810 Consumer protection Environmental monitoring Hazardous substances Occupational safety Regulatory agencies Safety regulation Safety standards EPA Integrated Risk Information System Other Written Product A01530

As used in public health and environmental regulations, risk assessment is the systematic, scientific description of potential harmful effects of exposures to hazardous substances or situations. It is a complex but valuable set of tools for federal regulatory agencies to identify issues of potential concern, select regulatory options, and estimate the range of a forthcoming regulation's benefits. However, given the significant yet controversial nature of risk assessments, it is important that policymakers understand how they are conducted, the extent to which risk estimates produced by different agencies and programs are comparable, and the reasons for differences in agencies' risk assessment approaches and results. GAO studied the human health and safety risk assessment procedures of the Environmental Protection Agency, the Food and Drug Administration, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, and the Department of Transportation's Research and Special Programs Administration. This report identifies and describes (1) the agencies' chemical risk assessment activities, (2) the agencies primary procedures for conducting risk assessments, (3) major assumptions or methodological choices in their risk assessment procedures, and (4) the agencies' procedures or policies for characterizing the results of risk assessments. https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GAOREPORTS-GAO-01-810/html/GAOREPORTS-GAO-01-810.htm https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GAOREPORTS-GAO-01-810/pdf/GAOREPORTS-GAO-01-810.pdf GAO-01-810 https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/GAOREPORTS-GAO-01-810 Other Written Product GAO-01-810; Chemical Risk Assessment: Selected Federal Agencies' Procedures, Assumptions, and Policies; Consumer protection Environmental monitoring Hazardous substances Occupational safety Regulatory agencies Safety regulation Safety standards EPA Integrated Risk Information System Title 15 Section 2601et seq. 15 U.S.C. 2601et seq. Title 21 Section 348 Title 21 Section 360b 21 U.S.C. 348 21 U.S.C. 360b Title 29 Section 651 29 U.S.C. 651 Title 33 Section 1251 33 U.S.C. 1251 Title 42 Section 300f Title 42 Section 6901 Title 42 Section 7401 Title 42 Section 9601 42 U.S.C. 300f 42 U.S.C. 6901 42 U.S.C. 7401 42 U.S.C. 9601 Title 49 Section 5101et seq. 49 U.S.C. 5101et seq. Public Law 104-182 Title 40 Part 158 40 CFR Part 158 Title 21 Part 170.3 21 CFR Part 170.3 Title 21 Part 500.80 21 CFR Part 500.80 Title 49 Part 173.21 49 CFR Part 173.21 Title 49 Part 173.54 49 CFR Part 173.54 Title 49 Part 173.2 49 CFR Part 173.2