In ORM, what does severity measure?

• A. The likelihood that a hazard will occur
• B. The potential consequence that could occur as a result of a hazard
• C. The level of risk reduction required
• D. The priority for performing planning

Answer: (B)

Severity in ORM is about how bad the impact would be if a hazard happens. It focuses on the magnitude of consequences—things like injury, property damage, or mission disruption—should the hazard materialize. This is distinct from how likely the hazard is to occur, which is about probability. In risk assessment, you look at how severe the potential outcome could be and combine that with the likelihood to determine the overall risk and what controls or actions are needed. So severity measures the potential consequence, not the chance of occurrence or the amount of planning needed. For example, a hazard that could cause a serious injury has higher severity than one that would cause only a minor inconvenience, even if both are equally likely.