2.2. Description of Risk

Risks can be grouped into three general categories:

• Voluntary risk: A result of actions taken by choice or out of necessity. Examples include firefighting, driving, bungee cord jumping, and lifestyle choices such as diet and smoking.

• Natural disasters: These include floods, hurricanes, earthquakes, and other disasters that are beyond human control. However, the risk to natural disasters can be exacerbated by such voluntary actions as living in a known flood plain or on an active earthquake fault.

• Involuntary risk: Risk resulting from uncontrollable actions of others. Examples include pesticide residues or pathogens in food, occupational exposure to industrial chemicals or being murdered. These risks tend to have more uncertainty and are not as well known.