The term used to describe a situation where a hazard has happened and it affected humans is called a "disaster" or more specifically a "hazard event" that causes "loss of life, injury, or other health impacts." The key distinction is that a hazard is the potential source of harm, while once it happens and impacts humans, it becomes an event causing actual harm or damage.
To clarify:
- A hazard is a potential source of harm (natural or human-induced) that may cause loss of life, injury, or damage.
- When a hazard actually occurs and affects people, resulting in injury, death, or health impacts, this situation is often referred to as a disaster or an hazard event with consequences.
- The term "risk" relates to the probability of harm occurring from exposure to a hazard, while "hazard" refers to the source or situation itself.
So, the simplest answer is that when a hazard affects humans, it is an event of harm commonly called a disaster or an incident caused by the hazard.
