Risks to individuals in NSW and in Australia as a whole

Abstract

Objective, quantitative estimates are made of some risks to which individual members of the general public are exposed in NSW and in Australia as a whole, in their private lives and ordinary activities. The risks are given as averages for the group of people exposed to each risk. In many cases, this is the whole population. Occupational risks and unusual risk-taking are excluded as far as possible from the study. Some of the estimates are based upon statistics on the causes of death. Others are based upon mathematical models, because specific evidence relating causes and effects is lacking. The results of the study show that by far the highest risks of fatality are either voluntarily incurred or could be greatly reduced as a matter of choice by the risk-takers. Risks which come into these catagories include smoking, some other causes of cancer, drinking alcohol and motor vehicle traffic accidents. Risks to the general public from industrial accidents are comparatively low. These latter risks can be (and usually are) controlled to levels which, in a purely quantitative context, would generally not be perceived as significant.