What are the three core steps of hazard identification and risk assessment in robotics safety according to ISO 12100?

• A. Hazard identification, risk estimation (severity and probability), and risk reduction (selecting protective measures and validating residual risk).
• B. Hazard elimination, risk transfer, and incident investigation.
• C. Safety planning, performance testing, and documentation.
• D. Safety review, hazard logging, and employee training.

Answer: (A)

In robotics safety, ISO 12100 treats hazard identification and risk assessment as a three-step process: identify hazards; estimate risk by considering how severe the harm could be and how likely exposure is; and reduce risk by selecting protective measures and validating the residual risk. Hazard identification is a systematic sweep across the robot’s life cycle and use scenarios to surface potential harms, such as mechanical pinch points, electrical faults, software errors, or unsafe human‑robot interactions. Risk estimation combines the potential severity with the probability or exposure frequency to judge how risky each hazard is and which ones to prioritize. Risk reduction then puts controls in place—engineering safeguards, safe operating procedures, training, and other protective measures—and verifies that the remaining risk is acceptable, often using the ALARP principle, rechecking as the design or use changes.

The other options describe activities not aligned with this three-step structure or omit hazard identification and risk estimation, focusing instead on planning, testing, documentation, or training rather than the risk assessment sequence ISO 12100 specifies.