ASP question for October 23, 2026
The ASP question of the day for Friday, October 23, 2026, on risk assessment matrix (MIL-STD-882E). Pick an answer to see the explanation and its source.
ASP Domain 2: Safety Programs and Concepts
A hazard analysis for a new conveyor-line inspection walkway at a distribution center finds that the worst credible mishap could cause a minor first-aid injury with no lost work day. Its likelihood for an individual walkway is "likely to occur often in the life of an item." MIL-STD-882E severity categories are 1 Catastrophic (death or permanent total disability), 2 Critical (permanent partial disability or hospitalization of 3 or more), 3 Marginal (injury with lost work days), 4 Negligible (no lost work day); probability levels are A Frequent ("likely to occur often in the life of an item"), B Probable ("will occur several times in the life of an item"), C Occasional ("likely to occur sometime in the life of an item"), D Remote ("unlikely, but possible to occur in the life of an item"), E Improbable ("so unlikely, it can be assumed occurrence may not be experienced in the life of an item"); and its risk matrix (severity 1/2/3/4) reads A: High/High/Serious/Medium; B: High/High/Serious/Medium; C: High/Serious/Medium/Low; D: Serious/Medium/Medium/Low; E: Medium/Medium/Medium/Low. What is the Risk Assessment Code and risk level?
Show answer and source: MIL-STD-882E, DoD Standard Practice: System Safety (2012), Tables I-III
Answer: C. 4A, Medium
For the walkway hazard, the consequence matches severity category 4 (Negligible) and the likelihood matches probability level A (Frequent). The RAC combines one severity category and one probability level (4A), and Table III assigns Medium.
On the job
A safety coordinator at a hospital laundry assesses a hazard on a folding-table station where the worst credible outcome is a minor scrape needing only first aid, and it is likely to occur often in the life of the item. She assigns severity category 4, Negligible, and probability level A, Frequent. Reading the matrix, RAC 4A lands at Medium, so she records that level and sets the follow-up accordingly.
Study aid, not site-specific safety advice. The official rule controls.
Answer C comes from
MIL-STD-882E, DoD Standard Practice: System Safety (2012), Tables I-III(opens everyspec.com in a new tab)“Assessed risks are expressed as a Risk Assessment Code (RAC) which is a combination of one severity category and one probability level. For example, a RAC of 1A is the combination of a Catastrophic severity category and a Frequent probability level. Table III assigns a risk level of High, Serious, Medium, or Low for each RAC. [Table III, Frequent (A) row, Negligible (4) column: Medium]”
Where it appears on the exam
ASP: ASP11 Domain 2, Safety Programs and Concepts
Practice: Risk Assessment Matrix (MIL-STD-882E)
Related reference
Glossary: Hazard (system safety), Mishap, Risk (system safety)
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