The Tolerability of Risk: A New Framework for Risk Management

In this review of The Tolerability of Risk: A New Framework for Risk Management, the bottom line is clear: this book is essential reading for policymakers, health and safety professionals, and academics who need a practical framework for judging acceptable risk levels. Drawing on historical context and UK regulatory practice, the authors present the concept of Tolerability of Risk as a disciplined way to balance precaution and assessment, making it valuable for anyone responsible for applying legal duties to keep risks as low as reasonably practicable.

Key Features

• Historical perspective: The book traces how debates over risk regulation evolved, helping readers understand why the tolerability approach emerged.
• Topical analysis: It connects theory to contemporary controversies, clarifying how tolerability differs from simple precautionary or assessment models.
• Regulatory applications: Concrete examples from the UK show how the framework guides decision makers in health and safety sectors.
• Practical guidance: The authors outline how tolerability can be used to meet legal obligations to reduce risk to pragmatic levels.
• Cross-disciplinary appeal: The writing is positioned to inform academics, government officials and industry leaders seeking alternative approaches to risk management.

Who It's For

The book is best suited to regulatory professionals, safety managers and public policy students who need a focused, legally aware framework for assessing what counts as an acceptable level of risk. It will also appeal to academics researching the intersection of risk assessment and precaution because it situates tolerability historically and practically.

Readers looking for step-by-step technical risk modelling or hands-on tools for quantitative risk calculation should look elsewhere; the book is stronger on framework, legal context and applied examples than on detailed numerical methods.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• Clear explanation of the tolerability concept that helps bridge theory and policy.
• Useful UK regulatory examples that illustrate how to apply the framework in real decisions.
• Accessible to a mixed audience of academics, officials and industry practitioners.

Cons

• The book is not a technical manual for quantitative risk modelling, so practitioners needing detailed calculations may find it limited.

Specifications

Title	The Tolerability of Risk: A New Framework for Risk Management
Series	Earthscan Risk in Society
Authors	Frederic Bouder, David Slavin, Ragnar E. Lofstedt
Scope	Historical and topical perspective on tolerability and regulatory use
Primary focus	Health and safety regulatory applications in the UK
Intended audience	Academics, government officials, industry leaders

Our Verdict

The Tolerability of Risk is a thought-provoking, well grounded framework text that is worth buying for anyone responsible for risk policy or regulation; it delivers practical insight into how tolerability can guide legal duties and decision making without promising technical modelling tools, making it good value for its target audience.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does the book explain how tolerability differs from precaution?
Yes. It contrasts the tolerability approach with precaution and risk assessment, showing where each is appropriate.

Is this a practical guide for regulators?
Yes. It includes UK regulatory examples and discussion aimed at informing regulatory decisions and legal obligations.

Will it teach quantitative risk modelling?
No. The book focuses on framework, history and application rather than detailed numerical modelling methods.