Human Health Risk Assessment

GAO Survey of EPA Risk Assessment Practices Gao ID: GAO-06-637SP May 31, 2006

This document presents selected results of GAO's Web-based Survey of EPA Risk Assessment Practices. The purpose of this survey was to collect information on the how EPA's efforts since 1994 to improve the risk assessment process have affected the preparation of human health risk assessments. We surveyed EPA risk assessors on topics such as guidance documents, training, research collaboration, and peer review. We sent the survey to 270 risk assessors in the Office of Research and Development, and the program offices of Air and Radiation, Pesticides, Pollution Prevention and Toxics, and Water. We received 221 completed surveys for a response rate of 82 percent. A more detailed discussion of our scope and methodology is contained in our report Human Health Risk Assessment: EPA Has Taken Steps to Strengthen Its Process, but Improvements Needed in Planning, Data Development, and Training GAO-06-595 (Washington, D.C.: May 31, 2006). We administered this survey from October 2005 to January 2006 in accordance with generally accepted auditing standards.



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  • Survey Results

This document presents selected results of GAO’s Web-based Survey of EPA Risk Assessment Practices. The purpose of this survey was to collect information on the how EPA’s efforts since 1994 to improve the risk assessment process have affected the preparation of human health risk assessments. We surveyed EPA risk assessors on topics such as guidance documents, training, research collaboration, and peer review. We sent the survey to 270 risk assessors in the Office of Research and Development, and the program offices of Air and Radiation, Pesticides, Pollution Prevention and Toxics, and Water. We received 221 completed surveys for a response rate of 82 percent.

A more detailed discussion of our scope and methodology is contained in our report Human Health Risk Assessment: EPA Has Taken Steps to Strengthen Its Process, but Improvements Needed in Planning, Data Development, and Training GAO-06-595 (Washington, D.C.: May 31, 2006). We administered this survey from October 2005 to January 2006 in accordance with generally accepted auditing standards.


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Survey Results

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