In process safety strategies, which option best captures the difference between prevention and mitigation?

• A. Prevention reduces consequences after an incident, while mitigation stops a release from occurring.
• B. Prevention mainly reduces energy use, while mitigation increases production.
• C. Prevention aims to stop a release or incident from occurring; mitigation reduces the impact after an incident has started.
• D. Prevention and mitigation are interchangeable.

Answer: (C)

In process safety, prevention and mitigation address different moments in a potential incident. Prevention focuses on stopping a release or incident from happening in the first place—through design, barriers, and controls that reduce the likelihood of initiation. Mitigation kicks in after an incident has begun and works to lessen the consequences—through containment, suppression, and emergency response measures that limit damage, exposure, and spread.

The best option captures this distinction: prevention aims to stop a release or incident from occurring, while mitigation reduces the impact once an incident has started.

The other ideas mix up these roles or suggest they’re interchangeable: reversing the definitions, tying prevention to energy use or production, or claiming the two are interchangeable.