1. Magnitude of consequences
An employee considering whistle blowing must ask himself or herself these questions: How much harm has been done or might be done to victims? Will the victims really
be "beneficiaries"? If one person is or will be harmed, it is unlikely to be a situation that warrants whistle blowing.
2. Probability of effect
The probability that the action will actually take place and will cause harm to many people must be considered. An employee should be very sure that the action in question will actually happen. If the employee does not know if the action will happen and if the action will harm people (or the environment), the employee should reconsider his or her plan to blow the whistle. In addition, the employee must have absolute proof that the event will occur and that people (or the environment) will be harmed.