1. Application (and Misapplication) of Risk in Legislation and Practice
Dr Edward Lewis

2. How many of you work in the safety area?
Me and You
UNSW Canberra since 1986
(School of Engineering and IT )
30+ consultancy projects in risk management
Deputy Chair Risk Engineering Society, ACT
EA’s rep on Standards Australia Committee OB007 Risk management, IT12 IT Security, MB025 Security,
“Expert” on IEC TC56 Dependability
Research into risk management theory and techniques
How many of you work in the safety area?
Who has carried out a safety-related risk management activity?
What are you here to hear?

3. Overview
In 30 minutes, all I can do is to point to
Better practices for managing safety-related risks in the form of Standards and their supporting Handbooks produced by Standards Australia and available from SAI Global
(sooner or later)
That can
Defend you from accusations of non-compliance with the law
Attack unsafe behaviour

4. Application of risk management (standards) in construction
Standards provide guidance to ‘best’ (better) practice
There are 1369 products on SAI Global product list mentioning risk In particular, for us …
AS/NZS ISO 31000: 2009
IEC 62198: Project risk management – application guidelines
AS/NZS ISO IT security
AS/NZS 5050:2010 Business continuity – managing disruption-related risk
AS/NZS ISO Compliance management systems – Guidelines
and for safety of machinery, concrete structures, explosive atmospheres….
Handbooks expanding (or explaining) the Standards
HB436 Companion to ISO31000
HB 89: 2012 Risk management – Guidance on risk assessment techniques
HB 141: 2011 Risk financing guidelines
HB 327: 2010 Communicating and consulting about risk
Or applying the standards
HB 167: 2006 Security risk management
HB 205: 2004 OHS Risk management Handbook (under revision)

5. The (familiar?) process for Risk Management (AS/NZS ISO/IEC 31000: 2009)

6. Misapplication in Practice: Wrong responsibilities
Risk managers (or safety managers or project managers) are seen as the ‘whipping boy’
but “Risk is everyone’s business”
Seen as something ‘special’
But from 31000:
Principle b: integral part of organizational process
Principle c: part of decision making
So actually, risk management is decision-making (or rather, problem solving)
Risk management process should be the problem-solving process

7. Misapplication in practice: Documentation not thinking
Require
What is wanted . please everybody
Who – people
Way – procedures
With – equipment
Where – location
When – timing
Worth – funds
Handbook 470: Making Decisions with Risk … work in progresss
Realize
What could happened: . Anticipate drivers . Anticipate consequences
Respond
What should be done: . Couple for effect best for consequence
. Fix up gaps
. Lessen use of resources

8. Misapplication in practice: PIGs
Often used
Easily understood
Wrongly used
Wrong results
Especially here, in safety-related risk
No such thing as ‘acceptable’ levels of risk

9. Misapplication in practice: Risk registers
Often used
Easily understood
Wrongly used
Wrong results
(as for PIGs)
Flat list – no multiple causes/ multiple consequences
Checklists rather than thinking
No evaluation of controls (then and now)

10. So far as is reasonably practicable: . Ensure safety and health
Better Application in Practice: Guideline for use of to Safety in Australia - HB205
Handbook 205 is being rewritten now. Intended to: … to provide guidance in the application of AS/NZS ISO 31000:2009 (‘the Standard’) to managing “safety-related risk” effectively, and thereby contribute to the health and safety of workers and others. Intended to assist in interpreting the Work Health and Safety Acts
So far as is reasonably practicable:
. Ensure safety and health
Disproportionate cost:
. undefined in legislation
but should be the basis for risk evaluation?

11. Better Application: An improved Process for Safety-related Risk (from Defence Aviation)

12. Better Application in practice: showing levels of risk
Three point estimate of the extent of consequences, given conditions
Show multiple causes down the chain
Show multiple consequences up the chain

13. to achieve your objectives whilst ensuring everyone is safe
Next …
What follows are a series of presentations about
Managing Safety Risks in Construction
ACT Work place Health and Safety Legislation
Legal Aspects facing construction practitioners
Risk to Safety because of inadequate fire services
With a case study to amplify their points They will all bring out examples of the application and misapplication of risk management but
Just remember that there are best practice standards that can help you …
Not only to comply with the law but more importantly
to achieve your objectives
whilst ensuring everyone is safe