Riskology

Advancements in science and technology, whether they apply to industries from health to agriculture to supply chain production, are enabling the world to produce research, goods, services, and so on more efficiently and effectively  - but with the research, testing and execution of these advancements also come risks. In particular, many industries and organisations need to manage the risks of the accidental exposure to hazardous substances or materials. The approach, policies and processes by which these types of risks are managed is called biosafety, an increasingly important subset of an organisation's overall health and safety management. 

While the world has gone virtually...virtual, there is no shortage of events for those in the risk profession. Even if you might prefer attending these occasions in person, with advanced video conferencing technology, they are still a wonderful opportunity to hear from world renowned thought leaders, stay on top of the latest trends, learn new approaches and connect with like-minded professionals. Take a look at our list of events you might not want to miss for the rest of the year!

We are facing lots of uncertainty at the moment. We don't know when there's going to be a vaccine for COVID-19, we don't know when we'll be able to travel freely or what 'normal' will look like after the dust settles. Dealing with this uncertainty is challenging, which is why it's important to focus on what we can control and tools that can help. Taking care of your staff who are at risk of experiencing adverse effects from their work, known as health surveillance, is one such practice.

According to the WHS Act, organisations are legally obligated to protect both their employees’ physical and psychological health. In other words, just as organisations must do what is reasonably practical to eliminate and reduce the risk of physical hazards, the same must be done for psychological hazards. 

When it comes to workplace health and safety, risk management involves identifying potential hazards, assessing the risks of those hazards and putting appropriate control measures in place to eliminate or reduce the risks. The work doesn’t stop there however. After control measures have been implemented, every workplace has an obligation to do their best to make sure they remain effective and to review them on an ongoing basis.