The Hazards Risk Management Approach

The Hazards Risk Management Approach Session 7 Slide Deck Session 7

Session Objectives 7.1 Provide an explanation for, and overview of, the systems approach for managing community risk Session 7

Individual Risk Decisions (Part I) • A busy street • Boiling water • A secure home • Safe stairs • A protected head • Undistracted driving Session 7 Slide 7-

Individual Risk Decisions (Part II) • A safe home • A safe vehicle • A healthy diet • Uninterrupted power • Security from financial liability • Immunity Session 7 Slide 7-

Decision Making Process • Consider location / situation (context) • Recognize and understand the hazard • Determined risk levels and know if risk is reducible • Understood vulnerability • Know risk reduction options • Determine the best option • Act upon decisions Session 7 Slide 7-

Community HRM Complexity Factors • Hazard size and scope / consequences not so well or easily understood • Geographic area is much greater • Range of stakeholders is increased • Vulnerabilities, capabilities, other factors can differ considerably • Costs are much greater • Technical aspects more complex • Political / social implications poorly understood / contentious Session 7 Slide 7-

Differences in HRM Approach • Differences in the interpretation of ‘risk’ • Variance in the types of hazards managed • Different goals sought • Differences in guiding philosophies • Differences in management responsibility • The applicability of the approach • Driving forces behind the process • Different capacities Session 7 Slide 7-

HRM Process Quality Factors • The range of stakeholders involved • The science behind each hazard • The technology available to identify hazards and assess risk • The nature of a community’s vulnerability • The options that exist to address hazard risk • Communication and meeting facilitation skills • Access to funding Session 7 Slide 7-

Systems Approach • A systems approach is one that takes a more holistic view of the process for solving problems, rather than simply prescribing a linear ‘step-by-step’ process. Session 7 Slide 7-

Systems Approach Allows us to: • Define a problem or opportunity • Identify / incorporate all factors that play a part in the solving of the problem(s) • Develop a range of alternate solutions • Evaluate the different solutions to ensure the best option is selected • Select and implement the best solution • Review the solution for effectiveness, and review the process that was used Session 7 Slide 7-

Systems Thinking • Approach different than traditional analysis • Traditional Analysis focus - separating the individual pieces of what is being studied • Systems thinking focus - how the thing being studied interacts with the other constituents of the system • Instead of isolating smaller and smaller parts of the system being studied, systems thinking works by expanding its view to take into account larger and larger numbers of interactions as an issue is being studied Session 7 Slide 7-

Systems Thinking Effective for Problems that: • Are complex in nature • Depend on the actions of many • Involve helping many different actors to see the big picture • Involve recurring problems • Might or do affect the environment • Do not have obvious solutions Session 7 Slide 7-

Systems HRM Approach • Step 1 - Build Support, Form Partnerships, and Involve the Public • Step 2 - Establish a Context for Risk Management by Understanding the Community • Step 3 - Identify Hazards • Step 4 - Scope Vulnerability and Understand Capacity • Step 5 - Analyze Risk • Step 6 - Assess Risk • Step 7 - Identify and Assess Risk Reduction Measures • Step 8 - Select, Implement, and Support Risk Reduction Measures Session 7 Slide 7-

The Hazards Risk Management Approach