Risk Management: Everyone's Responsibility

1. RISK MANAGEMENT It’s Everyone’s Responsibility

2. RISK MANAGEMENTWHAT IS IT? • Essential element of event planning • Minimizes adverse effects of accident losses • Entails identifying risks and potential dangers • Choosing appropriate techniques to manage those risks or dangers

3. RISK MANAGEMENT – WHY? • Protects students, student organizations and members of the campus community from: • Harm • Financial Liability • Legal Recourse

4. RISK MANAGEMENT CAMPUS PARTNERS • UWSA – assist with risk assessment and event approval for all sanctioned clubs and societies • STUDENT DEVELOPMENT AND SUPPORT –assist with risk assessment and event approval for all volunteer groups under these areas

5. RISK MANAGEMENT CAMPUS PARTNERS • RESIDENCE SERVICES – assist with risk assessment and event approval for all events planned by residence life staff and WIRC • Each area works under policies designed to minimize risk factors thereby ensuring continued insurance coverage for student run events

6. DOES THE PARTNERSHIP WORK? • To the extent that the policies maintain their strength through the ability of the student groups to adopt the regulations and requirements within the policies, and • To the extent that student groups work with their campus partners to make intelligent, fair and reasonable choices

7. RISK MANAGEMENT AND HARM REDUCTION • Processes and practices that serve to protect your event participants • As leaders you assume organizational, practical and personal responsibilities for the activities/events of your groups • Planning for risk control automatically entails proactive harm reduction practices

8. GUIDELINE QUESTIONS • How does this event or activity further the mission and purpose of the organization? • How would this event or activity impact the broader campus community? • Do we have the resources to make it happen?

9. RISK MANAGEMENTAND LIABILITY • LIABILITY • is the key word in risk management • Why is liability such a big issue? • What does liability mean to you as leaders?

10. WHO IS LIABLE IF THERE IS AN INCIDENTAT THE EVENT OR ACTIVITY? • The primary organizer • The event planning committee* • The student group** • The organization responsible for the student group i.e. UWSA • The University of Windsor

11. FACTORS CONSIDERED WHEN ASSESSING LIABILITY • FORSEEABLE RISK DID YOU PLAN FOR IT? • E.G. UNDERAGED STUDENTS AT AN EVENT WHERE THERE IS ALCOHOL – IS IT POSSIBLE THEY WILL DRINK? HOW DO YOU PLAN FOR IT?

12. FACTORS CONSIDERED WHEN ASSESSING LIABILITY • REASONABLE STEPS TO REDUCE/ELIMINATE RISK CAN YOU SHOW THAT REASONABLE STEPS WERE TAKEN TO CURTAIL RISK? • HOW MIGHT THIS BE DEMONSTRATED?

13. FACTORS CONSIDERED WHEN ASSESSING LIABILITY • DUTY OF CARE • LEGAL PRINCIPLE THAT YOU HAVE AN OBLIGATION TO CARE FOR PEOPLE WHEN THEY ARE AT AN EVENT THAT YOU ORGANIZED • HOW DO YOU DEMONSTRATE DUTY OF CARE?

14. FACTORS CONSIDERED WHEN ASSESSING LIABILITY • IGNORANCE IS NO DEFENSE YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE SAFETY OF OTHERS WHETHER YOU WERE WITNESS TO THE INCIDENT OR NOT • HOW CAN YOU HANDLE THIS?

15. FACTORS CONSIDERED WHEN ASSESSING RISK • CRIMINAL ACTION MOSTLY REVOLVES AROUND THE ISSUE OF UNDERAGED DRINKING AND WHETHER IT IS A CRIMINAL OFFENCE

16. KEY RISK FACTORS • ALCOHOL • PHYSICAL ACTIVITY • TRANSPORTATION

17. FORESEEABLE RISKS TO CONSIDER • PHYSICAL • REPUTATIONAL • EMOTIONAL • FINANCIAL • FACILITIES

18. QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER BY AREA OF RISK • What can you do to mitigate the possible risk? • How does this actually mitigate the risk? • How can you put this strategy into place? • What resources are needed to make this happen? • Who will be responsible to make sure it is done?

19. POTENTIAL PROBLEMS DURING AN EVENT: • UNDERAGE DRINKING • PARTY CRASHERS • FIRE AND/OR FIRE HAZARDS • EXCESSIVE DRINKING

20. POTENTIAL PROBLEMS DURING AN EVENT • ALTERCATIONS • ALCOHOL POISONING • VANDALISM OR PROPERTY DAMAGE • ACCESSIBILITY CHALLENGES

21. POTENTIAL PROBLEMS DURING AN EVENT • OVERCROWDED SPACE • POOR FOOD PREP PROCEDURES • MEDICAL EMERGENCIES • UNEXPECTED CHANGES IN PROGRAM PLANS

22. WAYS TO PROTECT AGAINST RISK • PLANNING FOR RISK • DEVELOP AN OUTLINE OF FORESEEABLE RISKS AS PART OF YOUR EVENT PROPOSAL • INDICATE PLANS TO MANAGE THOSE RISKS; STEPS TO BE TAKEN IF AN INCIDENT OCCURS

23. WAYS TO PROTECT AGAINST RISK • THE EVENT PROPOSAL AND RISK MANAGEMENT PLAN ARE VITAL PIECES OF DOCUMENTATION IN THE EVENT LEGAL ACTION IS TAKEN AS THE RESULT OF AN INCIDENT!!

24. WAYS TO PROTECT AGAINST RISK • USE OF EVENT WAIVERS AND CONTRACTS WHEN REQUIRED • USE OF INCIDENT REPORTS • MAINTAINING THESE DOCUMENTS FOR SIX YEARS

25. CONCLUSION CONSISTENT, PROACTIVE APPROACHES TO RISK MANAGEMENT AND HARM REDUCTION ENSURE MORE SUCCESSFUL EVENTS!

26. EVENT PLANNING RESOURCES AND RISK MANAGEMENT • WINDSOR WORKBOOK • EVENT APPROVAL PROCESSES • UWSA • UNIVERSITY OF WINDSOR • Event Approval Form • Critical Path Event Planning • Bus Trip Waivers • Accident/Incident Reports www.uwindsor.ca/risk