Posted By Ernest LEE Can anyone suggest if there is any international standards (or code) for OSH risk assessment / management?

Posted By Paul Faupel Anyone reading this string may wish to consult the Australian/New Zealand standards for risk management. These apply an approach like HSG 65 to the totality of risk exposure which an organisation may face. They are designed as a "self-regulating" tool to enable organisations to identify and analyse their risk exposure in terms of a risk management processes. They offer the flexibility for organisations to identify relevant standards which they may wish to apply and then establish the arrangements and systems for monitoring compliance with the adopted standards. Since they offer a systematic approach to the management of risk without themselves being addressed to any specific risk area, the system can be applied holistically to all elements of risk exposure eg product liability, third party liability, health and safety, financial risk, environmental risk etc. They are adaptable to the concepts of corporate governance introduced by Cadbury/Greenbury/ Turnbull and may offer a single, integrated approach to managing risk exposure that would suit the Boards of some organisations but not others. It is my understanding that these standards have been utilised in establishing the NHS Controls Assurance project and the Healthcare SG recently ran a seminar at The Grange on this topic for its members. The standards are titled as follows: AS/NZS 4360:1999 "Risk Management" and SNZ HB 4360: 2000 "Risk Management for Local Government". If you want to buy them you have to use a credit card or send an international money order/bank draft with your order. They are both $72(AS/NZ) plus P&P. You can read more about them on the websites: http://marketplace.xtra....4360&3A1999&28AS&2FNZS&2 and http://marketplace.xtra....4360&3A2000&28SNZ&20HB&2 As far as I'm aware, they are so far the only risk management standards that have been introduced that parallel the HSG65 model, albeit that BS8800 and the OSHAS 18000 series are themselves specifically modelled to deal only with health and safety. I am sure that there are those in the various constituencies of our profession who may be strong advocates of one system in preference to another and I recognise and acknowledge that reality. However, in posting this response I am neither expressing my own preference nor advocating a particular system. Paul Faupel