Risk Management & Wellbeing through robust management systems

With COVID-19 dominating the news headlines it has become apparent that the only certainty right now is uncertainty. The risks and disruption caused to businesses globally has been well publicised.

Organisations have always faced threats and this is nothing new, with risks ranging from global pandemics to evolving technologies or increased market competition.

There are a range of techniques available to help identify, analyse and treat risk, aiding organisations to keep ahead of threats that could be detrimental to their success. Accounting and planning for the unexpected is not an easy feat, however, guidelines provided within “ISO 31000 Risk Management Standard” can assist organisations to achieve objectives, improve the identification of opportunities and threats and effectively allocate and use resources for the treatment of risks.

The risk management process includes the following key elements:

Risk Identification

• Identification of risks, areas of impacts and potential events that could prevent you from achieving your objectives.

Risk Analysis

• Understanding the sources and causes of the identified risks. Studying probabilities and consequences given the existing controls (residual risk).

Risk Evaluation

• Comparing risk analysis results with risk criteria to determine whether the risk criteria is tolerable.

Risk Treatment

• Decisions made to treat or accept risks with consideration of internal, legal, regulatory, and external party requirements.”
• Define your level of commitment and determine what resources you will be able to allocate to implement and maintain your risk management system.

Risk Monitoring and review

• Measure risk management performance against indicators, which are periodically reviewed for appropriateness.

Review the risk policy and plan with organisations external and internal context for appropriateness Your risk management process should be dynamic, and responsive to change and facilitate continual improvement of the organisation.

It is not mandatory to have a documented risk management process however many of the Management System Standards including ISO 9001 (Quality), 45001 (Health & Safety), 14001 (Environmental) and 27001 (Information Security) detail that organisations should have a methodology in place to effectively identify risks and opportunities as part of their QHSE Management System. By considering risks and managing them appropriately you are likely to improve your organisations ability to achieve stated objectives.

QHSE Aberdeen Limited have assisted many organisations to create a tailored, systematic, and structured risk management framework to explicitly address uncertainty on a safety, financial, strategic or project level. We use the best information available to build a framework to help protect your organisation as well as add value and achieve key objectives. We can also deliver risk management training or create risk assessments specific to your business. For a full list of services please see our website www.qhseaberdeen.com

We continue to live through very unusual times, learning to adapt with the mitigations enforced on us. We have had to change our ‘normal’ working conditions with many staff now working remotely and being at home alone. This introduces a new risk that most would not have planned for prior to COVID-19. Organisations need to ensure sustainability whilst balancing employee wellbeing and the focus on employees physical and mental health is greater now than ever before. Feeling stress, boredom and anxiety is understandable and employers are all learning together on how best to manage this.

There are a number of useful resources related to the wellbeing of your employees providing simple tips and managing strategies. Please see below links:

www.mind.org.uk/information-support/coronavirus/coronavirus-and-your-wellbeing/

www.scope.org.uk/advice-and-support/mental-health-and-coronavirus

www.nhs.uk/oneyou/every-mind-matters/

QHSE Aberdeen consultants are also working remotely (wherever possible), continuing to support our clients, creating and delivering training packages through conference media & video sessions.

HAPPY 5TH BIRTHDAY QHSE ABERDEEN LTD.

As we approach our 5th year anniversary this December, we are proud and fortunate to be able to continue our planned growth of the Organisation with an increased customer base and the recent recruitment of two further QHSE Consultants to complement our Specialist Team. We are able to offer our clients assistance with ISO Management System development, implementation & continuous conformance as well as providing expert project focused Quality, Health & Safety, Environmental and Information Security dedicated consultancy.

Managing Director, Dave Rusling remarked “ It has been a tough year but we have managed to keep to our target and expand our business, recruit more staff and we definitely see light at the end of the tunnel. These last 5 years have been hard work but we have a great team and together we have become one of the best known QHSE Consultancy firms in the North East of Scotland, gaining a great reputation and being positively referred by our Customers. Our client base has grown UK wide and Internationally and we are very thankful to our Customers for giving us the opportunity to support them in their own continued growth, by adopting ISO Management Systems.”

During our 5 years in business, we have assisted organisations of all sizes and sectors to Develop, Implement and Maintain their ISO Management Systems, we have provided Project staff On and Offshore and delivered many in-house Training Courses. Our specialist staff are on hand to carry out QA/QC, QHSE 1st, 2nd and 3rd Party Audits as well as offer advice & consultancy in relation to Quality, Health & Safety, Environment & Information Security Management.

Angela Scott, Director, also said “ We wish to thank our customers, for their continued support and look forward to working with new and existing clients for another 5+ years, continually improving and evolving as we have done in the last 5 years. Plan, Do, Check, Act.”

Read the latest issue of the OGV Energy magazine HERE.