Critical risk management

There is an understanding that not all risks are equal in terms of the potential for causing significant injury, illness, or fatality and that a focus on those risks which, although occur less frequently, could cause the greatest harm to workers (“critical risks”) provides for a safer work environment for everyone.

The identification and management of risks is a key concept of good health and safety management. The Health and Safety Act (HSWA) 2015 places a duty to eliminate or minimise the risks to workers so far as is reasonably practical, and effective risk management supports this process, as is effective recording of the events that do, or could potentially, cause harm to workers.

The GHSL has identified areas of common critical risks which help to inform our work programme. These areas are – Violence and Aggression, Driving and Mental Health.

Resources

Critical Risk Maturity Improvement Roadmap

Date: 20 Dec 2021

This framework has been developed as a tool to promote conversations and help agencies identify where they are currently, and what they should focus on next, in terms of improving their maturity of critical risk management.
The guided questions can be applied to individual critical risks or to a critical risk programme as a whole.

Critical Risks at Te Papa Atawhai (Department of Conservation)

Date: 20 Dec 2021

In this case study, Chief Executive Lou Sanson talks about Te Papa Atawhai’s critical risk programme and areas of focus for 2020/21.