Implementing an Effective Risk Management Program

The Guiding Principles of Risk Management (RM)

A. Integrate RM into all phases of missions and operations. Effective RM requires that the process be integrated into all phases of mission or operational planning, preparation, execution, and recovery on a continuing basis. It is much more cost effective to plan up front during building construction and renovation to imbed safety, fire and environmental protection systems than to retro-fit after the fact.

B. Make risk decisions at the appropriate level. As a decision-making tool, RM is only effective when the information is concentrated on the appropriate supervisory level for decision. The higher the risk, the higher the management level of who should make the decision to accept a risk or not. Often this will require the decision to apply resources, whether manpower, dollars or both, to mitigate risks to an acceptable level so the management decision-making level must be where the purse strings are controlled.

C. Accept no unnecessary risk. Accept no level of risk unless the potential gain or benefit outweighs the potential loss. RM is a decision-making tool to assist the supervisor or individual in identifying, assessing, and controlling risks in order to make informed decisions that balance risk costs (potential losses) against mission benefits (potential gains). An unnecessary risk is one that if not taken, you can still accomplish the mission. For example, an employee forgets or refuses to use eye protection during grinding operations. The risk is painful damage to eyes, maybe even loss of sight, yet the grinding can be successfully accomplished without risk of eye injury, simply by using eye protection.

D. Apply the process cyclically and continuously. RM is a continuous process applied across the full spectrum of museum and research