Skip to Content

Risk Management Principles

Unit code: HES6721

Credit points12.5 Credit Points
Duration

1 Semester
Contact hoursEquivalent to 36 hrs contact time or 150 hrs total study time
CampusOff-Campus
Prerequisites
PG: Nil
UG: 250 CP
Corequisites

Aims and objectives

  • Developing an awareness of fundamental principles related to loss prevention and a basic understanding of functional management concepts and processes
  • Understanding practical applications concerning the effective management of risks
  • Building an awareness of the legal structures and processes within Australia
  • Developing basic understanding of health and safety law and related legal obligations.

Teaching methods

Distance Education via Email and Blackboard

Assessment

4 Assignments (worth 100%)

Generic skills outcomes

 On successful completion of this unit the student should have the:
  • Ability to apply knowledge of basic engineering management fundamentals. 
  • Ability to communicate effectively, not only with engineers but also with the community at large.
  • In-depth technical competence in at least one engineering discipline. 
  • Ability to understand problem identification, formulation and solution. 
  • Ability to utilise a systems approach to design and operational performance. 
  • Ability to function effectively as an individual in a project team and have the capacity to be a leader or manager as well as an effective team member. 
  • Understanding of the social, cultural, global and environmental responsibilities of the professional engineer, and the need for sustainable development. 
  • Understanding of professional and ethical responsibilities and have a commitment to uphold these responsibilities.
  • Expectation of the need to undertake lifelong learning, and capacity to do so.

Content

Risk management systems:
(a) organisational and national structures, crisis management systems, and
      assessment of organisation effectiveness, functional management;
(b) concepts and definitions of risk control, organisational and risk management
      objectives, risk evaluation and decision analysis techniques, the balance
      between risk, benefits and costs,
(c) overview of risk management models: process model; assets, vulnerability,
      exposure and threats model, functions and activities model, prevention of
      property and production loss,
(d) personal and small-group risk evaluation principles,
(e) forecasting techniques and trend diagrams.
 
Overview of legal issues:
(a) common law principles in the areas of occupation, public and product health
      and safety, duty and standard of care, tests of negligence,
(b) development of health and safety law and doctrines: common employment,
      contributory negligence and voluntary assumption of risk,
(c) legal relationships involving employers, employees, manufacturers and
      suppliers, service; providers, consumers and occupiers,
(d) the role of Australian Federal and State governments in health and safety
      legislation. Overview of specific legislation including the Victorian OH&S Act,
      Dangerous Goods Act and Accident Compensation Act, Occupier's Liability
      Act, and Trade Practices Act,
(e) the role and standing of codes of practice and standards. Legal implications
      of product guarantees, warranties and usage information; Application of
      Australia / New Zealand ISO Standard on Risk Management – Principles and
      guidelines AS/NZS ISO 31000:2009,
(f)  the role of an expert witness.

Reading materials

Samson, D (ed.), Management for Engineers, Longman Cheshire, Melbourne, 1995.

Text books

Selected papers and study notes

References

Samson, D (ed.), Management for Engineers, Longman Cheshire, Melbourne, 1995.