Distance learning Unit (IEM).
Aims: The aim is to advance student understanding of current best practices in the methodologies of risk assessment and management as they apply at policy level e.g. planning issues, and also at the level of individual organisations, and specific processes and substances.
Learning Outcomes:
After successfully completing this unit the students should be able to outline the role of risk management and assessment in environmental management systems, and describe how risk assessment and management methods are employed in EIA, CBA and environmental audit. They should be able to undertake a risk assessment exercise, interpret the results and appropriately manage the identified risks. To this end, the students will acquire a detailed understanding of the various analytical techniques that can be used to assess risk, and identify the role that these techniques play in managing risk.
Skills:
The extended essay assignment helps to prepare the students' writing skills for their dissertation.
Content:
Risk management: government policy and guidelines; risk management through planning control; links to EIA; risk management techniques at the company/organisational level; risk assessment techniques for identifying significant aspects, links to ISO 14001 and EMS; technological risk; process and substance risk assessment; risk/impact pathways; analytical techniques for risk assessment, links to CBA; definitions of risk/uncertainty; descriptive statistics; probability and probability distribution; confidence intervals; decision analysis; scenario analysis and simulation methods; multi-attribute decision criteria; social risk management/risk perception; insurance.
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