The Risk of Using Risk Matrices

Thomas, Philip; Bratvold, Reidar Brumer; Bickel, J. Eric

doi:10.2118/166269-pa

Cited by 54 publications

(29 citation statements)

References 38 publications

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“…Nonetheless, there are still some advantages to using the risk matrix as a tool in assessing risks. A risk matrix helps illustrate risk scores in a table and prioritize risks through the use of colored cells, and there may be no need for expertise to use this tool (Cox, ; Thomas, Bratvold, & Bickel, ). These features make the risk matrices the commonly used tool to assess risks in hospitals.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A Review of Risk Matrices Used in Acute Hospitals in England

2018

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In healthcare, patient safety has received substantial attention and, in turn, a number of approaches to managing safety have been adopted from other high-risk industries. One of these has been risk assessment, predominantly through the use of risk matrices. However, while other industries have criticized the design and use of these risk matrices, the applicability of such criticism has not been investigated formally in healthcare. This study examines risk matrices as used in acute hospitals in England and the guidance provided for their use. It investigates the applicability of criticisms of risk matrices from outside healthcare through a document analysis of the risk assessment policies, procedures, and strategies used in English hospitals. The findings reveal that there is a large variety of risk matrices used, where the design of some might increase the chance of risk misprioritization. Additionally, findings show that hospitals may provide insufficient guidance on how to use risk matrices as well as what to do in response to the existing criticisms of risk matrices. Consequently, this is likely to lead to variation in the quality of risk assessment and in the subsequent deployment of resources to manage the assessed risk. Finally, the article outlines ways in which hospitals could use risk matrices more effectively.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A Review of Risk Matrices Used in Acute Hospitals in England

2018

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“…In the following sections some of the challenges with application of risk matrices for geohazard assessment are explored. Many of these challenges are expected to hold true for the assessment and management of other types of threats, and Oboni and Oboni (2013) and Thomas et al (2014) provide useful discussions on these matters.…”

Section: Challenges With Use Of Risk Matrices For Geohazard Assessmentmentioning

confidence: 99%

Challenges with use of risk matrices for geohazard risk management for resource development projects

Porter¹,

Lato²,

Quinn³

et al. 2019

Proceedings of the First International Conference on Mining Geomechanical Risk

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Geohazards comprise a subgroup of natural hazards associated with geotechnical, hydrotechnical, tectonic, snow and ice, and geochemical processes that can pose a threat to worker and public safety, asset integrity, and asset management lifecycle cost. Like for most types of threats, the risks from geohazards can be assessed qualitatively or quantitatively and used to inform a geohazard management program. Most mining companies use risk matrices to aid in the assessment, prioritisation, communication and management of corporate risks. These matrices use standardised descriptions of likelihood and consequence to help users assess risks of negative outcomes to health, safety, the environment, assets, and reputation, and are tailored to each organisation's types of risk exposure and level of risk tolerance. Geohazards and related geotechnical failures can represent low-probability, high-consequence events that plot in the highest risk zones of most corporate risk matrices. Variability in spatial and temporal probabilities for people and infrastructure exposed to geohazards can have a large influence on risk exposure, and this can be challenging to assess and communicate effectively with some risk matrices. Risk is scale-dependent: the business risk due to rockfall from a single slope along a mine access road is vastly different than the total risk due to rockfalls from all slopes along that road, yet guidance is often missing on how the risks from these scenarios should be plotted on a risk matrix. These and other pitfalls associated with use of corporate risk matrices for informed geohazard management are explored.

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“…Risk matrices belong to the set of probability consequence diagrams (PCDS) and are a widely used tool in many industries to rank risks, make decisions whether certain risks can be tolerated, and to prioritize risk reduction efforts . The main benefits attributed to risk matrices are their intuitive appeal and simplicity as no special expertise in quantitative risk assessment is required . A variety of authors have argued that in today's management and policy‐making arena this simplicity is preferred over the perceived complexity of more mathematical expressions such as FN curves .…”

Section: Application To Lng Development In Gladstonementioning

confidence: 99%

Risk Assessment and Risk Governance of Liquefied Natural Gas Development in Gladstone, Australia

Vegt¹

2018

Risk Analysis

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This article is a retrospective analysis of liquefied natural gas development (LNG) in Gladstone, Australia by using the structure of the risk governance framework developed by the International Risk Governance Council (IRGC). Since 2010 the port of Gladstone has undergone extensive expansion to facilitate the increasing coal export as well as the new development of three recently completed LNG facilities. Significant environmental and socio-economic impacts and concerns have occurred as a result of these developments. The overall aim of the article, therefore, is to identify the risk governance deficits that arose and to formulate processes capable of improving similar decision-making problems in the future. The structure of the IRGC framework is followed because it represents a broad analytical approach for considering risk assessment and risk governance in Gladstone in ways that include, but also go beyond, the risk approach of the ISO 31000:2009 standard that was employed at the time. The IRGC risk framework is argued to be a consistent and comprehensive risk governance framework that integrates scientific, economic, social, and cultural aspects and advocates the notion of inclusive risk governance through stakeholder communication and involvement. Key aspects related to risk preassessment, risk appraisal, risk tolerability and acceptability, risk management, and stakeholder communication and involvement are considered. The results indicate that the risk governance deficits include aspects related to (i) the risk matrix methodology, (ii) reflecting uncertainties, (iii) cumulative risks, (iv) the regulatory process, and (v) stakeholder communication and involvement.

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The Risk of Using Risk Matrices

Cited by 54 publications

References 38 publications

A Review of Risk Matrices Used in Acute Hospitals in England

A Review of Risk Matrices Used in Acute Hospitals in England

Challenges with use of risk matrices for geohazard risk management for resource development projects

Risk Assessment and Risk Governance of Liquefied Natural Gas Development in Gladstone, Australia

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