WA Emergency Risk Management Local Government Handbook€¦ · WESTERN AUSTRALIAN EMERGENCY RISK MANAGEMENT LOCAL GOVERNMENT HANDBOOK 2017 • PAGE 4 WESTERN AUSTRALIAN EMERGENCY

WA Emergency Risk Management Local Government Handbook

WESTERN AUSTRALIAN EMERGENCY RISK MANAGEMENT LOCAL GOVERNMENT HANDBOOK 2017 • PAGE 2

This document contains Standards Australia Ltd and ISO copyrighted material that is distributed by SAI Global on Standards Australia Ltd and ISO’s behalf. It may be reproduced in accordance with the terms of SAI Global Ltd’s Licence 1411-c083 to the Commonwealth of Australia (“the Licensee”).

All licensed copies of this document must be obtained from the Licensee. Standards Australia Ltd and ISO’s material is not for resale, reproduction or distribution in whole or in part without written permission from SAI Global Ltd: tel + 61 2 8206 6355 or [email protected].

The State Emergency Management Committee’s (SEMC) State Risk Project is an initiative of the State Government of Western Australia and is joint funded under the Commonwealth Government’s National Partnership Agreement on Natural Disaster Resilience.

Disclaimer:

The information contained in this handbook is provided by the SEMC voluntarily as a public service.

This handbook has been prepared in good faith and is derived from sources believed to be reliable and accurate at the time of publication. Nevertheless, the reliability and accuracy of the information cannot be guaranteed and the SEMC expressly disclaims liability for any act or omission done or not done in reliance on the information and for any consequences, whether direct or indirect, arising from such act or omission.

This handbook is intended to be a guide only and readers should obtain their own independent advice and make their own necessary inquiries.

Images:

Front cover image: Walpole Family – courtesy of Bjørn Christian Tørrissen (http://bjornfree.com).

Page 4: Tropical Cyclone Billy December 2008 - courtesy of NASA.

Back cover image: New growth in the Pilbara – courtesy of Elly Lukale.

Version: Date: Approved by: Comments:1.0 May 2017 Dr Heather Taylor This handbook is a revised

version of the WA ERM Guide 2015, specifically designed to assist Local Governments in undertaking their risk assessment process.

1.1 October 2018 Dr Grant Wilson Updated website and contact information.

WESTERN AUSTRALIAN EMERGENCY RISK MANAGEMENT LOCAL GOVERNMENT HANDBOOK 2017 • PAGE 2 WESTERN AUSTRALIAN EMERGENCY RISK MANAGEMENT LOCAL GOVERNMENT HANDBOOK 2017 • PAGE 3

Table of Contents

Chapter 1. Introduction ............................................................................................................ 5 Emergency risk management ......................................................................................... 6 Risk management principles .......................................................................................... 6 Risk management framework ......................................................................................... 7 Risk management process ............................................................................................. 8 ERM in practice .............................................................................................................. 9

Chapter 2. Establish the context............................................................................................ 12 Identify important and vulnerable elements in the community ..................................... 12 Project plan .................................................................................................................. 13

Chapter 3. Risk identification part 1: hazards and scenarios ................................................ 15 Hazard identification ..................................................................................................... 15 Scenario development .................................................................................................. 17 Determining the scenario probability ............................................................................ 19

Chapter 4. Risk identification part 2: risk statements ............................................................ 21 Risk statement tree ...................................................................................................... 21 Risk statement structure .............................................................................................. 22 Frequently asked questions ......................................................................................... 23

Chapter 5. Risk analysis part 1.............................................................................................. 25 Assign a consequence level ......................................................................................... 25 Assign a likelihood level ............................................................................................... 28 Assign a confidence level ............................................................................................. 29 Risk level ...................................................................................................................... 30 Priority level .................................................................................................................. 31

Chapter 6. Risk analysis part 2: risk assessment workshop ................................................. 32 Workshop essentials .................................................................................................... 32 Organise a workshop ................................................................................................... 33 Before the workshop .................................................................................................... 35 During a workshop ....................................................................................................... 36 Facilitation tips and techniques .................................................................................... 37 Frequently asked questions ......................................................................................... 37

Chapter 7. Risk evaluation .................................................................................................... 39 Addressing priority risks ............................................................................................... 39 Further analysis ............................................................................................................ 40 Update risk register ...................................................................................................... 41

Chapter 8. Risk Treatment..................................................................................................... 42 Who should treat the risk? ............................................................................................ 42 Identify treatment options ............................................................................................. 42

Chapter 9. Monitoring and review.......................................................................................... 45 The scope ..................................................................................................................... 45 The risks ....................................................................................................................... 46 The risk treatment strategies ........................................................................................ 47 Record all results and modifications ............................................................................. 47

Chapter 10. Definitions .......................................................................................................... 48

Chapter 11. References ......................................................................................................... 49

Appendices ............................................................................................................................ 50 Appendix A. Prescribed hazards .................................................................................. 51 Appendix B. Toolbox ..................................................................................................... 52 Appendix C. Risk priority .............................................................................................. 54



INTRODUCTION

Chapter 1. IntroductionWestern Australia (WA) stretches nearly 2,500 km from north to south, a distance spanning 23 degrees of latitude. This spread encompasses several climatic zones from tropical in the far north, moving through grassland, desert, subtropical and on to temperate regions in the south west. On a global scale, such broad climatic variation and diversity for a state is rare.

With WA covering nearly one-third of the Australian continent, the size, remoteness and diversity presents a broad range of challenges for emergency management.

In addition to the infrequent threat from earthquakes and tsunamis, destructive storms, floods, cyclones and bushfires are significant seasonal hazards faced by the state each year to varying degrees.

WA is also exposed to a range of man-made hazards such as chemical and oil spills (on-shore and off-shore), major rail, road and air crashes, and energy supply disruptions. The state’s ongoing population expansion and its developing natural resource-based economy, further increase exposure to these risks.

In recent years WA has experienced a range of emergencies that have resulted in loss of life and damage to private and public property. Several of these emergency events including flood, fire, cyclone, storm, human epidemic and marine transport emergency have required a state-level response. There have also been many regional and local emergencies.

These events have caused significant social and economic costs. The state aims to reduce these costs by employing Emergency Risk Management (ERM). This process seeks to identify, analyse, evaluate and treat sources of risk prior to, during and after an emergency event.

This handbook offers assistance to those seeking to undertake ERM. It is primarily intended for use by local authorities, to facilitate the risk management process and development of ERM plans. It aligns with the 2015 National Emergency Risk Assessment Guidelines (NERAG) but has been adapted to the Western Australian context.

As stated in State Emergency Management Policy Statement 3.2.6, ERM planning must be undertaken in accordance with the SEMC’s WA ERM Guidelines and State EM Prevention Procedure 1. The ERM plans are to be developed and maintained by the local government (LG), for hazards relevant to their locality, and led and administered by the local government and Local Emergency Management Committee (LEMC).

Ch 1


Emergency risk managementEmergency Risk Management (ERM) is defined as ‘a systematic process which contributes to the wellbeing of communities and the environment. The process considers the likely effects of hazardous events and the controls by which they can be minimised’1. ERM is composed of three distinct elements (Figure 1), the risk management principles, framework and process, as outlined in the 2015 National Emergency Risk Assessment Guidelines (NERAG).

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Risk management principlesRisk management principles underpin the mindset needed by organisations to conduct effective ERM and outlines the manner in which to undertake the process. In order to be effective, ERM should follow 11 key principles (Figure 2).

Create and protect value

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Establish the context

Risk identification

Risk analysis

Risk evaluation

Risk treatment

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Based on the best available information

Transparent and inclusive

Facilitates continual improvement

Dynamic, continuous, and responsive to change

Take human and cultural factors into account

Tailored

Systematic, structured and timely

Explicitly address uncertainty

Part of decision making

Integral part of organisational processes


Risk management process

Mandate & Commitment

Design of framework for managing risk

Conti

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Implementing risk management

Risk management frameworkRisk management principles

Figure 1: Principles, framework and process for emergency risk management, as described by AS/NZS ISO 31000:2009.2

1 Source: Australian Government Attorney-General’s Department, accessed under Creative Commons BY licence. 2 Adapted from AS/NZS ISO 31000 – Reproduced under SAI Global copyright Licence 1411-c083.


INTRODUCTION

Ch 1

Figure 2: Eleven principles of the ERM process.3

Risk management frameworkThe risk management framework (Figure 1) is the overarching governance arrangement that ensures risk information is reported and used in decision making. For this to be effective, all parties must be committed to its success from the beginning, through established communication pathways and commitment by leadership.

The main components of the framework include:

• Mandate and commitment: Demonstrated support for the process by leadership (e.g. executives, managers). This is essential for the process to be successful.

• Framework design: Established structures that will keep the process on track. Things to consider include:

- responsibility for integrating risk management into the organisation

- internal and external communication and reporting lines

- accountability measures.

• Implementation: Implementation of the framework and the risk management process.

• Monitoring, review and improvement cycle: Ensuring the framework (organisational structures and commitment) is efficient and improving over time.

It is unlikely that each of these components will be discrete as shown here. Existing organisational measures may aid the process; but the need for commitment by leadership as well as appropriate reporting structures cannot be underestimated. The ERM process may produce results, but it could be that the results are not taken up by decision makers because the appropriate reporting structures were not put in place first.

ERM contributes to the development and implementation of strategies that improve a government’s, organisation’s or community’s capabilities.

ERM is a dynamic process. Hazards and emergencies will change with time. Ongoing reviews identify any change in risk.

Stakeholders and particularly decisions-makers should be involved throughout the process. The justifications for any decisions should be made clear.

ERM takes into consideration the capabilities, perceptions and intentions of people involved.

ERM is adapted to fit the context of the situation.

ERM is based on current information from a broad range of sources and acknowledges gaps in information.

ERM needs to be systematic and structured in order to generate consistent, reliable and comparable results and to do so in a reasonable timeframe.

ERM acknowledges that uncertainty is a natural part of the process, as the future cannot be known.

ERM supports decision-making and informs prioritisation of risk reduction activities.

ERM is a normal part of an organisation’s, government’s or community’s operations.

Ensure the wellbeing and sustainability of human health, environment, economy, public administration and social setting of a community.

Based on the best available information

Transparent and inclusive

Facilitates continual improvement

Dynamic, continuous, and responsive to change

Take human and cultural factors into account

Tailored

Systematic, structured and timely

Explicitly address uncertainty

Part of decision making

Integral part of organisational processes


3 Adapted from AS/NZS ISO 31000 – Reproduced under SAI Global copyright Licence 1411-c083.


Ch 1

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Risk management processThe risk management process is the actions which are undertaken to look at the actual risks facing a community. It involves five main phases (Figure 3):

1. Establish the context: Allows stakeholders to agree on the overall objectives and the scope within which they will operate. It defines the community environment and any potential issues that may affect the ERM process.

2. Risk identification: Identifies and describes the nature of the hazards, the vulnerabilities of the community and identifies the potential risks the community is facing.

3. Risk analysis: Examines the risk(s), considering their likelihood and consequence(s) and assigns levels of risk and priority.

4. Risk evaluation: Compares the risks with the set evaluation criteria and decides which risks require treatment.

5. Risk treatment: Selects and implements appropriate treatments to deal with risks.

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Each phase is supported by two ongoing activities:

(1) Communication and consultation: Aims to ensure two-way communication with internal and external stakeholders throughout the process.

(2) Monitoring and review: Allows for ongoing improvement of the process.

Within each phase, a number of steps should be completed. This handbook will walk you through each of these steps in the following chapters.

Figure 3: ERM Process.4



Ch 1ERM in practiceWith an understanding of the foundations of ERM and support for the process to succeed, the next step is to practically carry out the process.

In WA, experience has shown that a workshop environment, with relevant stakeholders in attendance, is the most effective format for risk assessments. It gives stakeholders the opportunity to openly exchange knowledge and information and to build a comprehensive understanding of the risks posed to a community. Exchange of information is essential for the assessment as many things are linked to each other. For example, health professionals may require information about road access to assess the risks to the health of the residents in the area. This information about road access may need to be provided by other stakeholders such as Main Roads or local government.

The ERM process is therefore explained in this handbook in terms of what needs to be done before, during and after the risk assessment workshop. The main steps are shown in Figure 4.

ToolboxA series of tools are available to assist with the process and can be found on the State Emergency Management Committee (SEMC) website (semc.wa.gov.au/state-risk-project/risk-tools/risk-toolbox). The online Toolbox includes materials, presentations, templates, hazard videos, the Western Australian Risk Register Tool, criteria tables and more to help throughout the ERM process.

Where an item in the Toolbox is available to assist, you will see this symbol:

For a full list of tools and materials, and what they can be used for, please see Appendix B.

Before the workshopSix key steps need be undertaken before a risk assessment workshop. Each step is described in further detail throughout the handbook. The six steps, and where you can find more information, are:

1. Create a project plan (Chapter 2)

2. Identify hazards for assessment (Chapter 3)

3. Develop the credible worst-case scenario, including AEP (Chapter 3)

4. Write risk statements (Chapter 4)

5. Organise workshop logistics e.g. venue, catering, timings etc. (Chapter 6)

6. Create workshop participant list, and invite them (Chapter 2)

During the workshopDuring the workshop, participants will be introduced to the ERM process, the chosen hazard and the scenario that the assessment will be based on. Following this, they will collectively analyse the risks posed by the scenario to different aspects; such as the economy or health of people. The end result of each workshop is a completed risk register for that particular hazard event.

INTRODUCTION

http://semc.wa.gov.au/state-risk-project/risk-tools/risk-toolbox

http://semc.wa.gov.au/state-risk-project/risk-tools/risk-toolbox


Ch 1 Throughout the workshop it is important to encourage discussion to reach fair and valuable conclusions. To do so, it is essential that all participants have a shared understanding of what is expected from the beginning. As your participants will come from a variety of backgrounds and have experience in different fields, presenting information about the hazard and its potential impacts will help everyone to be on the same page.

It is often beneficial if these presentations are given by either the facilitator or a stakeholder such as a hazard management agency (HMA) representative for the hazard being assessed as they are likely to contribute specialist knowledge. Appendix A contains a list of the HMAs for all 27 prescribed hazards.

For a detailed description of how to run a workshop, please see Chapter 6.

After the workshopOnce the risk results are collected, three key steps should be completed. Each step is described in further detail in this handbook. The three steps, and where you can find more information, are:

1. Risk evaluation (Chapter 7)

2. Risk treatment (Chapter 8)

3. Monitoring and review (Chapter 9)

Document OutputsOn completion of the risk assessment, the following documents, compliant with NERAG 2015 and the WA ERM Guide, should be produced:

• a risk register - can be completed using the WA Risk Register Tool available for download in the online Toolbox.

• Local Level Risk Assessment Summary document - should detail the hazards assessed, scenarios used, workshop attendance and identified risks prioritised with preliminary treatment strategy suggestions. A template for this document is also available online.

These two documents make up the ERM plan. This will fulfil local government’s requirements to contribute to the development and maintenance of an ERM plan for hazards relevant to their area as stipulated under State EM Prevention Procedure 1 – Emergency Risk Management Planning. The ERM plan should be tabled at the LEMC and then at the District Emergency Management Committee (DEMC) for comment from HMAs and other contributors to inform treatment strategies, with the aim of reducing risks and increasing community safety.

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Venue

Catering

Timings etc.


Vulnerabilities and impacts

Scenario

Create project plan (chapter 2)

Choose priority hazards (chapter 3)

Develop scenarios (chapter 3)

AEP

Write risk statements (chapter 4)

Organise and develop presentations (chapter 6)

Workshop logistics (chapter 6)

Send invitations to participants (chapter 6)

- A completed risk register

- A Local Level Risk Assessment Summary document

OUTPUTS:

W O R K S H O P

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Evaluate the risk (chapter 7)

Treat the risk (chapter 8)

Monitor and review the risk (chapter 9)

Figure 4: Main steps required before, during and after the workshop.

Ch 1

INTRODUCTION


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Ch 2 Chapter 2. Establish the contextEstablishing the context is the first phase of the ERM process (Figure 5) and is fundamental to allow stakeholders to agree on a common understanding of objectives and the scope within which they will operate. This includes identifying important and vulnerable elements in the community that will influence the risk assessment and creating a project plan, which is explained below.

Identify important and vulnerable elements in the communityTo help set the context, it is essential to identify elements within your area which are important to the community and those that could be vulnerable to impacts by hazards. To help with identifying these elements, the community can be divided into five key areas: people, economy, public administration, social setting and environment.These same areas are also the focus of the risk assessment process and are included in the WA State core objectives. Figure 6 includes some elements/aspects that you may want to consider when establishing the context.

You should also consider other aspects that may fall outside of these areas such as single points of failure or reliance on infrastructure and services outside of your control etc.

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• Flora• Fauna• Conservation areas• Bodies of water• Areas highly valued by the

community

• Schools/educational facilities• Hospitals and health centres• Aged care facilities• Community centres• Heritage buildings

• Emergency services• Government services• Non-government services• Utility providers• Service providers

• Important industries• Local businesses• Transport networks• Utilities infrastructure• Shopping centres• Tourism

• Population (including seasonal populations)

• Location of people• Demographics• Vulnerable people (elderly, children,

those with disabilities)

People Economy Public Administration

Social Setting Environment

Figure 6: Elements of the community that you may consider when establishing the context, described under the five key impact areas.

Ch 2

Project planA project plan is helpful to assist in structuring the project and ensuring everyone involved understands their roles and responsibilities.

The main features to be included in the project plan are:

Project objectives and scopeA critical objective of the ERM process would be to fulfil the legislative requirements in State EM Policy – Part 3 Prevention. In addition, the most important objective should be to improve community safety and wellbeing. For example, an objective could be ‘To conduct a risk assessment of the Shire of XXX following the WA ERM guidelines for five priority hazards considering impacts to people, economy, public administration, environment and social setting. Other objectives may be for the local government to be aware of its risk profile and to have it documented.

The scope of the project describes what will be included and excluded from the assessment. Using the example above, the scope would be limited to looking at: (1) the risks in the Shire of XXX only; (2) five hazards; and (3) how these hazards impact the five impact areas.

Working teamWork that needs to be carried out is outlined in the following chapters and includes: developing the hazard scenario(s) and risk statements, organising workshop logistics, facilitating the workshops, analysing the results and reporting. You will need to determine who will undertake this – whether one person does all the work or if multiple people contribute. For instance, it is recommended that two people run a risk assessment workshop – one facilitator and one data entry person, who will enter the data into the WA Risk Register Tool (see page 37 for more detail).

ESTABLISH THE CONTEXT


Ch 2 Timeframe and communication strategyDevelop a realistic timeframe to undertake all aspects of the ERM process and decide when the risk assessment workshops will take place. For example, workshops could be run in one block, once every month or once every quarter after an LEMC meeting.

Communication is vital throughout the ERM process to ensure everyone involved is kept well informed and invited to contribute during each stage of the process. It can be extremely beneficial to leverage off existing communication pathways within your own organisation. Within the communication strategy determine how it will take place and how frequently it will occur. You could also consider how you will distribute and communicate the findings of the risk assessment with the broader community once complete.

Identify key stakeholdersEstablish who your key stakeholders are and ensure they are involved and informed throughout the process.

Key stakeholders can be those who:

(1) may be affected by the impacts of an emergency event,(2) may contribute specialist knowledge to the process,(3) have jurisdictional authority for the specific hazards and/or elements at risk.

Stakeholders that you may consider inviting to the risk assessment workshop could include:

• Aboriginal Communities • Culturally and Linguistically diverse (CaLD) communities• Department of Aboriginal Affairs• Department of Agriculture and Food WA• Department of Education• Department of Fire and Emergency Services• Department of Health (WA Country Health Services)• Department of Parks and Wildlife• Department for Child Protection and Family Support• Industry representatives• LEMC members• Local government staff• Local recovery coordinator• Main Roads WA• Regional Development Commissions• Representation for vulnerable persons (e.g. aged-care, disability services)• Social service providers (e.g. Silver Chain, Meals on Wheels)• St John Ambulance• State Emergency Service• Utility providers (e.g. Horizon Power, Western Power, Atco Gas, Alinta)• Volunteer organisations• WA Police• Water Corporation

!The importance of involving senior management in the project cannot be underestimated. They will be the ones to make the final budgetary decisions about what to treat and when, so it is vital they understand where the information is coming from.

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Ch 3

RISK IDENTIFICATION PART 1: HAZARDS AND SCENARIOS

Chapter 3. Risk identification part 1: hazards and scenariosRisk occurs where a hazard (e.g. bushfire, cyclone) impacts vulnerable elements of the community, creating an emergency event. The aim of risk identification is to generate a comprehensive list of risks based on the sources of risk (hazard) and their potential consequences (Figure 7).

In the next two chapters you will identify risk by:

• Describing in detail, the hazards that could affect your area of assessment (hazard scenarios).

• Considering elements of the community that could be impacted by those hazards (risk statements).

It is important to consider both existing and new risks that may present as your community (or LGA) grows.

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Hazard identificationFirstly, select which hazards will be assessed in the workshop(s). A list of hazards prescribed in EM legislation is provided on the SEMC website to assist you in this. While there may be other hazardous issues in your LGA, the hazards to be considered in this risk assessment process should be confined to the 27 hazards listed in Figure 8.



When choosing your hazards, consideration should be given to the overall risk of a hazard. This means the potential consequences of a hazard should be considered as well as its likelihood.

Risk = Consequence x Likelihood

To assist the identification of hazards for assessment, the SEMC website has a selection of videos and fact sheets which describe the potential impacts of each hazard. Remember is it important to select hazards which would require a significant, coordinated, multiagency response, beyond the normal day-to-day business of response agencies.

It is also important to consider the full range of potential impacts from a hazard. The risk assessment process divides these impacts into five impact areas (Figure 9). Different hazards will impact each area to varying degrees. For example, an outbreak of an animal or plant disease is likely to have a significant impact on the economy but may have little impact on the environment, while a HAZMAT incident may have a greater impact on the environment than the economy.

Figure 8: The 27 hazards.

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Ch 3

Other Substance (HAZMAT)

Chemical Substance

Flood

Collapse (cliff/landform and building)

Earthquake

Gas Supply Disruption

Biological Substance

Radiological Substance

Heatwave

Marine Oil Pollution

Radiation: Nuclear Powered Warships

Rail Crash

Road Crash

Space Re-entry Debris

Storm

Terrorism

Human Epidemic Tsunami

Marine Transport Emergency

Air Crash

Animal or Plant: Pests or Diseases

Cyclone

Electricity Supply Disruption

Fire (Bushfire and Structural)

Land Search

Liquid Fuel Supply Disruption

Marine Search


Ch 3

In addition, consider the amount of time required to undertake the risk assessment process. While it may be desirable to understand the risks posed by all hazards present in the local area, it may be impractical to assess them all. For this reason it is suggested that you consider five hazards in your area which are likely to pose the maximum risk (consequence and likelihood).

Scenario developmentNow that you have chosen the hazards you will look at, you will need to develop scenarios for each hazard. Hazard scenarios are used in the risk assessment process to ensure all workshop participants have a common understanding of the potential impacts. As there are a multitude of events that could occur, a scenario is very useful to keep the discussion and participants focused and on the same page. A credible worst-case scenario should be used to keep your assessments consistent; and more importantly, because any planning and risk reduction activities undertaken for the largest event will more than likely address issues that arise from smaller, more frequent events.

People:Impacts on the physical

health of individuals

Public Administration:

Impacts of the emergency on the

governing body’s ability to govern

Social Setting:Impacts on the whole community, its daily

functioning and social aspects such as culture

and community resilience

Economy:Impacts to the economy, the

governing bodies and industry sectors

Environment:Impacts on the

ecosystem of the area, including flora and fauna

Figure 9: Five impact areas outlined in NERAG 2015.

!It may be helpful to review the catastrophic column of your consequence table to determine the scale of a worst-case scenario for your LG. See Chapter 5 for more information on consequence tables. A consequence table customised for your local government can be found in the online Toolbox.



Ch 3There are a few helpful things to have in mind when developing the scenario. A good starting point is to consider historical events that have occurred in the area or State and adapt it to your local area (and potentially make it bigger). Another useful tip is to use the consequence table (Table 1) tailored to your population and gross area product and aim to produce an event that may have catastrophic impacts across a few (or all) of the five impact areas. Be sure to think big and imagine a situation that makes you scared. Often there have been close calls in the past, or statements such as ‘if it had gone that way, it would have been all over’. These are the types of scenarios you want to consider.

District scenarios are also available in the online Toolbox that can be adapted to your local area. Figure 10 is an example of an available district scenario. It includes an overview of a district scenario and provides suggestions about which components should be changed to suit the local context. Where a scenario for your chosen hazard is not available at the district level, you will need to develop one. Work with your District Advisor to ensure the developed scenario represents the worst-case for your local area.

The key aspects of a scenario are:

• an event large enough to require a multi-agency response

• a timeline of events

• specified time of day and year (which may affect those exposed and resource availability)

• location of event and impacted parts of the community

• a credible Annual Exceedance Probability (AEP) (see page 19)

• anticipated high level impacts.

To assist in the creation of scenarios for your local area, a hazard scenario template is available in the online Toolbox. If you fill out this template, you should cover off on all the information you need. Keep in mind that, whenever possible, scenarios should be developed in conjunction with experts and stakeholders who have an understanding of the hazard(s). Individuals representing the HMA, critical infrastructure providers, health services and local government can be helpful.

A scenario presentation should be created to provide workshop participants with a timeline of events. You can include these slides in the main workshop presentation (template in the online Toolbox).

An additional benefit of developing scenarios for your LG is that they can be used for future exercises and other activities.

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!Maps summarising the scenario can be helpful during the assessment workshop.


Ch 3

Determining the scenario probabilityA key aspect of developing a scenario and assessing risk is determining the probability of the scenario occurring. For example, bushfires occur every year, but how often does one of this scale occur? Also, to properly compare the risks of different hazards, the probability of each event needs to be known. For instance, an earthquake may be very damaging but is unlikely to occur very often (0.005% chance per year); while a serious bushfire may occur more often (2% chance per year).

The probability is best described using the annual exceedance probability (AEP). The AEP is the probability of the scenario occurring in any given year. The AEP can be difficult to determine and is typically determined by comparison to other similar hazard occurrences, scientific research or by expert judgment based on scientific knowledge. It is written as a percentage, e.g. a 1% chance of occurrence in any given year.

Your District Advisor will be able to advise you on which AEPs can be adopted directly from the district scenarios and which will require further consideration. For example, a bushfire scenario is dependent on a range of localised factors such as fuel load and proximity of bushland to communities; therefore you cannot use the district AEP for bushfire. On the other hand, the widespread nature of storms means that the district storm scenario and its AEP can be adopted for LGs.

Figure 10: Sample district scenario development sheet.



Ch 3

You may be familiar with looking at the scenario probability as the Average Recurrence Interval (ARI) - the average period of time (in years) between the occurrence of events of the same size. The ARI can be converted to an AEP using the WA Risk Register Tool.

The outputs from this chapter should be:

• A detailed description of the hazard scenario.

• Determination of the AEP for the scenario.

!If looking at more than one scenario (e.g. flood and bushfire), you will need an AEP for each. Also remember to consider how often a scenario of that size happens (i.e. not just bushfires or floods in general).

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AEP or the annual exceedance probability is the probability of the scenario occurring in a given year.


Chapter 4. Risk identification part 2: risk statementsHaving developed a worst-case scenario, the next step is to write ‘risk statements’ that describe the scenario’s potential impacts.

Risk statements are single sentences that detail the relationship between the hazard scenario and its potential consequences. They should be written for each of the five impact areas (economy, people, public administration, social setting and environment) for each scenario.

These risk statements will be assessed in the workshops and should be written so that they are able to be assessed by the risk criteria in the consequence table (see Table 1 on p27). It would useful to familiarise yourself with the consequence table before writing the statements.

Risk statement treeTo get an idea of what your risk statements should include, begin by creating a risk statement tree for each hazard scenario. The tree should identify different aspects that may be impacted by an emergency event and the impact area within which they sit. Figure 11 includes some examples. You may want to use the elements you identified in Chapter 2 to assist with this.

Figure 11: Fictional example of a risk statement tree used to identify vulnerable aspects of the community that may be impacted by an emergency event.

Environment• flora• fauna• bodies of water• endangered species• etc.

Economy• loss of local business• impact to important industry• damage to transport networks• damage to utilities infrastructure• damage to homes and contents• etc.

Social Setting• closure of schools• availability of essential supplies• damage to heritage buildings• impact to aged care facilities• access to shops• etc.

FLOOD

Public Administration• increased demand on emergency services• will require a recovery effort• impact on government services• impact on non-government services• impact on utilities service provision• etc.

People• death• injury• illness

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Risk statement structureYou will need to write a risk statement for each impact identified in your risk statement tree. Each risk statement should outline:

• The hazard

• The hazard’s action (e.g. will disrupt, damage, impact etc.)

• The area of interest

• Consequences which may result - ensure these can be assessed by the consequence table criteria. Figure 12 includes some recommended risk statement endings that can easily be answered by the criteria.

The general structure for a risk statement, and examples of risk statements are illustrated below (Figure 12). In addition, a generic risk statement database is available in the online Toolbox which provides statements that can be tailored to your specific scenario and community environment.

Remember to ensure that the meaning of a risk statement is clear to everyone and not ambiguous. More specific statements will also help when it comes to looking at potential treatments.

!A template to put your risk statements in for your participants is available in the online Toolbox. Also, be sure to enter them into the WA Risk Register Tool prior to your workshop.

A

HAZARD

bushfire

flood

storm

outbreak of disease

etc.

ACTION

disrupt

impact

result in

affect

cause

etc.

AREA OF

INTEREST

• resulting in financial losses• incurring costs• resulting in repair costs

• impacting their service delivery• impacting their ability to maintain core

services

• impacting community wellbeing• resulting in a loss of cultural significance

• deaths• injuries/illness

Environment does not always follow the same structure as those above. Often, statements this category will end with the area of interest, e.g. a storm will impact the health of wildlife.

ECO

NO

MY

PUBL

IC

ADM

INSO

CIAL

SE

TTIN

GPE

OPL

EEN

VIRO

NM

ENT

A storm will cause damage to bridges and approaches to bridges, resulting in repair costs.

A bushfire will affect power infrastructure, impacting service delivery.

A flood will impact the availability of essential commercial products.

An outbreak of disease will result in death(s).

A marine oil pollution event will cause pollutants to enter marine environments impacting marine ecology.

Examples:

CONSEQUENCE/RECOMMENDED ENDING:

WILL

Figure 12: General structure of a risk statement including fictional examples for clarity.

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Frequently asked questionsHow many risk statements should I write for each hazard?

There should be as many statements as necessary to cover the possible consequences; however, it is recommended that at least 20 statements and no more than 50 statements per hazard scenario is best.

Do I need to write an equal number of risk statements for each impact area?

Not necessarily, as long as you ensure that you have thought about potential consequences in all areas. It is likely that you will have more risk statements in some areas than others, depending on the hazard.

Where does mental health sit?

The effects on mental health are often hard to capture. It is recommended that a serious mental health issue requiring medical intervention that is a direct result of the emergency event is considered as an injury/illness. It can be assessed within the people impact area using the descriptors provided and should be based on the level of medical treatment required. For broader community psychosocial impacts, a statement in the social setting impact area is best. It can be assessed under community wellbeing, as to whether the community has the resources within to support itself, or if external services (e.g. counselling from outside of the LGA) are required.

Can I add statements during the workshop?

Yes. If something comes up during the workshop that does not relate to a specific risk statement, you can simply create a risk statement on the spot to be assessed. This often happens, as those with the expertise at the workshop may identify things that you may not have thought about beforehand.

Can I split statements during the workshop?

Yes. If a risk statement is not specific enough, or you find it covers more than can be assessed, you can split the risk statement up and create new ones during the workshop.

Why do we write ‘will’ impact?

The risk statement is written as if the scenario is taking place. You would assign a consequence as if the risk statement is happening (e.g. the school being damaged by a flood will have a ‘major’ consequence). The likelihood is then used to assess whether it will be damaged or not in the scenario (e.g. the school being damaged by a flood will have a ‘major’ consequence but the likelihood of the school being damaged to this consequence level in this scenario is 40%).

What do response and recovery risk statements cover?

These statements cover any activity that requires response or recovery and are as a direct result of the scenario. There is no timeline on this; all activities undertaken – whether they take one month or two years – should be included. These activities typically to not include repair costs (e.g. roads) as these are covered under a ‘road’ risk statement; but rather programs or additional work hours that result from the event.

What does public administration include?

Public administration can include any governing body, whether this is a government service, non government service, utility provider or health service, etc. It refers to whoever would govern the activity/activities that you are describing.

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Where does infrastructure fit in?

Infrastructure can fit into the economy and public administration impact areas. If you are looking at the dollar value of losing or damaging the infrastructure, you would write a risk statement in economy. If you are looking at the impact to what the infrastructure provides, you would write a risk statement in public administration.

For example, when looking at the impacts to power infrastructure you could write two separate risk statements:

Economy – A storm will impact power infrastructure, incurring costs; e.g. how much will it cost to repair and how much money may be lost as a result of this impact.

Public administration – A storm will impact power infrastructure, impacting the ability to maintain core services; e.g. if power infrastructure is impacted, how might this affect the power company’s ability to supply its services to the community.

What are essential supplies?

Essential supplies cover physiological necessities including water, basic food items (e.g. milk and bread), pharmaceutical medicines, toiletries and fuel.

What are basic commercial products?

Basic commercial products include non-essential items that can be found in supermarkets and retail outlets.

The output from this chapter should be:

• A list of risk statements for each hazard being assessed.

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Ch 5

RISK ANALYSIS PART 1

Chapter 5. Risk analysis part 1Risk analysis is the ‘systematic process to understand the nature of and to deduce the level of risk’7 (Figure 13). The risk statements identified in Chapter 4 can now be analysed by determining their consequence and the likelihood of that consequence. The chosen consequence and likelihood levels are used to assign a risk level using the risk matrix (Table 6).

When assessing risk statements for a hazard scenario, there are five steps to be completed for each risk statement. These are:

1. Assign a consequence level

2. Assign a likelihood level

3. Assign a confidence level

4. Risk level calculation

5. Priority level calculation

Steps 1 to 3 should be completed in a risk assessment workshop. The practical aspects of how to facilitate this process in a workshop are explained in Chapter 6. Once these steps are completed, steps 4 and 5 are automatically completed for you by the WA Risk Register Tool. The five steps are detailed below.

Assign a consequence levelDetermine the consequence of each risk statement using the criteria in the consequence table (Table 1). This table shows how the impacts of an emergency event can be categorised from ‘insignificant’ to ‘catastrophic’ according to the five key impact areas. When assessing the consequence level it is assumed the scenario is occurring.

The consequence table uses scalable descriptions to ensure the level of risk is assessed appropriately. The values in the people and economy impact area descriptions are based on your local government’s population and gross area product. In some cases, where there are small populations, different consequence levels may have the same criteria.

Workshop


Risk identification

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Risk evaluation

Risk treatment

Com

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onsu

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nM

onitor and review




For example, for a population of 15,000, the scaled people criteria for the ‘minor’, ‘moderate’ and ‘major’ consequence levels would be the same, ‘at least 1 death’, because the calculated values are rounded up to the nearest whole number. In such cases, the highest consequence level should be applied, i.e. major in this example. There are additional notes about some of the terms used in the people (injury) and environment categories in Table 2 and Table 3.

When assigning a consequence level to a risk statement during a workshop, it is important that the maximum possible consequence is chosen. This is so any potential treatment strategies take into account the highest consequence. For example, while there could be a small chance of a major consequence for a risk statement and a higher chance of a moderate consequence, the higher consequence needs to be chosen. A helpful approach is to begin on the right hand side of the consequence table (catastrophic level) and work left (decreasing in consequence level) until you find the appropriate consequence.

Some aspects you should consider when assigning a consequence level:

• Most impact areas on the consequence table have sub-categories/dot points. When assigning a consequence level only one of these sub-categories needs to be met for that level to be chosen.

• When deciding the consequence it is important to consider how the existing controls (e.g. fire breaks) may alter the impacts. This is typically done informally during discussions in the workshop.

• The consequence level descriptors are words used to rank the level of consequence and do not necessarily reflect how a community might describe such an event.

!Local Governments can download a consequence table tailored for their area from the SEMC website.

!Within an impact area it is enough to meet only one of the criteria points of the consequence level, not all criteria in each box needs to be met.

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Table 1: Consequence table.9 See Table 2 and 3 for definitions of people and environment impact terms.

Consequence table

Insignificant Minor Moderate Major Catastrophic

People

Mortality Not Applicable At least 1 death in 10,000,000 people

At least 1 death in 1,000,000 people

At least 1 death in 100,000 people

At least 1 death in 10,000 people

Injuries/Illness1 in 1,000,000 people seriously injured or any minor injuries

1 in 10,000,000 people critically injured with long-term or permanent incapacitation or 1 in 1,000,000 people seriously injured

1 in 1,000,000 people critically injured with long-term or permanent incapacitation or 1 in 100,000 people seriously injured

1 in 100,000 people critically injured with long-term or permanent incapacitation or 1 in 10,000 people seriously injured

1 in 10,000 people critically injured with long-term or permanent incapacitation or 1 in 1000 people seriously injured

EconomyLoss in economic activity and/or asset value

Decline of economic activity and/or loss of asset value less than 0.004% of gross area product

Decline of economic activity and/or loss of asset value greater than 0.004% of gross area product



Decline of economic activity and/or loss of asset value greater than 4% of gross area product

Impact on important industry

Inconsequential business sector disruption

Significant industry or business sector is impacted by the emergency event, resulting in short-term (i.e. less than one year) profit reductions

Significant industry or business sector is significantly impacted by the emergency event, resulting in medium-term (i.e. more than one year) profit reductions

Significant structural adjustment required by identified industry to respond and recover from emergency event

Failure of a significant industry or sector

Environment

Loss of species and/or landscapes

No damage to ecosystems at any level

• Minor damage to ecosystem/species of state significance

• Significant damage to ecosystem/species of district/local significance

• Minor damage to ecosystem/species of national significance

• Significant damage to ecosystem/species of state significance

• Severe damage to ecosystem/species of district/local significance

• Significant damage to ecosystem/species of national significance

• Severe damage to ecosystem/species of state significance

• Permanent destruction to ecosystem/species of district/local significance

Permanent destruction to ecosystem/species of national, state and district/local significance

Loss of community environmental value

Inconsequential damage to item of interest

Minor damage to item of interest

Significant damage to item of interest

Severe damage to item of interest

Permanent destruction to item of interest

Public Administration

Governance Functions

Governing bodies’ delivery of core functions is unaffected or within normal parameters

Governing bodies encounter limited reduction in delivery of core functions

• Governing bodies encounter significant reduction in the delivery of core functions

• Governing bodies are required to divert some available resources to deliver core functions or seek external assistance to deliver some of their core functions

• Governing bodies encounter severe reduction in the delivery of core functions

• Governing bodies are required to divert a significant amount of available resources to deliver core functions or seek external assistance to deliver the majority of their core functions

Governing bodies are unable to deliver their core functions

Social Setting

Community wellbeing

• Community social fabric is disrupted

• Existing resources sufficient to return the community to normal function

• No permanent dispersal

• Community social fabric is damaged

• Some external resources required to return the community to normal function

• No permanent dispersal

• Community social fabric is broken

• Significant external resources required to return the community to normal function

• Some permanent dispersal

• Community social fabric is significantly broken

• Extraordinary external resources are required to return the community to functioning effectively

• Significant permanent dispersal

• Community social fabric is irreparably broken

• Community ceases to function effectively, breaks down

• Community disperses in its entirety

Community services

Inconsequential / short term impacts

Isolated / temporary reductions Ongoing reductions Reduced quality of life Community unable to

support itself

Culturally important objects

Minor damage to objects of cultural significance

Damage to objects of identified cultural significance

Damage or localised widespread damage to objects of identified cultural significance

Widespread damage or localised permanent loss of objects of identified cultural significance

Widespread and permanent loss of objects of identified cultural significance

Culturally important activities

Minor delay to a culturally important community event

Delay to or reduced scope of a culturally important community event

Delay to a major culturally important community event

Temporary cancellation or significant delay to a major culturally important community event

Permanent cancellation of a major culturally important community activity

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9 Adapted from National Emergency Risk Assessment Guidelines (NERAG) 2015.


Injury or illness is the non-lethal damage or harm done to a person’s physical or mental capacity as a result of the emergency. The descriptors of injury and illness are based on the level of medical treatment required (Table 2).

Table 2: Injury and illness scale and definitions.10

Assign a likelihood levelThe likelihood has been separated into two parts to assist your workshop participants. They do not need to know how often such a storm occurs, but rather the chance of the impacts. For example, a large storm may occur, but what is the chance that the school will be damaged or the electricity network will be impacted?

The overall likelihood for each risk statement is the combination of the scenario AEP (from Chapter 3) and the likelihood of the consequence assigned within the workshop.

Overall likelihood level = probability of event (AEP) x likelihood of the consequence (%)

For example, if the risk statement has been assessed to have major consequences, you will need to assign the likelihood of a major consequence, using a percentage.

Given the assumption that the scenario is happening, the likelihood level assigned here (in the workshop) is for the assigned consequence level of the risk statement.

Injury severity Description

Fatal Mortally injured, certain to lead to death regardless of available treatments. Counted among deaths, not injuries.

Critical Injuries that pose an immediate life-threatening condition if not treated adequately and quickly.

Serious Injuries requiring a great degree of medical care and use of medical technology such as X-rays or surgery, but not expected to progress to life-threatening status.

Minor Injuries requiring basic medical aid which would require bandages or observation.

Table 3: Environmental damage descriptors.10

Damage level Description

Permanent destruction The permanent loss of a species or ecosystem, or the potential for ongoing impacts leading to permanent loss.

Severe damageThe ecosystem or species requires a major program of interventions and recovery to restore it to health. The asset or species has been or is likely to be permanently altered from its original state by the emergency event.

Significant damage The ecosystem or species requires a diversion of resources to manage their recovery.

Minor damage The ecosystem or species is able to recover fully, with minimal or no intervention.

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These environmental descriptors explain whether the environment will recover and if human intervention is required to assist with this.


When deciding the likelihood as a percentage, choose along the scale from 0-100% (Figure 14) the percentage that you think represents the likelihood of that consequence occurring (given the event is happening). For example:

100% would imply that consequence is definitely going to happen. 50% would imply that consequence may or may not happen.5% would imply that consequence could happen but the likelihood of it happening is very low.

Following your group discussion in the workshop, you can assign any percentage along the scale (e.g. 76%) for your chosen consequence.

Figure 14: Determining likelihood of a risk statement occurring with a specific consequence level.

NERAG likelihood term Overall likelihood level

Almost certain 63% per year or more

Likely 10 - <63% per year

Unlikely 1 - <10% per year

Rare 0.1 - <1% per year

Very rare 0.01 - <0.1% per year

Extremely rare <0.01% per year

Table 4: Likelihood as described in the NERAG 2015.

Ch 5


100%

e.g. 76% likelihood

Not going to happen Will happen

50/50 chance of happening

> 0% 50%

If you have entered the AEP for your scenario in to the WA Risk Register Tool, the overall likelihood calculation is done automatically when you enter the likelihood of the consequence as a percentage. The tool also auto calculates the appropriate NERAG likelihood term (Table 4) for use in the risk matrix (Table 6).

Assign a confidence levelThe confidence level is used to identify the robustness of the assessment. The confidence level table (Table 5) provides descriptions for five confidence levels (‘lowest’ to ‘highest’) based on supporting evidence, expertise and participant agreement during the workshop.

When determining the confidence level, you should take the lowest level from one of the three categories. For instance, there could be strong agreement amongst participants (highest), but no relevant expertise available (low). So the confidence level would be ‘low’.

The confidence level influences the priority given to a statement, not the actual risk level. Statements with limited information (i.e. low confidence) should be looked at first to make sure the risk level assigned is appropriate.


Risk levelThe risk level is determined for each risk statement by combining the consequence level and the overall likelihood using Table 6. If you have entered the consequence, likelihood of the consequence (%) and the scenario probability (AEP) into the WA Risk Register Tool the risk level will be determined automatically.

Table 5: Confidence table.11

Confidence table

Lowest Low Moderate High Highest

Supporting evidence

• No historical events

• No scientific model

• Anecdotal information of historical events

• Scientific model which could be applied with significant modification

• Historical event of similar magnitude in a comparable community of interest

• Relevant scientific model available

• Recent historical event of similar magnitude in a directly comparable community of interest

• Good scientific model available

• Recent historical event of similar magnitude to that being assessed in the community of interest

• Highest quality scientific model

Expertise No expertise is available

Expertise is available

Relevant expertise is used to make decision

Relevant expertise is highly influential in the decision

Relevant and demonstrated expertise available and highly influential in making the decision

Participant agreement

Fundamental disagreement of assessment

Disagreement of major aspects of assessment

Disagreement of minor aspects of assessment

Agreement of assessment

Strong agreement of assessment

Table 6: Risk matrix.12

Consequence level

Likelihood Insignificant Minor Moderate Major Catastrophic

Almost Certain Medium Medium High Extreme Extreme

Likely Low Medium High Extreme Extreme

Unlikely Low Low Medium High Extreme

Rare Very low Low Medium High High

Very Rare Very low Very low Low Medium High

Extremely rare Very low Very low Low Medium High

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11 Adapted from National Emergency Risk Assessment Guidelines (NERAG) 2015.12 Source: Australian Government Attorney-General’s Department, accessed under Creative Commons BY licence.


Priority levelA priority level is used to determine the order in which risks should be addressed for treatment. For ease of use, the WA Risk Register Tool automatically determines the priority level (Table 7) for each risk statement once the consequence, likelihood and confidence have been entered. See Appendix C for more information on the calculation of the priority level.

Priority General descriptor: action pathway

1

Highest priority for further investigation and/or treatment, and the highest authority relevant to context of risk assessment must be formally informed of risks. Each risk must be examined, and any actions of further investigation and/or risk treatment are to be documented, reported to and approved by that highest authority.

2High priority for further investigation and/or treatment, and the highest authority relevant to context of risk assessment should be formally informed of risks. Further investigations and treatment plans should be developed.

3Medium priority for further investigation and/or treatment. Actions regarding investigation and risk treatment should be delegated to appropriate level of organisation, and further investigations and treatment plans may be developed.

4Low priority for further investigation and/or treatment. Actions regarding investigation and risk treatment should be delegated to appropriate level of organisation, and further investigations and treatment plans may be developed.

5 Broadly acceptable risk. No action required beyond monitoring of risk level and priority during monitoring and review phase.

Table 7: Priority levels with suggested actions for each.13

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13 Source: Australian Government Attorney-General’s Department, accessed under Creative Commons BY licence.


Chapter 6. Risk analysis part 2: risk assessment workshopThis chapter contains practical information for use when planning and running a risk assessment workshop.

Workshop essentialsThere are five key aspects to cover in a workshop, these are listed below. In addition to the risk assessment process itself, you will need to ensure that participants have all the knowledge they need to make a proper assessment of risks. As your workshop participants will come from various backgrounds and experiences, it is important that everyone is on the same page regarding the hazard, potential impacts and the scenario. It is often beneficial to have a series of presentations to ensure this is the case. If possible, you could enlist the help of a fellow stakeholder, preferably a HMA representative for the hazard that you will be looking at.

There is an overall workshop presentation powerpoint template in the online toolbox which has example slides for items 2, 3 and 4 below.

1. Establish the hazard context (15 minutes) – This presentation establishes the context of the hazard. What is it, why does it happen, where can it occur, when can it occur, who has roles and responsibilities in the event of an emergency, etc. To help with this, the SEMC has produced a series of hazard videos that can be found on the SEMC website (https://www.semc.wa.gov.au/Pages/HazardVideos.aspx) which you can play for your workshop participants. If a video is not available for the hazard you have chosen, the facilitator may need to present this information, or ask an expert to assist.

2. Vulnerabilities and impacts (15 minutes) – This presentation should highlight the different aspects within the local government area (LGA) that are important to your community, and how they might be impacted. This can link to the vulnerable elements identified in Chapter 2 across the five key impact areas. For example:

• Economy: main industries/sectors in the LGA, monetary figures for contribution to gross area product, location of major hubs, etc.

• People: population of LGA (including distribution), interesting facts about population (e.g. transient nature, etc.)

• Public administration: which services are likely to be disrupted (utilities), critical infrastructure in the LGA (bridges, roads, ports, power stations), etc.

• Social setting: social fabric of the LGA, socioeconomic indicators, remote communities, aboriginal communities, mining communities, etc.

• Environment: National Parks, environmentally sensitive areas, bodies of water, etc.

• Other relevant information.

3. The scenario (10 minutes) – A presentation of the scenario that you have developed that will be used for the assessment (see Chapter 3 for more detail).

4. Risk assessment presentation (10 minutes) – To be presented by the facilitator. This presentation describes the risk assessment process (detailed in Chapter 5) to the workshop participants, including explanation of the consequence, likelihood and confidence.

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https://www.semc.wa.gov.au/Pages/HazardVideos.aspx

https://www.semc.wa.gov.au/Pages/HazardVideos.aspx


!You can find a workshop PowerPoint in the online Toolbox which contains example slides for presentations 2-4.

5. Risk analysis process - Following the presentations, this is the main body of the workshop. It is the collective process where the facilitator leads the participants through the analysis process outlined in Chapter 5, assigning consequence, likelihood and confidence levels to each risk statement.

Once you have decided on your hazard and scenario, identify and liaise with those who will be assisting you on the day. This includes:

• the facilitator you have chosen (whether this is you or someone else);

• presenters of the presentations listed above (if not being presented by the facilitator); and

• a data entry person (see Chapter 2 for more information).

Ensure everyone understands their roles and what needs to be completed prior to the workshop and during the workshop itself.

Organise a workshopNow you have your key personnel involved, there are a number of logistics to organise prior to the workshop to ensure the day goes smoothly and efficiently. To make sure all of these are completed, a checklist can be found in the online Toolbox.

To maximise logistics and state agency representatives times, it could be beneficial to conduct workshops in groups with multiple LGs at the same premise. This could be especially helpful if all LGs are assessing the same broader scenario (e.g. storm and flood) so presentations could be combined, though each LG would still do their own risk assessment.

1. Set a date – Ensure that your main contributors are able to attend and set the date for the workshop. Check this date does not conflict with any other major meetings or events within the LGA or EM district.

2. Arrange a venue – Think about the number of people who will be attending, acoustics of the room and how you might set up the tables. From experience, a U-shape works effectively to encourage discussion, with a table at the front for the facilitator and data entry person (Figure 15). In addition, think about the equipment you might need. A computer, projector and screen are the basic essentials to run an effective workshop. A second computer/laptop should be taken for the data entry person.

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Facilitator

Data entry person

Proj

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r scr

een

Figure 15: Recommended room layout for a risk assessment workshop.


3. Organise catering – Workshops that are catered are often the most attended. Be sure that you have organised this ahead of the workshop.

4. Create an agenda – Once you have your date and venue chosen, you will need to put together an agenda (Figures 16a & b). Timings of the assessment portion of the workshop can be based on the number of risk statements you will be looking at. It is recommended that you allow three minutes per risk statement. Think about how many hazards you may wish to cover in a workshop. Two hazards will require a full day workshop (approximately 7 hours in duration). One hazard will require a half day workshop (approximately 4 hours in duration).

5. Send out your invitations – For a list of recommended attendees, please see Chapter 2.

Figure 16a: Example agenda for two hazards covered in a full day.

No. Item Presenter Time

1 Introduction and Responsibilities Facilitator 9:00

2 Establish Hazard 1 Context Video/Facilitator/Stakeholder 9:15

3 Vulnerabilities & Impacts for LGA, Hazard 1 Facilitator/Stakeholder 9:35

4 Presentation of Hazard 1 Scenario Facilitator/Stakeholder 9:50

5 Risk Analysis Process Facilitator 10:00

6 Morning Tea 10:10

7 Hazard 1 Risk Analysis Facilitator 10:25

8 Lunch 12:00

9 Hazard 1 Risk Analysis continued Facilitator 12:30





14 Afternoon Tea 14:30


16 Debrief & Evaluation Facilitator 15:50

Finish 16:00

- AGENDA -

Hazard 1 and Hazard 2 Assessment Workshop

Shire/City of XXXX

Date: XXXX

Venue: XXXX

Time: 9:00am - 4:00pm

Example agenda for two hazards covered in a full day:

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Before the workshopPrior to the workshop, gather and print all the materials you will need on the workshop day. When printing, ensure one copy per participant, a copy for the facilitator, plus a few extras just in case.

Complete the following:

• Populate your WA Risk Register Tool :

- Enter in the hazard you will be assessing, the AEP of the scenario and all your risk statements.

- Next to each risk statement, use the drop down list to choose the appropriate impact area it addresses. It is recommended that you leave one or two empty rows at the end of each impact area, just in case a statement is added during the workshop.

- Give the populated WA Risk Register Tool a test run to ensure everything is in working order. The data entry person will need a copy of this on their laptop/computer which they will need to take with them on the workshop day.

No. Item Presenter Time

1 Introduction and Responsibilities Facilitator 9:00




5 Risk Analysis Process Facilitator 10:00


7 Morning Tea 10:45

8 Hazard 1 Risk Analysis continued Facilitator 11:15

9 Debrief & Evaluation Facilitator 12:50

Finish 13:00

Example agenda for one hazard covered in a half day:

- AGENDA -

Hazard 1 and Hazard 2 Assessment Workshop

Shire/City of XXXX

Date: XXXX

Venue: XXXX

Time: 9:00am - 4:00pm

Figure 16b: Example agenda for one hazard covered in a half day.

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ENT WORKSHOP


• Populate your risk statements into the template for all participants, ensuring each statement is in the correct impact area that it is addressing. It is helpful if this sheet is no more than two sides of A3 paper.

• Download and tailor your workshop presentation (this can be found in the online Toolbox):

- You will need to enter your LGA vulnerability and impact information and specific criteria, such as population and gross area product, into the correct slides in the presentation. These figures can be found at the bottom of your tailored LGA consequence table in the online Toolbox.

- Insert your scenario presentation slides where instructed.

• Print off the following for each participant and the facilitator:

- Consequence and confidence tables (A3 sheet)

- Risk statements for all participants (A3 sheet)

- Agendas

- Additional handouts (e.g. scenario maps, information etc.).

- An attendance sheet (only one required) – this should be pre-populated with names and email addresses of all those attending.

- Name tags/name plates – these will assist the facilitator.

Templates, tools and a checklist to assist with the above can be found in the online Toolbox.

During a workshop1. When you arrive at your venue, arrange the room as recommended and, with the data entry person, set up any IT equipment including computers, the projector, projector screen and speakers (if required). Be sure to transfer any presentations and videos on to the main computer.

2. Place all materials and handouts for each participant on the table(s). This should include the risk statements, consequence and confidence tables sheet and an agenda. Ensure the facilitator also has a copy of all the materials.

3. When your attendees arrive, ask them to sign in on the attendance sheet. After a workshop this allows you to see who attended on the day and how you may be able to contact them if you have any further questions.

4. Once everyone has arrived and been seated, begin your workshop presentation. The start of the powerpoint presentation covers the aims of the workshop, and the criteria that the workshop will use. You could also include a round of brief introductions from workshop participants.

5. Once the workshop aims have been introduced, move on to the other presentations: establish the hazard context, vulnerabilities and impacts and the scenario. Be sure to allow time for questions concerning the scenario. It is extremely important that everyone understands the scenario as the assessment should be based only on the content of the scenario. This ensures that everyone will be considering the same event.

6. The facilitator should then present the risk assessment process portion of the workshop presentation which describes how the risk analysis will work. This should include how the consequence, likelihood and confidence levels are chosen.

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7. Conduct the risk assessment. For each risk statement, the facilitator should:

- Read out a risk statement

- Encourage discussion about the risk statement

- Facilitate the discussion to collectively assign consequence, likelihood and confidence levels

- Move on to the next risk statement and repeat.

While the facilitator is managing the discussion, the data entry person should be taking notes in the WA Risk Register Tool. When the consequence, likelihood and confidence levels are agreed upon, the data entry person enters these in the Tool, next to the appropriate risk statement.

We recommend that the facilitator also records consequence, likelihood and confidence levels on their risk statement sheet to ensure there is a hard copy (in case anything goes wrong with the electronic version). For facilitation tips and techniques, please see the next section.

8. Once the risk assessment is complete, conduct a quick debrief and finalise the workshop.

9. Don’t forget to take a break for morning tea, lunch and/or afternoon tea.

Facilitation tips and techniques• Three minutes per risk statement is recommended; however, the facilitator may find that the

first few risk statements can take longer while participants begin to understand the process. The speed of the assessment is likely to pick up over time.

• When assessing the consequence level make sure participants are selecting a level based on the criteria and not because they feel it should be a particular level. For example, if a risk statement is to be assessed as ‘moderate’, then it must meet at least one of the ‘moderate’ criteria.

• When assessing the consequence level make sure participants are selecting the maximum possible consequence and adjusting the likelihood as required.

• Remember to remain impartial and rely on the expertise of your participants, but do ‘challenge’ them or ask for their reasoning if you think the assessment may be incorrect. Their final decision is what should be recorded.

• Use the consequence table criteria to initiate discussion and keep it flowing.

Frequently asked questionsWhat do the facilitator and data entry roles entail?

The facilitator should concentrate on managing the discussion to reach fair and valuable conclusions for each risk statement. It is recommended that they record the consequence, likelihood and confidence levels on a risk statement sheet in front of them during the workshop. This not only acts as a back up to the data entry person, but also allows the facilitator to initiate discussion or refer back to statements if needed. The facilitator should also keep an eye on the time throughout the workshop, to ensure presentations do not surpass the time allocated and that suitable breaks are taken along the way.

The data entry person should take notes regarding the discussion amongst participants in the ‘comments’ section of the WA Risk Register Tool throughout the workshop. Comments should add context to the assessments made. If a risk statement comes out as ‘high’ or extreme’ then

Ch 6


ENT WORKSHOP


you will need to understand why this was the case later on. In addition, once the consequence, likelihood and confidence levels have been chosen by the participants, these should be entered in to the WA Risk Register Tool using the drop downs next to the appropriate risk statement.

Why do we start from right to left with the consequence table?

The risk assessment process identifies the maximum possible consequence, and the likelihood of this consequence. To ensure the maximum consequence is chosen, it is best to start from the right (catastrophic) and move left until the criteria is met. For example, if participants are debating between a major consequence with a 50% chance of occurrence and a moderate consequence that is definitely going to happen (100% likelihood) then major should be chosen as it is the maximum possible consequence.

What duration of impacts do I consider?

There is no limit to the duration of impacts and you should consider the whole event, whether it lasts for a few hours or many years. You should consider all impacts that can be directly attributed to the particular scenario you are assessing.

What if there is no relevant expert present at the workshop?

If there is no relevant expert at the workshop for a particular risk statement you can estimate the consequence and likelihood and reduce the confidence level. You should flag the particular risk statement and follow it up with the relevant person after the workshop.

Where do the numbers in the consequence table come from?

The values in the consequence criteria are based on percentages of your local government’s population and gross area product obtained from Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) data. The percentages used for each level are shown in the generic consequence table (Table 1). You can download a copy of a consequence table tailored for your local government area from the online Toolbox. The figures used appear in the bottom left-hand corner of the table as a footnote.

Why is the number of deaths and/or injuries/illnesses the same for different consequence levels?

The numbers in the people category are based on the population of the local government area and are rounded up to the nearest whole number. For local governments with small populations where the number of deaths and/or injuries/illnesses is rounded up to 1, several consequence levels may be the same. Where there are different consequence levels with the same criteria, the highest consequence should be chosen (i.e. use major not moderate).

Do all criteria in each impact category need to be met to reach a particular consequence level?

No. All impact areas have multiple sub-categories or dot points. Only one criteria in an impact area needs to be met in order for a particular consequence to be assigned. For example, in the social setting impact category there are four sub-categories (community wellbeing, community services, culturally important object and culturally important activities) and within the community wellbeing category there are three dot points for each consequence level. Any one of the criteria can be used to assess a social setting risk statement. Make sure you choose the highest possible consequence.

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Ch 7

RISK EVALUATION

Chapter 7. Risk evaluationRisk evaluation is the process of determining whether a risk and/or its magnitude are acceptable or tolerable. The risk evaluation phase (Figure 17) helps to determine which risks may require further detailed assessment or treatment, and prioritises measures to reduce risk levels. It is likely that this phase will need to be undertaken with decision makers and technical experts.

Addressing priority risksThis step should be undertaken once all hazards have been assessed. This will allow treatment decisions to be made based on priority level, irrespective of the hazard. It also allows for the identification of risks which are common across multiple hazards. Addressing common risks will have a larger return on investment than risks resulting from a single hazard. Having a conversation within a LEMC meeting is an excellent way to gain a broad range of opinions and to track and monitor risks.

Consider the following when reviewing the risk statements:

• Are there common risk themes across multiple hazards which could be addressed with a single treatment?

• Is the risk so urgent that it must be addressed and there is not time for further, more detailed assessment?

• Can the confidence level be realistically increased through further research or investigation? (increasing the confidence level may result in a lower priority level)

Further analysis should be considered if:

• Further analysis will increase the level of confidence.

• A proposed treatment has the potential to cause adverse impacts, which could result in new risks or exacerbate existing risks.

The points above can be addressed for each risk statement by following the diagram in Figure 18.

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Ch 7

At the end of this stage, each evaluated risk is assigned one the following actions:

• Treat: risk requires treatment.

• Further analysis: risk requires further analysis.

• Monitor: risk requires ongoing monitoring and maintenance of existing controls.

Decisions made during this step should be recorded in the risk register.

Further analysisIf it is decided that further analysis is required this may involve:

• Further investigation and research

• Beginning a new risk assessment with a more focused context.

• Using semi-quantitative or quantitative methods (such as analysis of historical impacts of past emergency events).

The use of semi-quantitative and quantitative methods may be particularly useful if potential treatments are either expensive or would have a widespread impact on the community.

Risk Analysis

Question 1:

Does the risk need to be treated urgently?

Question 2:

Can the confidence

level reasonably be

improved?

Further analysis not required

Based on risk priority, determine whether to treat or monitor the risk

Further analysis

Yes

No YesQuestion 3:

If confidence were improved, would it affect

priority?

YesQuestion 4:

If confidence were improved, would a different decision

be made regarding treatment and management?

Yes

Question 1.1:

Will the treatment alter the behaviour of the hazard and could

this have adverse consequences outside the

treated area?

NoNoNo

Risk evaluation

Priority 1 - 4 Priority 5

Treat risk Monitor risk

No

Yes

Figure 18: Risk evaluation classification.15

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Ch 7Update risk registerRisk statements that require further analysis should have their consequence, likelihood and confidence levels reassessed based on the updated information. Any change in these levels should be noted in the risk register along with detailed reasons for the change. At this point these risk statements should be assigned either the treat or monitor actions within the risk register.

RISK EVALUATION


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Ch 8 Chapter 8. Risk TreatmentThe risk treatment phase (Figure 19) aims ‘to determine and implement the most appropriate action(s) in response to the identified need to treat risks’.16 A risk treatment can either remove the cause of the risk or implement/improve controls to reduce the level of risk.

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Who should treat the risk?Depending on the type of risk identified it is likely it will fall into one of the following categories:

• Those which are the responsibility of the local government and are within their capacity to treat.

• Those which are the responsibility of the local government and are beyond their current capacity to treat.

• Those which are the responsibility of external organisations.

Where the risk can be addressed by the local government, treatment options should be considered. The steps for identifying and evaluating treatment options are set out in the following sections.

Where the responsibility for a risk belongs to another organisation or is beyond the capacity of the local government to manage, the risk should be elevated up to the DEMC.

Data from the local level assessments will also be used by SEMC to identify risks which require treatment at the state level such as those which require a whole of government approach.

Identify treatment optionsThe identification of treatment options may be undertaken in a variety of ways and may be dependent on the type of risk and the organisations involved in its management. Treatment options can reduce the risk by preventing, preparing or responding to the risk. A treatment may also involve taking steps to aid recovery.




Ch 8

RISK TREATMENT

The above diagram (Figure 20) provides some suggestions of the types of treatments available under each approach. Note this list is far from exhaustive.

Before deciding to undertake a treatment option it is important to understand fully the benefits, costs and any potential adverse impacts from the treatment. This can be done by considering each treatment option against the following factors:

• Cost - Is this option affordable? Is this the most cost-effective? Is it capital and/or recurrent?

• Timing - Will the benefits be quickly realised?

• Leverage - Will this option lead to further risk-reducing actions by others?

• Administrative efficiency - Can it be easily administered? Or will its application be neglected due to difficulty or lack of expertise?

• Continuity - Will the effects be continuous or short-term? If continuous, will it be sustainable over time?

• Compatibility - How compatible is this option with others that may be adopted?

• Effects on society - What will be the economic, social, people, public administration and environmental impacts?

• Risk creation - Will this option introduce new risks?

• Equity - Who pays for the risk reduction? When the risk is not a result of people’s decision, is the cost fairly distributed?

• Risk reduction potential - What proportion of the losses due to this risk will it prevent?

• Public reaction - Are there likely to be adverse reactions to its implementation?

A treatment plan should be developed for each treatment options considering the components of Figure 21. Treatment(s) plans should be formulated following your standard LG processes. This information should be entered into the WA Risk Register Tool detailing any further actions to be taken.

Treatment Ideas

• Prescribed burning

• Land-use planning

• Education

Prevention

• Warnings

• Exercising & training

• Community action

Preparedness

• Firefighting

• Community safety

• Rescue

Response

• Restoration activities across social, economic and built environments

Recovery

Figure 20: Potential treatment approaches under the PPRR spectrum.

!Government agencies undertaking risk analysis must be mindful of any state or national requirements which may impact treatment options such as regulation.


Treatment Plan

Document the required frequency of

reviewDescribe in detail the

treatment action

Describe why the selected treatment

option was considered

Define the responsibilities of all individuals and organisations involved in

treatment

Anticipated benefits from treatment actions

List all resources required for the effective implementation of the

treatment option

Detail how performance will be

measured

Provide a detailed timeline for

implementation, including all deadlines

Benefits

Review

Resources

Performance

TimeframeActions

Justification

Responsibilities

Figure 21: Components required for a treatment plan.

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Ch 8


Chapter 9. Monitoring and reviewContinuous monitoring and review of the risk(s) is an essential component of the ERM process that feeds into each step along the way (Figure 22). It allows for any changes in circumstances to be updated, new risks to be identified and the effectiveness of controls and treatments to be evaluated.

Monitoring should be ongoing and regular updates should be provided at LEMC meetings. This ongoing monitoring should capture any changes in circumstance and track how treatment strategies (once identified) are progressing. A full review of your local government’s risks should be conducted if: (1) there are significant changes in the circumstances of the community and/or hazards; or (2) every five years.

Three areas that should be monitored and reviewed are: the scope, the risk and risk treatment strategies, as detailed below.

The scopeIdentify any changes in circumstance that may alter any part of the project scope (Chapter 2). Consider changes to any aspect of the five impact areas (economy, people, public administration, social setting, environment), regardless of how small these may be. Priorities and perceptions of risk by the community do change over time.

Some examples of changes you may wish to consider are shown in Table 8. Please note this is not an exhaustive list and there may be other factors you may wish to consider.

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Ch 9

MONITORING AND REVIEW



The risksIt is necessary to re-evaluate changes in the hazard(s) and their associated risk(s) and ensure that the most up-to-date information is used. You should consider changes in:

• the frequency of the hazard

• the scale of the hazard

• the likelihood of the hazard

• the exposure to the hazard

• the vulnerability of infrastructure and the population to the hazard

• climate change

It is especially important to review hazards and risks after an emergency event has occurred as information from these events can improve your understanding of risks and lead to better treatment strategies.

Impact area Factors that may change

Economy

• Local economy• Predominant industry• Tourism• Commercial/residential development• Infrastructure development• Changes to transport networks

People• Population• Movement of population• Demographics

Public administration• Capability of the governing bodies• Location of government services/offices

Social setting

• Resilience of the community• Community health services (e.g. GP)• Facilities for vulnerable people• Community services

Environment

• Conservation areas• Ecologically sensitive areas• Environmental value assigned• National parks

Table 8: Examples of factors in each impact area that may change over time.Ch 9

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The risk treatment strategiesIt is essential to continuously monitor and review current agreed risk treatment strategies and their effectiveness. In addition, it is important to ensure that identified controls are operating efficiently and identify any changes that may have occurred or are anticipated to.

Record all results and modificationsAll changes in circumstance and/or any modifications should be documented in the WA Risk Register Tool. This ensures that all stakeholders are aware of any changes and these can be accounted for in future reviews.

!Any identified changes in circumstance may impact risk treatment decisions. Therefore if risk identification, analysis and/or evaluation are re-visited, risk treatments may also need to be modified.

Ch 9

MONITORING AND REVIEW


DEFI

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Ch 10 Chapter 10. DefinitionsTable 9: Terms used throughout the suite of State emergency management documents have the meanings given in section 3 of the Emergency Management Act 2005 (EM Act), the State Emergency Management Glossary or the list of definitions in the State EM Policy or the State EM Plan, as applicable. Specific definitions relevant to this manual are listed below.

Term Definition

Annual exceedance probability (AEP)

The probability of an emergency event of a given size or larger occurring in a given year, expressed as a percentage.

AS/NZS ISO 31000:2009 International standard for risk management which forms the basis of the ERM process.

Confidence The trustworthiness or reliability of the evidence that supports risk assessments.

ControlA measure that modifies risk. This may be an existing process, policy, device, practice or other action that acts to minimise negative risk or enhance positive opportunities.

Elements at risk Components of the five impacts areas which may be at risk from hazards.

Frequency A measure of likelihood expressed as the number of occurrences of an event in a given time.

Loss Any negative consequence or adverse effect, financial or otherwise.

Monitoring To check, supervise, observe critically or record the progress of an activity, action or system on a regular basis in order to identify change.

Organisation Group of people and facilities with an arrangement of responsibilities, authorities and relationships.

Residual risk Risk remaining after risk treatment. Following implementation of risk treatment, residual risk can also be referred to as retained risk.

Risk register

A document usually presented in a tabular form which lists concisely the following information for each risk: The risk statement, source, hazard, impact area, prevention/preparedness controls, recovery/ response controls, level of existing controls, likelihood level, risk level, confidence level, treatment strategy.

Risk source An element which, alone or in combination, has the intrinsic potential to give rise to risk.

Stakeholders A person, group of people or organisation that can affect, be affected by or perceive themselves to be affected by a decision or activity.

Susceptibility The potential to be affected by loss.

https://www.slp.wa.gov.au/legislation/statutes.nsf/main_mrtitle_294_homepage.html

https://semc.wa.gov.au/resources/legislation-and-policy-framework/glossary

https://semc.wa.gov.au/resources/legislation-and-policy-framework/glossary

https://semc.wa.gov.au/resources/legislation-and-policy-framework/policy

https://semc.wa.gov.au/resources/legislation-and-policy-framework/plan

https://semc.wa.gov.au/resources/legislation-and-policy-framework/plan


Term Definition

Annual exceedance probability (AEP)

The probability of an emergency event of a given size or larger occurring in a given year, expressed as a percentage.

AS/NZS ISO 31000:2009 International standard for risk management which forms the basis of the ERM process.

Confidence The trustworthiness or reliability of the evidence that supports risk assessments.

ControlA measure that modifies risk. This may be an existing process, policy, device, practice or other action that acts to minimise negative risk or enhance positive opportunities.

Elements at risk Components of the five impacts areas which may be at risk from hazards.

Frequency A measure of likelihood expressed as the number of occurrences of an event in a given time.

Loss Any negative consequence or adverse effect, financial or otherwise.

Monitoring To check, supervise, observe critically or record the progress of an activity, action or system on a regular basis in order to identify change.

Organisation Group of people and facilities with an arrangement of responsibilities, authorities and relationships.

Residual risk Risk remaining after risk treatment. Following implementation of risk treatment, residual risk can also be referred to as retained risk.

Risk register

A document usually presented in a tabular form which lists concisely the following information for each risk: The risk statement, source, hazard, impact area, prevention/preparedness controls, recovery/ response controls, level of existing controls, likelihood level, risk level, confidence level, treatment strategy.

Risk source An element which, alone or in combination, has the intrinsic potential to give rise to risk.

Stakeholders A person, group of people or organisation that can affect, be affected by or perceive themselves to be affected by a decision or activity.

Susceptibility The potential to be affected by loss.

REFERENCES

Ch 11Chapter 11. ReferencesAustralian/New Zealand Standard (2009). AS/NZS ISO 31000 Risk management - Principles and guidelines. Reproduced under the SAI Global copyright Licence 1411-c083.

Australian Government Attorney-General’s Department (2015). National Emergency Risk Assessment Guidelines (NERAG) Handbook 10. Accessed under Creative Commons BY licence, licence conditions at www.creativecommons.org.au.

United Nations International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (UNISDR) (2009). Terminology on Disaster Risk Reduction, United Nations, Geneva, Switzerland. Available from: http://www.unisdr.org/files/7817_UNISDRTerminologyEnglish.pdf


Appendices


APPENDIX A

Appendix A. Prescribed hazardsTable 10: Prescribed hazards and hazard management agency. Please refer to the SEMC website for the most up to date list.

Hazard Hazard management agency

1 Air Crash Commissioner of Police

2 Animal or plant, pests or diseases Agriculture Director General

3 Collapse Fire and Emergency Services Commissioner

4 Cyclone Fire and Emergency Services Commissioner

5 Earthquake Fire and Emergency Services Commissioner

6 Electricity supply disruption Coordinator of Energy

7 Fire Fire and Emergency Services Commissioner

8 Flood Fire and Emergency Services Commissioner

9 Gas supply disruption Coordinator of Energy

10 HAZMAT Biological State Health Coordinator (Biological)

11/12/13 Chemical, Radiological, HAZMAT (other) Fire and Emergency Services Commissioner

14 Heatwave State Health Coordinator

15 Human epidemic State Human Epidemic Controller

16 Land search Commissioner of Police

17 Liquid fuel supply disruption Coordinator of Energy

18 Marine oil pollution Marine Safety, General Manager

19 Marine search Commissioner of Police

20 Marine transport emergency Marine Safety, General Manager

21 Radiation escape from a nuclear-powered warship Commissioner of Police

22Rail crash PTA Network (passenger) Public Transport Authority (PTA)

Rail crash Brookfield Rail Network (freight) Brookfield Rail Pty Ltd

23 Road crash Commissioner of Police

24 Space re-entry debris Commissioner of Police

25 Storm Fire and Emergency Services Commissioner

26 Terrorist act Commissioner of Police

27 Tsunami Fire and Emergency Services Commissioner


APPE

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B

Appendix B. ToolboxBelow is a full list of all the tools and templates available on the SEMC website which you can use to assist you with your risk assessment process.

TOOLS

Name Description More information

WA Risk Register Tool

An Excel spreadsheet where you can input your data throughout the ERM process. This is your Risk Register and will do all mathematical calculations for you, including the assignment of risk levels.

Page 10

Tailored consequence table (includes confidence table)

After entering your population and gross area product for your local government area, this Excel tool will generate a consequence table that is specifically tailored to your community. You can also select your local government name from a drop down list to download a pre-populated consequence table for your area.

Page 27

Workshop presentation

This workshop PowerPoint presentation can be used by facilitators during the workshop to introduce and explain the risk assessment process and ensure all steps are covered. All red coloured text should be changed to match your own context.

Page 32

Generic risk statements database

This Excel spreadsheet contains generic risk statements for each impact area which you can tailor to suite your community.

Page 22

Workshop checklist A checklist for the materials required before and during the workshop.

TEMPLATES


Project plan template A template for a project plan which should be completed prior to commencing the ERM process Page 13

Hazard scenario template A template document which should be completed when developing a hazard scenario. Page 17

Risk statement treeYou can use this template to brainstorm different aspects that may be impacted by the emergency event for each impact area to help you with writing risk statements.

Page 21

Risk statement template for workshop participants

A template document where all risk statements can be written and then used by participants in the risk assessment workshops.

Page 36


REPORTING


Local level risk assessment summary document

The local level risk assessment summary document must be completed for all hazards assessed. This document details the hazards and their scenarios, workshop attendance, identified risks and preliminary treatment strategies.

Page 10

ERM consultant quarterly report

Template for the quarterly report required to be completed by consultants engaged in ERM for a local government.

Final report criteria A checklist of criteria for the final report produced by consultants engaged in ERM, for local government use.

Appendix B. Toolbox (continued)

APPENDIX B


Appendix C. Risk priorityPriority is determined automatically by the WA Risk Register Tool and ranges from 1 (highest priority) to 5 (lowest priority) (Table 11). Priority is based on the consequence, likelihood and confidence. The confidence level is used to select one of the five priority matrices below (Tables 12-16) and then the likelihood and consequence are used to select the priority level. For example, a risk with a major consequence and a rare likelihood that has been assessed with the highest confidence level would lead to a risk priority of 3, using Table 12. If the same risk was assessed with a low confidence level the risk priority would be a priority of 2, using Table 15.

Table 11: Priority level descriptions.19

Priority General descriptor: action pathway

1

Highest priority for further investigation and/or treatment, and the highest authority relevant to context of risk assessment must be formally informed of risks. Each risk must be examined, and any actions of further investigation and/or risk treatment are to be documented, reported to and approved by that highest authority.

2High priority for further investigation and/or treatment, and the highest authority relevant to context of risk assessment should be formally informed of risks. Further investigations and treatment plans should be developed.

3Medium priority for further investigation and/or treatment. Actions regarding investigation and risk treatment should be delegated to appropriate level of organisation, and further investigations and treatment plans may be developed.

4Low priority for further investigation and/or treatment. Actions regarding investigation and risk treatment should be delegated to appropriate level of organisation, and further investigations and treatment plans may be developed.

5 Broadly acceptable risk. No action required beyond monitoring of risk level and priority during monitoring and review phase.

Table 12: Priority levels at highest confidence.19

CONSEQUENCE

LIKELIHOOD Insignificant Minor Moderate Major Catastrophic

Almost Certain 4 4 3 2 1

Likely 5 4 4 2 2

Unlikely 5 5 4 3 2

Rare 5 5 5 3 3

Very Rare 5 5 5 4 3

Extremely Rare 5 5 5 4 4


APPE

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APPENDIX C

Table 13: Priority levels at high confidence.20

Table 14: Priority levels at moderate confidence.20

CONSEQUENCE



Likely 4 4 3 2 1

Unlikely 5 4 3 2 2

Rare 5 5 4 3 2

Very Rare 5 5 4 3 3


Table 15: Priority levels at low confidence.20

CONSEQUENCE



Likely 4 3 2 1 1

Unlikely 4 4 3 2 1

Rare 5 4 3 2 2

Very Rare 5 5 4 3 2


CONSEQUENCE



Likely 3 3 2 1 1

Unlikely 4 3 2 1 1

Rare 4 4 3 2 1

Very Rare 5 4 3 2 2


Appendix C. Risk priority (continued)



Table 16: Priority levels at lowest confidence.21

CONSEQUENCE



Likely 3 2 1 1 1

Unlikely 3 3 2 1 1

Rare 4 3 2 1 1

Very Rare 4 4 3 2 1


APPE

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Appendix C. Risk priority (continued)



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STATE EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE

20 Stockton Bend, Cockburn Central Western Australia 6164E. [email protected]. www.semc.wa.gov.au

Documents

WA Emergency Risk Management Local Government Handbook€¦ · WESTERN AUSTRALIAN EMERGENCY RISK MANAGEMENT LOCAL GOVERNMENT HANDBOOK 2017 • PAGE 4 WESTERN AUSTRALIAN EMERGENCY