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HortResearch Private Bag 11030 Palmerston North New Zealand
(tmills{at}hortresearch.co.nz)
A. Roger Greenway, Government Institutes, 4 Research Place, Suite 200, Rockville, MD 20850. 2002. 314 p. $105 paperback. ISBN 0-86587-841-2.
Risk management within all industries has become increasingly important in recent decades. No longer are accidents resulting in human injury, death, or environmental degradation tolerated. There is increasing public pressure that demands companies take all reasonable precaution to prevent incidents that may jeopardize environmental or human well-being. The development of risk management strategies has become a complex science governed by an increasing level of bureaucracy. The second edition of the Risk Management Planning Handbook offers companies a practical guide to governing legislation and assists them in developing and implementing a risk management plan.
The preface of this text discusses the 1984 Bhopal disaster, one of the most devastating industrial accidents ever. The author creates a vivid image of a catastrophe that could have been prevented if sound risk management procedures had been in place. It is a powerful place to begin a text dealing with the increasingly important issue of risk management and prevention.
The handbook provides companies with a step by step process so that they may evaluate need, develop prevention tactics, outline standard operating procedures, identify employee training requirements and provide effective training, understand the importance of systems audits, develop an emergency response plan, coordinate with other legislation, and use analytical tools, if appropriate, to manage risk.
These steps are outlined in a practical and effective manner and brought to life by the use of examples throughout the discussions. The use of examples assists the reader in visualizing application and use of the techniques and tools discussed.
A number of useful appendices accompany this text including a list of extremely hazardous substances and a list of chemicals subject to the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act. These lists provide Chemical Abstract Service (CAS) numbers for these chemicals, which facilitates the gathering of information surrounding hazardous substances.
If the reader knows nothing of risk management before reading this text he or she will likely find answers to many of his or her key questions addressed here. Similarly, for a reader with more experience the handbook provides a great reference for the process of risk identification and prevention and also provides up to date information on legislation governing risk management in the USA.
This book is clearly written and I would recommend it to all managers responsible for risk management within their company. It also has relevance as a text for teaching and could become an effective textbook for undergraduate courses in risk assessment and management. Although written specifically for industries involved in handling hazardous chemicals, there are many lessons outlined in the text which are relevant for other industries including sections on determining standard operating procedures and staff training requirements.
The challenge for this informative handbook will be to remain current. There are specific compliance costs specified within the text along with reference to current legislation. If this handbook is to continue to be a valuable and practical tool for the management of risk it must be regularly revised and updated.
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