TSES 4001 Risk Class schedule 2014
Anne Wiles
Topic block 1: Fundamental concepts and management functions
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Learning objectives
o to understand how we define risk in modern society
o to understand how we identify, interpret and respond to risks, as individuals and
collectively, in societal norms and institutional expectations
o to understand the major elements involved in risk management, including institutional
responsibilities, societal considerations, diverse perceptions of risk and the
management of uncertainty
o to be familiar with main approaches and methods used for assessing risks
o to be able to identify and apply key risk concepts, major approaches and methods used
in risk assessments and considerations involved in risk management, in an individual
book review and in a group evaluation of a risk assessment.
Topic block 2: Risk as an organizational and management principle in modern society
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Learning objectives
o To understand ways in which modern society applies risk as a means of interpreting,
organizing and managing social functions in a range of sectors
o To recognize the influence of risk perceptions and management strategies in risk issues
o To be able to apply risk concepts, risk assessment approaches and management
considerations in the critical evaluation of a risk issue.
Assignments and expectations
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Book review: 20% of mark. 5-8 page critical review of book with reference to risk concepts.
Group assignment: 30% of mark. Consists of written responses to questions on assigned risk
issue, presentation of conclusions to class.
Take-home exam: 40%.
Attendance and class participation:10% split between class attendance and participation in class
discussions.
Date
Topic
Sept. 9
Introduction
Sept. 16
Basic concepts
-hazard; risk bearer; consequence;
exposure; probability
-risk issues
Risk management overview
-risk governance, management and
assessment
-framework elements
-policy & technical elements
-D-M responsibilities
Risk assessment
-main types
-approaches & methods
- considerations and challenges
-principles for conduct
Risk perception
-general patterns: ‘lay’ and
‘experts’
-emotion and values
-trust
Uncertainty
Sept. 23
Sept. 30
Oct. 7
Oct. 14
Oct. 21
Oct. 28
Nov. 4
Nov. 11
Nov. 18
Nov. 25
Dec. 2
Risk decision-making
-precaution
-tolerability
-trade-offs
-risk-based management
Fall Break
Risk communication
-uses and misuses
-application examples
-message comprehension and
design
class presentations
Risk in modern society
-social risk management
Risk and institutions
Complex risk events
-case studies
-complex dynamics of risk events
and issues
Review
Resources
-Aven 2009
-Saner 2010
-Hansson 2010
Activities and Assignments
discussion of course objectives
and expectations
--discussion of group assignment
-Jardine et al., 2003
-IRGC Risk Governance
Framework
-HSE 2001
-NRC 2009
-Rider et al 2009
-Barnett 1998
Krewski and Lemyre
2008
Lupton, 1999
Aven and Steen 2010
Aven, 2011
- Wilson, 2011
-Baltussen and Nessen
2006 MCDA
book review due
-submit on cuLearn
group assignment workshop
-Leiss, 2004
-Johnson, 2012
-Lofstedt, 2013
group assignment workshop
group assignment due
Manthorpe et al. 2010
-Ericson and Doyle, 2003
-MIACC 1994
-Williamson, 2013
References
Aven, Terje, 2009. Perspectives on Risk in a decision-making context – review and discussion. Safety
Science 47: 798-806.
Aven Terje, 2011. On Different Types of Uncertainties in the Context of the Precautionary Principle. Risk
Analysis 31(10): 1515-1525.
Aven, T. and R. Steen, 2010. The concept of ignorance in a risk assessment and risk management
context. Reliability Engineering and System Safety 95: 1117-1122.
Ericson, Richard V. and Aaron Doyle (Eds.), 2003. Risk and Morality. University of Toronto Press:
Toronto.
Hannson, Sven Ole 2005 Seven Myths of Risk Risk Management an International Journal 7(2) 7-17
Hansson, Sven Ole 2010. The Interdisciplinarity of Risk in Oxford Handbook of Interdisciplinarity, Robert
Frodeman, Julie Thompson Klein and Carl Mitcham, eds. Chapter 36. Oxford University Press.
HSE (Health and Safety Executive), 2001. Reducing Risks, Protecting People: HSE’s decision-making
process. Norwich, United Kingdom. http://www.hse.gov.uk/risk/theory/r2p2.pdf
Hood, Christopher and Henry Rothstein, 2000 “Business risk Management in Government; Pitfalls and
Possibilities” Annex 2, Supporting Innovation: Managing risk in government departments Report by the
Comptroller and Auditor General
http://www2.lse.ac.uk/researchAndExpertise/units/CARR/pdf/businessriskmanagementingovt.pdf
Jardine, Cindy G., Steve Hrudy, John Shortreed, Lorraine Craig, Daniel Krewski, Chris Furgal and Stephen
McColl, 2003. Risk Management Frameworks for Human Health and Environmental Risks. Journal of
Toxicology and Environmental Health Part B 6:569-641
Johnson, Brandon B., 2012. Climate Change Communication: A Provocative Inquiry into Motives,
Meanings and Means. Risk Analysis. 32(6)
Krewski, Daniel, Louise Lemyre, Michelle C. Turnera, Jennifer E.C. Lee, Christine Dallaire, Louise
Bouchard, Kevin Branda and Pierre Mercier, 2008. Public perception of population health risks in
Canada: Risk perception beliefs. Health Risk & Society
Leiss, William, 2004 Effective Risk Communication Practice Toxicology Letters 149: 399-404
Lofstedt, Ragnar, 2013. Communicating Food Risks in an Era of Growing Public Distrust: Three Case
Studies Risk Analysis 33(2)
Lupton, Deborah, 1999. Risk. London and New York: Routledge.
Major Industrial Accidents Council of Canada 1994. Hazardous Substances Risk Assessment: A MiniGuide for Municipalities and Industry .Ottawa, MIACC
Manthorpe. Jill, Kalpa Kharicha, Claire Goodman, Danielle Harari, Cameron Swift and Steve Iliffe, 2010.
Smarter Working in Social and Health Care: Professional perspectives on a new technology for risk
appraisal with older people. British Journal of Social Work 40 1829-1846.
National Research Council, 2009. Science and Decisions: Advancing Risk Assessment. Washington:
National Academies Press.
OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development), 2004. The mental models approach
to risk research - an rwm perspective http://www.oecd-nea.org/rwm/docs/2003/rwm-fsc2003-7rev1.pdf
Rodricks, Joseph V., 2001. Some Attributes of Risk Influencing Decision-making by Public Health and
Regulatory Officials American Journal of Epidemiology 154(12) Supplement.
Saner, M., 2010. A Primer on Scientific Risk Assessment at Health Canada http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/srsr/pubs/about-apropos/2010-scientif-ris/index-eng.php
Williamson, Lorna, 2013. Challenges in the management of the blood supply. Lancet 381:1866-75.
Wilson K., 2011. A Framework for Applying the Precautionary Principle to Transfusion Safety.
Transfusion Medicine Reviews 25(3):177‐183