ANSI/ASSE/ISO Risk Management & Risk Assessment Standards [Professional Safety]

ASSE is administrator of the U.S. Technical Advisory Group for ANSI to the International Organization for Standardization (ISO). Thousands of the ANSI/ASSE/ ISO Risk Assessment and Risk Management standards have been sold globally since their original approval by ISO and are having a significant impact in the U.S. and worldwide. The 31 000 document ranks in the top five for all standards sold by ISO.

The ANSI/ASSE versions are:

*Vocabulary for Risk Management (ANSI/ ASSE/ISO Guide 73)

*Risk Management Principles and Guidelines (ANSI/ASSE/ISO 31 000)

*Risk Assessment Techniques (ANSI/ ASSE/IEC/ISO 31010)

All three standards are identical national adoptions of ISO standards. ANSI/ASSE/ ISO Guide 73 provides definitions of generic terms related to risk management. It aims to encourage a mutual and consistent understanding of, and a coherent approach to, the description of activities relating to risk management and the use of uniform risk management terminology in processes and frameworks dealing with risk management. The guide is intended to be used by those engaged in managing risks, those who are involved in activities of ISO and I EC and developers of national or sector-specific standards, guides, procedures and codes of practice relating to risk management.

ANSI/ASSE/ISO 31 000 can be used by any public, private or community enterprise, association, group or individual. It can be applied throughout the life of an organization and to a wide range of activities, including strategies and decisions, operations, processes, functions, projects, products, services and assets. It can also be applied to any type of risk. Although the standard provides generic guidelines, it is not intended to promote uniformity of risk management across organizations. Design and implementation of risk management plans and frameworks will need to take into account the varying needs of a specific organization, its particular objectives, context, structure, operations, processes, functions, projects, products, services or assets and specific practices employed.

ANSI/ASSE/I EC/ISO 31 01 0 is a supporting standard for Guide 73 and provides guidance on selection and application of systematic techniques for risk assessment. Risk assessment performed in accordance with this standard contributes to other risk management activities. The application of a range of techniques is introduced, with specific references to other national and international standards where the concept and application of techniques are described in greater detail.

It should be noted that the standard is not intended for certification, regulatory or contractual use. It does not provide specific criteria for identifying the need for risk analysis, nor does it specify the type of risk analysis method that is required for a particular application. This standard does not refer to all techniques and does not deal specifically with safety.

It is a generic risk management standard and any references to safety are purely of an informative nature. Given the high level of interest in these standards prior to their approval and their potential impact on the U.S. risk management and insurance industry, ASSE believes these standards will transform the way SH&E professionals manage their risk management responsibilities.

Learn more about these standards at www.asse.org/standards.