The Utility of M-31000 for Managing Health and Safety Risks: A Pilot Investigation

The management of occupational health and safety (OHS) risks is an important part of any business. ISO 31000 risk management has been suggested to represent the natural standard for integrating OHS risk management into business operations. However, published research on this standard is very limited, so its ability to influence the management of OHS risks is unknown. The aim of this chapter is to report on the first part of the findings of a pilot study aimed at investigating the utility of the ISO 31000 risk management standard for managing occupational health and safety (OHS) risks. A review of the published literature on ISO 31000 is presented first. This is followed by a modified theoretical framework, M-31000, taking into account OHS risk management practice. The results of 42/149 key informants selected as part of a purposive sampling strategy identified three main advantages of ISO 31000, including acting as a good starting point for risk management, supplementing other risk management strategies, and allowing for easier integration with other similar strategies. The two main shortfalls identified in this pilot included the standard being vague and difficult to implement. The study also revealed that M-31000 was much simpler and more consistent with safety management practice.