Engineering regulator updates industry-wide risk guidance
07/12/2021
Risk is an inherent part of all engineering activities, so it is essential that all engineers and technicians are able to identify, assess, understand and appropriately manage risk. It is also crucial that they are able to communicate about risk, both to other professionals and the public.To support this, the Engineering Council, the regulatory body for the engineering profession in the UK, has issued updated ‘Guidance on Risk’. This guidance is suitable for engineering professionals at all career stages and across all sectors and specialisms.
The Guidance on Risk describes the role of all those engaged in engineering in dealing with risk and their responsibilities to society. The revised Guidance on Risk sets out the key stages of managing risk and emphasises the need to exercise informed judgement and identify what is an acceptable level of risk: the risk appetite.
This guidance sets out six principles to ensure that all engineering professionals integrate an understanding of the environment and sustainability of resources into all aspects of their work. The full Guidance on Risk leaflet, and a convenient wallet card showing the six principles, can be downloaded free from: www.engc.org.uk/risk
Alasdair Coates CEng FICE MCIHT CMIOSH, Chief Executive Officer of the Engineering Council, said: “Engineers have a crucial role to play in assessing and managing risk, especially as they frequently work in safety-critical areas. This updated Guidance on Risk supports individual engineers and technicians by providing key principles that can be incorporated into their daily practice with engineering teams, interdisciplinary teams and when communicating risks to the wider public.”
The guidance is reviewed periodically and (following consultation with the engineering community) this edition replaces and updates the previous Guidance on Risk. The Engineering Council has also produced Guidance on Security, Guidance on Sustainability and Guidance on Whistleblowing, in addition to the Statement of Ethical Principles, published jointly with the Royal Academy of Engineering (RAEng). This information is reviewed regularly and can be found at:
www.engc.org.uk/guidance
www.engc.org.uk
