The Risk Engineering team's purpose is to assist VMIA's clients to identify and reduce or treat risks, therefore reducing the cost of risk to the State. This is achieved in part by the Site Risk Survey, but is also achieved with the provision of Risk Management advice on planning of new buildings, construction site risk and Project Risk Management and the provision of funding for specific Risk Treatment Solutions.

Risk Engineering Functions:

• Risk Engineering advice
• Site Risk Survey Program
• Risk Treatment Follow-up Program
• Project Risk Management
• Risk Treatment Funding

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Risk Engineering Advice

The Risk Engineering Advice section will be updated regularly with tools, documents and discussion on current and relevant issues.

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Site Risk Survey (SRS)

The Site Risk Survey program involves engineering risk assessments being carried out at various VMIA insured State risks with the objective of assisting clients to identify risks and propose treatment solutions. This also assists us to monitor the risk profile of the State as all treatment options are recorded in a database. These are undertaken for the General Government Program (GGP), Public Healthcare Program (PHP) and Government Rail Insurance Program (GRIP) programs.

Many of VMIA's clients provide indispensable services to the State. The SRS Program is important for the following reasons:

• Analysis of property and public liability risks;
• Site operational processes are verified;
• Risk Treatment Options (RTOs) are identified, and,
• Maximum Foreseeable Loss (MFL) and Normal Loss Expectancy (NFL) calculations are made which have reinsurance implications.

Once the physical survey is undertaken, a report is generated. This report lists the findings of the survey, and also lists recommendations for improvement (known as Risk Treatment Options or RTOs). These are made to help the client treat their risks. The report is a good tool in helping clients enhance risk management of their business.

PROPERTY RISKS:

• Business Operations
• Business Continuity Plans
• Construction type, penetrations, etc
• Fire protection (automatic sprinklers, hydrants, smoke detection, gaseous suppression, etc) and water supply adequacy
• Emergency Procedures
• Hot Works Procedures
• Fire Protection Impairment Procedures
• Hazardous Processes (boilers, electrical switchboards, storage of chemicals, deep fryers, etc)
• Security
• Housekeeping
• Storage of flammable goods etc.

PUBLIC LIABILITY RISKS

In 2005, the VMIA launched its Public Healthcare SRS Program. As part of this process property aspects and public liability aspects (that are pertinent to health organisations) are scrutinised. The public liability facets of the survey are listed below (these are not an exhaustive list, but reflect some of the items that are covered):

• Waste Disposal
• Cross Infection
• Sterilisation
• Medical Records
• Drugs
• Food Handling
• Incident Reporting
• Road and Footpaths
• Contractors and Contractor Insurance
• Cooling Towers.

The main emphasis of the public liability aspect of the survey is to ensure that the site is able to achieve the following objectives:

• Substantiate that it has operational systems and processes.
• Verify a documented audit trail.
• Able to defend itself in a potential court scenario.

The Risk Treatment Options (RTOs) are monitored and assistance provided to ensure clients are supported to manage the RTOs to the point of closure.

To view the Public Healthcare Program SRS Questionnaire, click here.

To view a sample General Government Program report, click here.

To view a sample PHP report, click here.

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Resources

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Risk Engineering Contacts

Efy Karagiannis
Risk Engineering Manager
9270 6815

Greg Dawson
Risk Engineer
9270 6866

Andrew Higgins
Risk Engineer
0409 168 044

John De Lorenzo
Risk Engineer
9270 6845
0411 759 542

John Perlak
Risk Management Analyst
9270 6830

Marie Wright
Administrative Assistant
9270 6867

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