How to be a Better Risk Assessor

Joint SoBRA and RemSoc Early Careers Risk Assessment Workshop

Date: 26th June 2019

Venue: Williamson Building, Manchester University, Oxford Road, Machester, M13 9PL

This is the second early careers event supported and promoted by The Society of Brownfield Risk Assessment and RemSoc. Its inception has arisen from the request of SoBRA and RemSoc members to promote early careers learning, awareness and networking opportunities. This workshop will provide early career professionals with the tools to be a better brownfield risk assessor. Talks and workshops presented by experts in each field will:

• Provide an overview of key risk assessment frameworks (human health from soil, asbestos, gas and vapours and controlled waters);
• Develop understanding of the key factors that commonly drive our model projections;
• Explore how such model uncertainty may be reduced by good field practices, good site conceptualisation, and selection of appropriate criteria;
• Introduce potential chartership and accreditation schemes; and finally
• Provide attendees with an opportunity to network with their peers and attain confidence in a workshop environment. 

As consultants we are tasked with understanding and communicating risk. We rely heavily upon models in supporting our decision making. These models most often are a simplification of the real world and consequently contain a degree of varying uncertainty. Awareness to the key drivers within a model that controls their output can helps us focus our effort during a site investigation, reduce uncertainty and better understand a risk. The day aims to introduce common risk assessment tools and those parameters key to driving model projections, enabling focused field investigations.

Programme & Links to Presentations (* requires login)

9:30 am Registration, tea & coffee

9:45 am Chairs Introduction & the Risk Assessment Framework – Alex Lee (SoBRA)

9:55 am Demystifying Human Health Risk Assessment – Simon Firth (Firth Consultants)

10:15 am Reducing Uncertainty in Controlled Waters Risk Assessment – Alex Lee (WSP)

10:35 am Getting the Most from Gas Risk Assessment – Sarah Mortimer (EPG)

10:55 am Q & A Chaired by the Geological Society Contaminated Land Group

11:05 am Morning Tea & Coffee

11:20 am Developing your Vapour Risk Assessment – John Andrews

11:40 am Meeting the Challenge of Asbestos Risk Management – Steve Edgar

12:00 pm Risk assessment and Remediation – Elizabeth Beers (Delta Simons)

12:20 pm Q & A Chaired by Remsoc

12:30 pm Why become chartered and/or accredited – Simon Cole (AECOM)

12:45 pm Lunch

13:45 am Workshops –Delegates will be divided into groups to undertake workshops. Each group will have a facilitator.

Group 1: Risk register awareness session (Remsoc)

Group 2: Choosing the right GAC  (SoBRA)

Group 3: Improving risk assessment from field to desk

15:15 pm Afternoon Tea & Coffee Break

15:35 pm Workshop Groups Report to Meeting

16:30 pm Round Up of the Day & Meeting Close – Chair (Alex Lee)