Risk Appetite versus Zero Harm & the Confusion at Board levels

Risk Appetite versus Zero Harm & the Confusion at Board levels

Author: Richard Robinson & Gaye Francis May 19, 2024 Duration: 9:12
In this podcast episode, due diligence engineers Richard Robinson and Gaye Francis discuss the concept of risk appetite versus zero harm and the confusion it creates at board levels because they're trying to put all of their risk issues into a single statement. They discuss how a risk appetite is about balancing risk and reward, whereas zero harm is about nothing bad happening, and this gets uncomfortable when applying risk appetite to human safety. The outline the commonly applied ri...

Ever found yourself wondering why safety and risk management in engineering feels so tangled, expensive, and disconnected from actual results? That’s the exact territory explored in Risk! Engineers Talk Governance. Hosted by Richard Robinson and Gaye Francis, both seasoned due diligence and risk engineers who co-direct the consultancy R2A, this podcast cuts through the complexity that’s grown around the industry. They’ve watched, with a practical engineer’s eye, as fields like OHS and WHS have ballooned into a costly business in themselves, often leaving organisations out of pocket without seeing meaningful improvements. What sets their conversations apart is a foundation in real engineering practice-they come from the tools-and-dirt side of things, not just a policy manual. Each episode digs into governance frameworks, decision-making, and compliance, but always through the lens of applied engineering logic and on-the-ground experience. It’s for professionals in technology, business, and management who are tired of checkbox exercises and want to hear frank discussions about making risk management sensible, effective, and value-adding again. You’ll get their direct, no-nonsense perspectives on bridging the gap between boardroom obligations and operational reality, making this podcast a unique resource for anyone tasked with building safer, more resilient organisations without the pointless overhead.
Author: Language: en-au Episodes: 70

Risk! Engineers Talk Governance
Podcast Episodes
Due Diligence in the Electrical & Power Industry [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 13:15
In this episode of Risk! Engineers Talk Governance, due diligence engineers Richard Robinson and Gaye Francis discuss due diligence in the electrical and power industry. They discuss due diligence and risk management con…
Obligations for Engineers under WHS/OHS legislation [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 14:14
In this episode of Risk! Engineers Talk Governance, due diligence engineers Richard Robinson and Gaye Francis discuss the obligations for engineers under the WHS legislation (OHS Act in Victoria) and understanding the im…
Due Diligence in Marine Pilotage [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 12:01
In this episode of Risk! Engineers Talk Governance, due diligence engineers Richard Robinson and Gaye Francis discuss the application of due diligence in the Marine Pilotage industry. They discuss various consulting work…
Due Diligence Essentials for Engineers - R2A's New Booklet [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 13:35
In this episode of Risk! Engineers Talk Governance, due diligence engineers Richard Robinson and Gaye Francis discuss the new booklet titled "Due Diligence Essentials for Engineers" being authored by Richard Robinson and…
Laws of Man vs Laws of Nature in the Due Diligence Context [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 12:05
In this episode of Risk! Engineers Talk Governance, due diligence engineers Richard Robinson and Gaye Francis discuss the differences between the "laws of man" and the "laws of nature" in the context of due diligence eng…
Aviation Industry & the Application of the Due Diligence Process [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 14:48
In this episode of Risk! Engineers Talk Governance, due diligence engineers Richard Robinson and Gaye Francis discuss the application of the due diligence process to the aviation industry. Richard discusses his recent pr…
AI (Artificial Intelligence), Robots, Controls & Liability [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 12:35
In this episode, due diligence engineers Richard Robinson and Gaye Francis discuss controls and liability when it comes to AI and robots. OHS/WHS legislation require achieving the highest level of hazard control that is…
Major IT Outage - Criticality & Resilience [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 9:50
In this special Risk! Engineers Talk Governance episode, due diligence engineers Richard Robinson and Gaye Francis discuss the recent IT outage that affected systems worldwide and the importance of criticality and resili…