In short, risk identification involves investigating to see what may have gone wrong and what we can do to prevent it. Identifying the risks can both help to prevent something from happening and lower the threshold for talking about harassment.
Such identification should be undertaken with employees and the safety representative at the unit in question in order to lend legitimacy to and create ownership of any future follow-up.
Key questions in such surveys are:
- What can go wrong?
- What can we do to prevent it?
- What can we do to reduce the consequences if it happens?
Three perspectives
Risk identification is based on three perspectives:
1. Risk factors
Are there any distinguishing aspects of academia/the UiO which could increase the risks involved in harassment occurring? If there are several factors which occur at the same time there may be an increased risk involved in harassment occurring.
2. Risk situations
Are there any situations where one may be particularly vulnerable or where one could be more prone to harassment?
3. Risk groups
Are there any groups that are more vulnerable than others?
Suggestions for risk identification
Divide into groups. Ensure that the groups are not too large so that everyone can get a word in.
1. Contributions to risk analysis and prioritisation
Use the risk identification template as your point of departure - in norwegian (pdf)
- How does this fit with the suggestion for your unit?
- Is anything missing from the list or does not suit your unit?
- Discuss and bring up as many factors/situations/groups as you can find which are relevant for your unit
Then place priority on:
- The three most important factors
- The three most important situations
- The three most important groups
Presentation and plenary chats
2. Proposals for preventative measures
Based on the risk areas listed and based on your unit:
- Discuss and write down 3 suggestions for preventative measures at your unit
- Presentation and plenary chats
3. Summary
The manager sums up and says something about the way forward for this work.