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<http://schema.org/description>
"The 10 tips provided below are not a substitute for a well-planned, coordinated and communicated risk management strategy but are provided as a brief indication of some of the steps that can be investigated to assist in protecting your organisation. Take risk seriously Everybody who starts up a community group is focused on all the good things that they're going to do and how much everybody needs the group's work and how appreciative people will be when it's up and running1 But if you haven't identified some of the possible risks and set up some protection against foreseeable problems in the future, the chances are someone is likely to get hurt – and when they do you have left your organisation wide open. Becoming incorporated creates an entity that can be sued, and this has an effect of drawing fire away from members of the group as individuals2 The members and officers of incorporated associations are similarly protected from liability when the organisation is incorporated under the Associations Incorporation Act. Put somebody in charge If you're a very small organisation, either do it yourself or appoint one person as risk manager. If you're a slightly larger group, set up a risk management committee with representatives from all the people involved – the board, staff, volunteers, clients – to review the risks you face. Work out the likely hazards Have the risk management person or committee review your premises, your financial procedures, your equipment, your human relations practices, and your client operations to identify any risks, risky behaviour or practices. Risks come in two kinds; standard risks that apply to every workplace or organisation, and risks that come from doing the particular work you do. Have you set up a screening service or taken measures to guard against the possibility of these sorts of people getting into your organisation? Have the risk manager or the risk management committee check that the changes have been made. And a waiver does not relieve the organisation from its duty of care to the person signing the waiver. A waiver is valid only if all the possible foreseeable risks have been fully explained and that everything has been reasonably done to either eliminate, minimise or control the risk. A waiver works only to cover inherent risks, and does not cover negligence or excuse an organisation's failure to act when it could or should have. However, it does make people think twice about suing if they have signed something saying that they are aware that they are participating in an activity and have been made aware of all the possible risks that that activity could possibly entail. Get ready for the worst You can't foresee all possible risks, and you're still going to be faced with the unexpected."
<https://communitydirectors.com.au/check-lists/10-steps-to-a-safer-organisation>