Operational Risk Management – Mark D.Abkowitz

Operational Risk Management offers peace of mind to business and government leaders who want their organizations to be ready for any contingency, no matter how extreme. This invaluable book is a preparatory resource for when times are good, and an emergency reference when times are bad. Operational Risk Managementis destined to become every risk manager?s ultimate weapon to help his or her organization survive ? no matter what.

FROM THE INSIDE FLAP

Operational Risk Management

In the world we live in today, disasters occur on a daily basis. Could they have been prevented from occurring? If emergency response had been more effective, how much less destruction might they have caused? Will similar disasters happen again? Operational Risk Management: A Case Study Approach to Effective Planning and Response examines the safety and security of an organization’s people, facilities, and assets, as well as the communities in which they are located, from exposure to natural disasters, man-made accidents, and terrorist acts that have occurred worldwide, revealing the underlying causes of these catastrophic events.

Through the use of carefully selected case studies in a variety of scenarios across many different industries and environments, both in the United States and abroad, author and industry expert Mark Abkowitz uses historical events to demonstrate how operational risk management practices—or the lack of them—influence event likelihood and outcomes across all hazard domains. Each case contains a narrative, followed by a discussion that draws conclusions as to why things went wrong, as well as what, if anything, has been done to prevent such an occurrence from happening again. These include:

• Hyatt Regency Walkway Collapse
• Nightmare in Bhopal
• Meltdown at Chernobyl
• Attack on the USS Cole
• September 11 – The World Trade Center
• London Transit Bombings
• Eruption of Mount St. Helens
• Hurricane Katrina

In reviewing painful experiences of the past, it is clear that protecting our future cannot be left to chance. Operational Risk Management: A Case Study Approach to Effective Planning and Response not only looks at the risk factors present in previous disasters but also at the valuable lessons learned. These factors and lessons are used to forge a path forward that risk managers can use to ensure that their organizations have strong safety and security plans in place–and are ready to respond when necessary.

FROM THE BACK COVER

What’s the best thing you can do for your business? Be ready for anything.

Operational Risk Management offers peace of mind to business and government leaders who want their organizations to be ready for any contingency, no matter how extreme. This invaluable book is designed to be used as both a preparatory resource for when times are good and an emergency reference when times are bad. Author Mark Abkowitz gets managers up to speed on what they should be prepared to deal with and offers real solutions for putting those business continuity plans in place. From natural and man-made disasters to terrorist attacks, Operational Risk Management is destined to become every risk manager’s ultimate weapon to help their organization survive — no matter what.

Praise for Operational Risk Management

“Mark Abkowitz has produced an excellent and wide-ranging collection of case studies that illustrate the role that risk factors play in determining the success or failure of anything designed. In Operational Risk Management, he not only analyzes the causes of failure but also indicates how proactive risk management can lead to success. This is a very well-written and instructive book.”
—Henry Petroski, Aleksandar S. Vesic Professor of Civil Engineering and Professor of History, Duke University

“As one of the nation’s largest domestic marine transport companies, moving hazardous cargo daily on our nation’s waterways, we relentlessly pursue risk reduction through the lessons provided by real-world experiences. Mark Abkowitz’s insightful analysis of recent disasters and his identification of risk factors common to them will help anyone concerned with incident prevention and consequence mitigation.”
—Dr. Craig E. Philip, President and Chief Executive Officer, Ingram Barge Company

“A wise man once said, ‘The mistakes we make are a result of the history we haven’t read.’ History is the treasure of evidence, whether it is about the risks we face as human beings or the mysteries of the universe. This book adds to the treasure of evidence and succinctly articulates, with distinction and clarity, the factors and actions most important to managing the risks we humans face.”
—B. John Garrick, PhD, PE

“Dr. Abkowitz’s masterful blend of great storytelling with astute professional risk assessment provides a fabulous tool for Joe Q. Public, public policy experts, and industrial risk managers to use together to make real headway on more intelligent risk management for all of us.”
—Jim Vines, Environmental, Health & Safety Specialist, King & Spalding

“Through his case studies and analysis, Mark Abkowitz identifies key factors critical to understanding how we move towards more resilient communities. His focus on a more inclusive, all-hazards approach begins to point the way. A very useful collection indeed.”
—Michael T. Lesnick, PhD, cofounder and Senior Partner, Meridian Institute