Revised June 2018
Purpose
Valley FM Broadcasters Association Radio Inc. is a community radio station that relies on the efforts of volunteers to maintain operations and to broadcast local programs particularly for the residents of the Tuggeranong Valley. Valley FM’s Board has the obligation and responsibility to ensure that the station has a comprehensive risk management program.
Principles
Valley FM takes seriously its responsibility to identify and manage a spectrum of categories including compliance, finance, safety and health, environment and operation organisational risk.
A risk is defined at any internal or external situation or event that has the potential to have a negative impact on Valley FM by causing harm to people associated with the station, by preventing it from successfully broadcasting its programs and achieving its desired outcomes, by reducing its viability and/or damage to its reputation.
The Board is required to establish develop a good risk plan that considers all outcomes of the station’s activities and has clear strategies for how to manage them e.g. what would happen if the station didn’t get a grant? Risk management includes ensuring that the station has up-to-date policies and procedures and that these are available to all members.
Policy
The Valley FM Board is responsible for identifying and managing risks pertinent to the organisation as a whole. However, it is believed that the most effective risk management occurs when the Board, volunteers and staff are all involved and share a commitment to creating a place that is proactive in identifying and evaluating risks and talking mitigating action according to the nature of the risk.
The Board expects that all people associated with Valley FM to act responsibly to minimise the risk to themselves and others and to report hazards and other risks immediately they are noticed.
A Valley FM risk register is established which documents identified risks, the assessment of each risk and strategies/practices for managing them. The official Valley FM Risk Register is housed in the Office as part of the suite of corporate governance documents including the Strategic Plan, Charter etc. The risk register is the sole guiding document for the management of identified organisational risks.
The official Valley FM Risk Matrix and Framework is attached Appendix A.
The register is the responsibility of the President/Station Manager in collaboration with all Board members. The Board will ensure that all necessary insurance policies are in place to protect Valley FM as an organisation, the Board, the volunteer presenters and general members, contractors and visitors.
The Board and President/Station Manager will foster a risk aware culture by including risk awareness and identification on meeting agendas.
Reports on action taken to mitigate risks shall be reported at all Board meetings and a six monthly review of all risks will be undertaken and reported to the Board each May and November.
Legislative Framework
Work Health and Safety Act (Act 2011), Work Health and Safety Regulation (act 2011)
References
AS/NZS ISO 31000:2009 Risk Management: Principles and Guidelines
Community Broadcasting Association of Australia, 7 Key Areas of Governance for Community Broadcasting Boards (2016)
APPENDIX A: VFM Risk Matrix and Framework 2018/2019
