MUE - Material Unwanted Event

MUE is short for Material Unwanted Event.

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A material unwanted event is one that leads to, or has a significant likelihood of leading to high human, resource, or reputation costs. Particularly where the cost meets or exceeds the organisation's threshold for requiring the highest level of attention.

This term is commonly used in the resource and energy sectors. For example, an uncontrolled fire would be considered an MUE on an oil rig.

Organisations that face reasonable risks of MUEs will typically implement controls against these events, called 'critical controls'.