Accepting Risks Without Accountability

Accepting Risks Without Accountability

NOTE: This post is from one of our frequent contributors to this blog, "Birdseye59604.

It is simple to accept the risk without accountability. That's like spending winnings from a lottery, or spending someone else's cash.  These Non-Accountability Risk Assessments often make references to authorities and accepted guidelines. However, they do not take into account unique elements applicable to an individual risk assessment. Risks assessments are as unique and individual as a person.

First thing that comes to mind is to do a risk-assessment

In aviation, risk assessments are done both formally and informally. Pilots must make informal decisions based on immediate risks. An unplanned high approach requires an overshoot, or a medical emergency might require an immediate diversion. Airports make risk assessments to power poles, obstructions, wildlife and water lagoons. There are tons of risk assessment documents written about water lagoons and bird attractions. 

"Pilots must make informal decisions based on immediate risks."

These documents may be developed based on official reports and table top exercises or informal opinions from local personnel. People who are reporting birds might not know one specie from another. Bird experts who are not aviation oriented might believe that a large bird is less hazards, since they should be easier to see. These types of statements are often accepted as facts, and without considerations,  in risk assessments.

Swimming the Kern river needs an accountable risk assessment

When accepting these types of risk factors based on previous and unknown documented assessments, an operator is assigning a Non-Accountability Risk. The strategy becomes that since someone else did this, it must be OK, and it is less work. But, here is the newsflash; Safety = Work.  Just like someone is saying that there is a Santa Claus, someone is saying that Safety does not cost an extra dime.

A risk assessment is as individual as the person next to you. Applying Safety Management System principles and processes is the only road map to an Accountable Risk-Assessment.

BirdsEye59604