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Risk Assessment And Safety Management System

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Risk Assessment (RA), Accident Investigation (AI) and Safety Management Systems (SMS) are all valuable tools in a total Risk Management program. They can each be used in a different way in order to manage and reduce an organizations risk. My organization uses each of these three in our program to accomplish different tasks and objectives. Before looking at how my organization uses these tools, we must first understand these tools individually and how they work together. Accident Investigation (AI) is one part of a Risk Assessment and Safety Management System. Patrick A. Michaud gives three definitions for an accident: “….an undesired event that results in physical harm to a person or damage to property…an unwanted interruption of a…show more content…
Accident Investigations should ask the questions of who, what, what, when, where and how and should focus on fact not opinion. The investigation report should include interviews, a summary of events, causes and contributing circumstances and suggested corrective actions. To understand Risk Assessment and Safety Management, we must first understand risk. Wilder defines risk as: “The possibility of injury or loss; the presence of a dangerous element or operational factor, known or unknown (Wilder, 1997, p. 4).” Angle defines risk as “the resultant outcome of exposure to a hazard” and as “…anything bad that could happen to an organization (Angle, 2005, p. 48).” Basically, risk is something that can cause an injury, illness or loss rather you know the danger exists or not.
Risk Assessment (RA) is more common term used for Risk Analysis. Both of these terms can be used to describe the same or very similar process. “Risk analysis is the systematic use of available information to identify hazards and to estimate the risk to individuals or populations, property or the environment (Commission, 1995).” “Risk assessment is the overall process of risk analysis and risk evaluation (Commission, 1995).” Another term for Risk Assessment is a Job Hazard
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