One part of the framework for Operational Risk Management is planning and planning can be broken down into the following:
- Processes, Operation, and Scenario Documentation
- Process Risk and Assessment Analysis
- Process Risk Control Measure Analysis
- Managing Changes and Updates
In this blog we will discuss the Process Risk control Measure Analysis portion of the planning process
Process Risk Control Analysis is the investigation of specific strategies and tools to mitigate or eliminate the risk. All risks have three components: probability of occurrence, severity of the hazard, and the exposure of people, equipment, and the environment to the risk. Effective control measures reduce or eliminate at least one of these. This analysis takes into account the overall costs and benefits of remedial actions, providing alternative choices if possible.
It is preferable to identify both Preventative Controls (those controls that prevent a risk from occurring) and Detective Controls (those controls that detect a risk that has happened or allowing the opportunity to prevent escalation of the event to a larger one. At a minimum the key controls (those controls that provide the most defenses against the risk) should be identified.
Once these controls have been identified then the business owner / decision maker must choose the best control or combination of control to reduce the risk exposure based on the analysis
The United Kingdom Government recommends that risks should be reduced to the lowest reasonable practicable level by taking preventative measures in following order of priority
- Elimination
- Redesign the job or substitute a substance so that the hazard is removed or eliminated
- Substitution
- Replace the material or process with a less hazardous one
- Engineering Controls
- Separate the hazard from the operators. Give priority to measures which protect collectively over individual measures
- Administrative Controls
- Identifying and implementing the procedures that you need to work safely
- Personal protective clothes and equipment
- Only after the previous measures have been tried and been found ineffective in controlling the risk to a reasonable practicable level, must personal protective equipment (PPE) be used.[1]
This posting is the ninth of a series of blogs will discuss various factors of operational risk management as it pertains to manufacturing organizations. Please feel free to comment and discuss this series.
For those of you just joining this blog here are links to the earlier postings: