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2019 has been my third year as a Health, Safety and Environmental consultant, and I would like to reflect on my experiences and lessons learned during this past year.  Upon reflection on the work that I have completed for my clients, patterns and themes are apparent which will help me to better understand how I can support my customers in the future.

1. Listen – Listen to your customer. This comes in the form of opinions, wants, needs and requirements.  Although there are times when customers do not always know what is necessary to address their problem(s), intently listening to them will help in determining an approach and solution to their problem.  Listening is a huge part of communication, so there needs to be a well-honed skill to hear the concerns of the customer. Listening is all about the customer.
2. Be available – Availability is critical in assisting/supporting a customer. Do not over extend. Regardless of how much I might want to provide services to a customer if I am too busy and do not have any openings in my schedule, I will not take on a new project that I cannot properly support.  Additionally,  it is crucial to always be prepared to work on other projects that may cause an assignment extension.
3. Think big – Thinking big for the customer can help them in many ways. Instead of just thinking how a task can be completed, I consider the entire system and determine if other important areas can be improved through integration, economies of scale or realizing other synergies.  I then provide feedback to the customer, letting them know my thoughts on how to improve their organization.
4. Be honest with myself and the customer – There are times when the scope of work might entail more resources or schedule then the customer expects. This is the time to ensure all parties have a real and clear understanding of project or job scope.  It is better for all stakeholders to come away with the same understanding of project deliverables versus having ambiguous communications in the planning stages of the job, which can create varying degrees of expectations.  Although in the scoping phase (hence, ultimately winning the job) it might be difficult to convince the customer about the scope and schedule, it will surely pay dividends at the end of the project if the project is properly scoped and communicated.
5. Coaching and mentoring – I always provide coaching and mentoring to the entire team, whether it is to the leadership or the workers. Many times organizations see things from the same perspective and can benefit from insight different from their own.  In addition to building a trusting relationship, the team can become more responsive to positive input given by a consultant.
6. Lean forward – I give 100% of myself to the customer. I let them see and feel my passion for the work being performed.  There are times when an outside resource can provide a boost in morale, which can be contagious to the rest of the department or organization.
7. Enjoy the work – I enjoy the work because the customer almost always lets me know how much they appreciate what I do. Additionally, it also makes me feel good knowing I get to use everything I have to improve my customer’s needs.

 

There are many more patterns and themes then the seven mentioned above.  However, the ones mentioned are the first that come to mind when thinking about the work I performed for my customers in 2019.  Finally, having critically thought these through, I will focus more now than ever to ensure I deliver these lessons learned to my future customers.

In memory of Kyle Jacob Plush

‘Anyone who ever encountered Kyle knows he lit up a room with his larger than life, funny, smart and positive personality with inclusion of all.’

‘His friends know him as a leader with incredible potential that kept them laughing with his wit and innovative mind.’

‘He is unforgettable and we, as a family, will make sure he is never forgotten.’

At the time of this posting, multiple investigations have been launched to determine why Kyle was left to die after calling 911, on two occasions, they include:

• Why the 911 dispatcher did not relay information from Kyle’s call?
• Why were the details about his car and location mixed up?
• Why could the deputies not locate him?

Because I do not know all of the facts related to why this boy was left to die, I will not comment on the causes.  What I do want to stress is how important commitment to duty is.  It doesn’t matter if you are a florist, care giver, pilot or 911 dispatcher, we all must give everything we have to our work.

Below are the 7 Values of the US Army:

• Loyalty
• Duty
• Respect
• Selfless Service
• Honor
• Integrity
• Personal Courage

I believe these are 7 wonderful values to live by throughout our life.  However, I would like to focus on Duty.  The US Army defines Duty as follows:

Fulfill your obligations. Doing your duty means more than carrying out your assigned tasks. Duty means being able to accomplish tasks as part of a team. The work of the U.S. Army is a complex combination of missions, tasks and responsibilities — all in constant motion. Our work entails building one assignment onto another. You fulfill your obligations as a part of your unit every time you resist the temptation to take “shortcuts” that might undermine the integrity of the final product.

After learning that a 16-year-old boy died by asphyxiation and was not saved, I have to believe that everybody involved (stakeholders) did not live up to the 7 Values of the US Army when it came to doing their job regarding Kyle’s emergency.  To me, Duty was lacking in many of the steps relative to saving Kyle.  Looking back, I am quite certain all of the stakeholders would have done things differently, including adjusting their thought process and how they responded to Kyle’s calls.

The thing that is the most tragic about this event is that this disaster was completely avoidable.  Having traveled throughout the world, I look at the US as being the beacon of hope for all difficult situations.  That being the case, I do not understand how this could happen here in America?  I have a 14-year-old son who I have taught to call 911 when he is in desperate need of help, but that trust in 911 is now gone for me.  Unfortunately, after two calls to 911 the right people did not show up at the right time to save this precious life.  This was a boy who demonstrated so much that he wanted to live, but the very people who should have rescued him let him down. To say I am grieving is putting it mildly.  We are Americans and I always expect the best out of us!  Finally, because of Kyle’s death, I will endeavor to be a better stakeholder for my customers, community and family.  That is the only good thing that has come from this fine boy’s death.

“I am trapped inside my gold Honda Odyssey van in the parking lot of the Seven Hills…Send officers immediately,” Plush pleaded. “I’m almost dead.”

After having seen the movie Darkest Hour, I was left with many thoughts, and I felt upbeat as I left the theater.  I would like to write my opinions relative to its theme, and how it relates so much to my experience in the professional world. During the beginning of the movie, my initial impression was that everything in Winston’s life seemed very orderly.  I found it fascinating how others looked after him throughout his day.  The final impression was how he seemed to be on the cusp of something big. 

A pivotal point in the story was when Winston replaced the beleaguered Neville Chamberlain as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom.  This took place as parts of Europe were starting to succumb to the Nazis.  Once he took over as Prime Minister, Winston learned just how unprepared his country was for war.  Not only did the British not have sufficient military strength, the military leadership did not have the mindset that they could defeat the enemy, or even adequately defend Britain.  

The movie impressed upon the audience just how little the leadership in the Government wanted war.  The opposition thought they could sue for peace, however, Winston thought differently.  Another interesting observation was how Winston chose to have his rivals as part of the War Cabinet to keep his enemies close.  During most of the movie it was obvious that Winston had to tread lightly or the opposition would vote him out of office.  All this pressure kept mounting throughout the movie.  One could tell that Winston was struggling mightily with his situation at hand.  He was concerned for the immediate removal of some 300,000 troops at Dunkirk while at the same time trying to remain in office. 

On the way to Parliament, Winston decided to ride the subway part of the way (I don’t know if this was historically accurate).  What Winston ended up learning was just how supportive the British people were about defending their country, at all costs.  By speaking with the people, he garnered a much needed confidence boost for a speech he later delivered to Parliament, which cemented his leadership as the Prime Minister of Britain.  

Although my experiences in the working world pale in comparison to Winston Churchill, there are many similarities that can be considered.  First, how many times do we get ourselves into something that we thought was completely different (this isn’t what I signed up for!)?  Second, have you ever had a leader or teammate(s) that disliked you to a point where they tried to undermine your integrity?  Third, did you ever get into a position that was a bad fit but you had no remedy to fix the problem?  Fourth, did you ever have a situation where you were supported by the most unlikely people that assisted in your success (the King and Winston’s personal secretary)?   

It’s my belief that the HSE profession, especially safety, is one that covers the gamut when it comes to emotions, relationships, doing what’s right even if it’s not easy, taking risks, politicking and living to fight another day, just to name a few.  To me, Winston Leonard Spencer Churchill is a mortal that I want to emulate. 

In the US, this time of the year is prime time for hunting. Whether it is waterfowl, big game or upland game, just to name a few, millions of Americans enjoy the sport of hunting. With such activities there is a certain amount of risk. Over the past 30 or so years, there have been many risk reduction efforts taken to make hunting safer.

Probably the most important change that has taken place is the requirement to have passed a Hunter Safety course prior to being able to purchase a hunting license in any given state. Hunter safety is offered both on-line and in person. Most states require a gun handling practical day out as well. Having grown up in the Midwest in the 1970s, I attended this course during the school week, in the evenings. It was a special time for everybody that attended because it was participatory, as well as it set the standard for Hunter ethos, and safe gun handling. (EDUCATION/CULTURE)

The Minnesota Hunters Education Course teaches us The Ten Commandments of Firearm Safety (CULTURE):

1. Watch that muzzle!

2. Treat every firearm with the respect due a loaded gun.

3. Be sure of the target and what is in front of it and beyond it.

4. Keep your finger outside the trigger guard until ready to shoot.

5. Check your barrel and ammunition.

6. Unload firearms when not in use.

7. Point a firearm only at something you intend to shoot.

8. Don’t run, jump, or climb with a loaded firearm.

9. Store firearms and ammunition separately and safely.

10. Avoid alcoholic beverages before and during shooting.

The third most potentially important improvement made for safer hunting is the use of hunter orange or in some states chartreuse apparel. This is especially important when hunting in groups, in thick cover or in open fields, because the human eye is naturally attracted to these colors. For example, in Arkansas, it is unlawful to hunt wildlife; or to accompany or assist anyone in hunting wildlife, in zones open to firearm deer, bear, or elk seasons, without wearing an outer garment that is either hunter orange or chartreuse. The rule further requires that the hunting apparel is above the waistline daylight fluorescent blaze orange (Hunter Orange) within the color range of 595-605 nanometers, or fluorescent chartreuse color range of 555nm – 565nm (Hunter Safety Green) totaling at least 400 square inches. Additionally, hunters must wear hunter orange or hunter safety green hats on their heads, clearly visible to all hunters. ANSI even has a standard Z535.1-1998 which states how safety orange is defined (PPE).

Perhaps the fourth most important improvement is the expectation of the parent or guardian being present with a minor hunter. When I was growing up, my brother and I shared a gun while hunting together. He was 11 years of age and I was 8 years of age. Today, that wouldn’t be legal (in most situations). Nowadays, responsible mentors are assigned to the beginning hunters. This helps to establish a solid framework for the beginning hunter to learn the proper aspects of gun handling and decision making.

My final thoughts on this subject are on one aspect of hunting that has recently been affecting a hunter’s risk for injury or death, and that is falling from tree stands. Since this type of hunting has become popular among deer hunters in particular, more and more accidents occur while hunting this way. Although technology has been improving, there are still a large number of hunters that experience serious or even fatal injuries while afield.

The following are my thoughts on the best behaviors, attributes and practices possessed by an HSE professional.  My focus isn’t degree or certification centric, but it is based upon experiences, both personal and professional.  I also think that the approach which one takes makes a great impact on the results.

In addition to tangibles, such as degrees, other intangibles are vital to becoming the “ultimate” HSE professional.  Additionally, notice I don’t mention political.  Although it is necessary and wise to have a political perspective on how to navigate through the organization to get the best value out of oneself, as well as giving more to the enterprise, I believe it becomes its own endeavor and distracts from the core of the profession.

Please consider what I deem as the best professional HSE ingredients and compare them to your thoughts.  My reason for doing this is to force myself into having to think about what makes an HSE professional great and to have the professionals critically evaluate how they approach their work.  Once I have a benchmark in mind, I will discuss my thoughts with people in the profession and try to grow the best HSE professionals in the world, including myself!

Leadership commitment

At best, an HSE professional can only survive without the support of leadership; however, in order to thrive, leadership support is imperative. Key leadership support for HSE professionals include at least the following:

• Lead and follow by example
• Approve headcount
• Provide expense/capital
• Support campaigns and cultural change
• Allow intelligent risk taking
• Create a growth environment
• Coach

Attributes that Generate Talented HSE Professionals:

• Legal, moral and ethical behavior at all times
• Strong leadership/followership
• Giver
• Thinker
• Doer
• Communicator
• High energy
• Specialists/generalists/cross training
• Stretch/special assignments
• Education
• Certifications
• Benchmarking
• Languages (most impressive)/cultural awareness
• Set high expectations of oneself and the organization
• Punctual

How to get the work done:

• HSE integration into the business
• Basic HSE training
• HSE assignments
• Mentoring/coaching
• Project/program management
• Communication
• Organizational Level HSE Committees
• Organized by hourly or employees doing the work
• Led by hourly or employees doing the work
• Supported by hourly and management employees
• Mission is to get things done and improve
• Management Operating Systems
• Preplanning
• Post mortems
• Leading indicators
• Talent diversification
• Integration into everything
• Risk taking
• Culture – it becomes 2nd nature

Continuous Improvement Postulates

• Know E. Deming
• Less is more (things)
• Avoid flat surface disease
• When in doubt, cut in half
• Go gemba
• Guessing might be necessary
• Make the world visual
• People are not commodities
• Endeavor to poka yoke
• Listen more, speak less
• 50% of a lot is more than 100% of nothing
• Pursue the critical few versus the trivial many
• Muda is everywhere and always will be
• Think and act differently
• Seek the truth
• Live it
• Celebrate success

My attempt in this discussion is to evoke thought from the reader.  It applies to the HSE professional, as well as the leadership within the profession.  In fact, themes are sewn throughout the document that speak to almost any profession.

I want to leave you with this.  Have you ever wondered what makes the Italian people so great at what they do?  Think about their impact on the world.  Their architecture, automobiles, fashion, guns (Beretta is the oldest gun manufacturer in the world), the arts and finally their food and wine, all of which are incredible.  What is the key ingredient?  I had this discussion with a lady some time back, who lived all over the world, including Italy, and we arrived at the essence of what makes the Italian people so great at what they do.  It was all summed up in one word, love.

The Italian people put their love into the work they do.  They are exacting and care very much about how their work is going to be received by the consumer. If nothing else is gained from the time you have invested reading this discourse, ask yourself, how much love do I put into my work, and is it enough?

Continuous Improvement – Or Leadership Arrogance?

After recently speaking with a colleague about the complications they experienced while implementing a major value stream transformation, it dawned on me that even after years of a business pursuing continuous improvement (CI) excellence, there are still times when leadership gets in the way of allowing their staff to succeed. One sometimes has to wonder if leadership is more concerned with improving the business or trying to impress its audience?

I believe W. Edward Deming summed it up best when he said “if you can’t describe what you are doing as a process, you don’t know what you are doing”. Most, if not all, CI professionals that I have worked with ultimately arrive at clearly understanding their process, and then faithfully work on wringing out variation and waste, hence optimization. These same professionals go about their business methodically focusing on DMAIC and getting a better glimpse of the process throughout each phase.

Although each project is unique, and has an end date, the same CI principles apply on how to properly identify the inefficiencies. Many times continuous improvement teams are in the process of transforming a process and ask their leadership, or chief executive, to review the project’s progress. The leader ultimately agrees with their offer, reviews the project and then inquires as to whether the team focused on a certain tool or methodology, which really wouldn’t fit in this instance. The leader then asks the team about several other particular approaches or tools that they favor, and then the leader challenges the team to focus on driving those tools into the project, even if it is not truly beneficial.

Let’s dissect the example above. What happened from the perspective of the CI expert is that the leader came in and disregarded the CI expert’s professional judgment so that they he or she would appear to be clever in front of their underlings. Not only did this sort of input severely damage morale, it also had the potential to knock the project off track. Then, prior to leaving, the leader asked the team for an implementation plan on how they were going to drive his pet methodologies into the project. Additionally, the executive also wanted to meet regularly with the team to ensure that tool “robustness” was driven into the project.

Nonetheless, what was going on in the background was the CI professional already knew that the executive ran his previous business without ever implementing a CI culture, or even requiring that improvements be made using CI principles. It’s ironic how leadership reputations precede their arrival.

Hearing stories like this continues to bother me even though I have seen, first hand, situations similar to this which happened all too often in my career. This puts the CI professionals in a really tough spot. Who in the group is going to challenge the executive without willingly accepting the fact that they could seriously damage their career, or lose their job? One would think that as adults, and leaders, we could stand back and watch the professionals, which have been empowered at the beginning of the project, go at their work with passion and commitment. Further, we should create a work environment that allows for intelligent risk taking, and the potential to survive, even if the risk doesn’t work.

In hindsight, looking at this complex situation, it reminds me that just being a consummate professional and knowing the tools is not always enough? Perhaps a sprinkle of good followership might help along the way too!

I recently had a discussion with someone about occupational safety and how the Heinrich triangle is not a valid representation of safety occurrences relative to severity.  The discussion was also based on the value Heinrich’s triangle brought to the profession over the course of 70 plus years.  In addition to discussing the short comings of the triangle, we also conversed about the lack of a simple replacement tool that corrects the shortcoming of Mr. Heinrich’s triangle.

My position was that there really is not a tool that can be used to categorize injury or illnesses like that of the Heinrich triangle.  For starters, it is intuitive to understand.  There are more incidences on the bottom of the triangle (less severe), which naturally occur with more frequency, and less on top (more severe) e.g., death.  The triangle numerically works out to be a 300-29-1 ratio.

In most instances, business leaders have experience around the triangle and they are at ease with the theory.  It makes it much easier for a safety professional to able to present the triangle and discuss the issues versus discussing how the data was generated and what it means.  This is especially important when it comes to the limited time a safety professional has in presenting to a leader and/or their team.

In hindsight, many fine safety leaders that I knew used the triangle to articulate their situation and they used it effectively.  I saw incidence rates drop (and not only through case management) and I attribute some of it to the simplicity of focusing on areas that would allow for the greatest improvements and leadership buy-in.  One could make the case that Heinrich’s theory is/was outdated.  Heinrich’s focus was on the employee being the cause of the injury whereas Deming focused on the process.  From a personal perspective, I agree much more with Deming than I do with Heinrich.

So what is used today to assist the safety professional in easily and accurately quantifying and qualifying safety incidences?  I usually ask the same people that do not agree with the triangle (but they still use it for some or all of the points made above!) what is a better replacement and they have yet to show me.  It is not that I am stuck on the triangle, but since I have matured in my career and have reflected and debated the specifics of the triangle, I have come to realize that the generalities of it still serve a meaningful purpose. Finally, it is a testimony to Mr. Heinrich’s intelligence that his theory is still discussed today!

I have often wondered why I began my career in the EHS field and stayed in it most of my professional life? As a child, I used to get bundled up and take long winter walks in a field close to my home and look for animals. Since then, I have steadily built on the foundation of being outside and enjoying nature. During my junior high and high school days, and coming from a farm community, I started to learn about chemical usage, erosion, soils, crop rotation, occupational safety and the adverse effects it had on people that I knew. These experiences left an indelible mark on me.

Perhaps the biggest break into the EHS field came to me vis-a-vis the US Air Force. I enlisted under the general mechanical category and wanted to be a jet engine mechanic. Uncle Sam thought differently, though. He assigned me to become a water and waste water treatment troop. I thought I was going to die when I received my orders! Working on an F4 Phantom had to be sexier than working with waste water? Looking back, it was probably the best job (for me) that I could have been assigned. Throughout my years in EHS, I have been exposed to significantly more than just water and waste water treatment, which has really given me an appreciation for the profession.

After working in EHS for over 25 years, I have formulated some thoughts around what some of my biggest takeaways are about the profession maturing. These thoughts include the following:

• Communities expect to live in green and safe neighborhoods (the residence are aware of their surroundings).
• Companies and leadership are taking the profession much more seriously (moral beliefs and legal concerns).
• Integrating EHS into the business is more of an expectation (proactive vs. reactive).
• The latest management trends are adapted to meet EHS needs.
• In many cases, specialist are becoming generalists (less overhead but more responsibility).
• Certifications tend to reflect expertise.

Several summers ago, while my children and I were driving across Northern Wisconsin, we began discussing the EHS profession and what it entails. I explained to them that it was a profession that uses engineering, science, psychology and many other disciplines to either stop a risk from happening, or to significantly reduce it, so that the chances of the risk occurring is so small that it is acceptable.

I then proceeded to tell them about the people I have come in contact with, and how I tried to help them with their concerns, which included leadership as well as the workers. I explained that in many cases, if I did my job well, I would never know that I helped someone from becoming injured, or ill, or that I assisted in not generating another truck load of hazardous waste. After the discussion was over, I then realized what EHS means to me, and why I had chosen it as my life’s work! I hope you too reflect on your EHS experiences and recognize that it is a worthy and honorable profession.

Contact me, Edward Ballo, at e3s Consulting regarding the EHS profession and/or your EHS needs. Call 501-749-0912 or contact me online.

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How many times have we tried to take a shortcut in life and we later learned that it was not so short after all? As a matter of fact, it ultimately turned into a longcut! This is a key observation that I noticed both when I performed unsuccessful tasks and by watching others. The most noticeable outcomes were recognized in the form of an illness, injury or property damage. Many times, after evaluating the cost of a shortcut turning into a longcut, I realized that cutting corners just does not pay.

What is in it for us as it relates to the shortcut? Shortcuts have the potential to save time, money and effort, if they work. A successful shortcut can also give a person the sense of pride and accomplishment that they were clever enough to have pulled one off, hence leading to more shortcuts. Shortcuts come in the form of series and parallel work (multi-tasking), and are performed by both experienced and non-experienced people attempting to achieve their desired outcome. Additionally, shortcuts can occur both at home and at work. Which place do you think is the most dangerous when it comes to taking shortcuts, and why?

If I were to ask a group of adults what the most common shortcut they take each day is, they might struggle with coming up with an answer. After all, are we not supposed to maximize our efficiency when it comes to addressing our immediate needs? The shortcut that comes to my mind is how drivers knowingly speed in a vehicle even though the sign just reflected the speed LIMIT. Many good short cutters would come up with some wonderful logic as to why the speed limit sign is wrong. One might think that it will not happen to me, the sign applies to other less qualified drivers, there are too many laws, the speed limit is merely a guideline or range, or that their time constraint is more important than the other driver’s safety.

While growing up and working, I saw firsthand (no pun intended) how taking shortcuts cost the person performing the work, dearly. On the first occasion, an employee was in a hurry and put a high pressure hose up the outlet end of a mud hog pump and then tried to blast the clogged debris from the pump, and the employee’s hand was too close, the water shot back and forced its way under the skin of the hand, severely injuring the employee. The employee had to be taken to the hospital and treated. The other incident occurred when millwrights were loading a flatbed trailer on a city street with large electrical components from the company’s warehouse. It was less than 0 degrees Fahrenheit and very windy. I noticed the leader of the millwrights literally running around the trailer. The leader’s focus was given to loading the trailer first and then securing the components. A gust of wind came up and blew an electrical panel off the trailer which hit the leader between the shoulders and he was taken to the hospital via ambulance. Finally, I was very young and helping someone cut firewood when they climbed on a wood pile and started cutting. The cutter did not bother to look at how the pile was arranged because their focus was on the desirable wood at the top of the pile. The wood pile shifted and the chainsaw cut the operator across the knee. The operator ended up going to the hospital.

In these three examples, notice how none of the intended results occurred but the direct opposite did? A quick root cause analysis (RCA) would point out major deficiencies in all three cases. I believe the three scenarios would score high for hurrying, not focusing on the task at hand, and not performing a pre-work review before beginning the job. So the next time you perform a task, are you going to take the shortcut or the longcut?

Contact me, Edward Ballo, at e3s Consulting for assistance with your company’s tasks or projects. Call 501-749-0912 or contact me online.

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Too many times I have arrived at the moment of truth, and found that I did not adequately prepare for the task ahead of me. Some of these situations came in the form of taking exams, packing the wrong fishing lures, altogether forgetting my ammunition for hunting, or showing up at an airport only to learn that the trip was scheduled for the next day. I try to live by Thomas A. Edison’s idiom that “Unfortunately, there seems to be far more opportunity out there than ability…. We should remember that good fortune often happens when opportunity meets with preparation.” Since my time in the service, I have tried to enhance my good fortunes by being prepared.

Preparedness really defines who we are as individuals and as an organization. Within the EHS field, preparedness can be observed by conducting inspections and audits. Performing regular emergency drills, reviewing the results, and making the necessary changes can indicate how prepared a site or business is when it comes to dealing with potential catastrophes. It can also manifest itself when undertaking a project. It becomes obvious (sometimes painfully so) once the work starts and things either do, or do not, fall into place. By being prepared, it not only reduces stress levels, but in many cases, it can also improve the end goal.

So why are not we practicing to be more prepared within the EHS profession? Is it because we are too busy, meaning that we think that preparing for something that might not happen is not a priority? Can it be that some people just do not make preparedness part of the way they think about how the EHS function should be run? Another example, that I have often heard discussed, is that there is an infinite amount of risk and a finite amount of resources available, so being able to cover everything, properly, is virtually impossible. Moreover, I believe the expectation set by the leaders of the business have a huge influence on how prepared they want their organization to be.

I would like to drill down into how using a standardized approach can significantly improve preparedness, even though we might not look at it this way. In order to be prepared for any situation, one needs to know what can happen as well as what can cause something to happen. Knowing all aspects of the situation is very important to be able to properly evaluate all the variables that make up the associated risks. There are two tools, or templates, that I have worked with which have assisted me greatly when trying to evaluate risk. One is the Failure Mode and Effect Analysis (FMEA), and the other is a specific risk assessment which tended to be more EHS specific. I have worked on these tools both individually and in groups. After reviewing individual results, I have learned that in most cases, group participation results were better.

Depending upon the size of the issue being evaluated, there can be 15 – 20 lines (items) or there could be as many as thousands of lines of risks. Priority needs to be given to the risks, so that resources are given to the critical few versus the trivial many. In the case of an FMEA, severity, occurrence and detectability are multiplied and given a risk priority number (RPN). Once the risk priority numbers are forced ranked, whether high or low, the top 10% to 15% of the risks need to be addressed as soon as possible. Using the RPN as a Pareto, one will see that 80% of the effects come from 20% of the causes.

After the assessment has been performed, leadership needs to be informed as to the current state of risk for the area evaluated. It has been my experience that most leaders only want to review the biggest items found. Through this discussion, schedules and resources will usually be brought up relative to significantly reducing, or eliminating, the top risks. Additionally, leadership might instruct the team to begin work on significant risks, or only the top one or two, because of funding or scheduling issues. The risks then need to be put into a corrective action system so that they receive the proper attention. Another important aspect of managing the risks is to have regularly scheduled meetings with leadership to discuss progress, and any types of barriers to closing the corrective actions.

Preparedness needs to be evaluated frequently, and in earnest. Change management plays a huge role in understanding risk once a solid baseline has been established. Depending on the size and complexity of an organization, risk assessments might need to be performed more regularly, and evaluated with the understanding of how integrating change could impact a risk score. Folks that might get involved could be the program manager, manufacturing engineering, facilities, building engineering and validation. These same people can be advocates for securing expense and capital money, and in some cases they might give up some of their own departmental budget to assist in risk reduction.

As one can see, critical thinking, having high expectations, standardized work, resource allocation and working with a cross functional team is imperative when achieving preparedness through risk management. When successfully completed, the business will most likely never know that it averted a potential disaster because of their ability to look forward and hit risk head on.

Contact me, Edward Ballo, at e3s Consulting for addressing your company’s risk management through preparedness. Call 501-749-0912 or contact me online.

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