Safety Risk Mitigation – 673.25(d)
Upon completion of the risk assessment, the CSO will continue populating the Risk Register by identifying mitigations or strategies necessary to reduce the likelihood and/or severity of the consequences. The goal of this step is to avoid or eliminate the hazard or, when elimination is not likely or feasible, to reduce the assessed risk rating to an acceptable level (Figure 7). However, mitigations do not typically eliminate the risk entirely.
Figure 7: Risk Register Mitigation Component
Hazard
Type
Likelihood
Consequences
Resolution
To accomplish this objective, the CSO, through the risk management team, works with subject matter experts from the respective department or section to which the risk applies. The risk management team then conducts a brainstorming exercise to elicit feedback from staff and supervisors with the highest level of expertise in the components of the hazard.
Documented risk resolution and hazard mitigation activities from previous Risk Register entries and the resolution's documented level of success at achieving the desired safety objectives may also be reviewed and considered in the process. If the hazard is external (e.g., roadway construction by an outside agency), information and input from external actors or experts may also be sought to take advantage of all reasonably available resources and avoid any unintended consequences.
Once a mitigation strategy is selected and adopted, the strategy is assigned to an appropriate staff member or team for implementation. The assigned personnel and their specific responsibilities are entered into the Risk Register. Among the responsibilities of the mitigation team leader is the documentation of the mitigation effort, including whether the mitigation was carried out as designed and whether the intended safety objectives were achieved. This information is recorded in the appendix to the Risk Register for use in subsequent SA activities and to monitor the effectiveness of the SRM program.
