Operational Risk Analysis (ORA)
An Operational Risk Assessment (ORA) provides the means for the identification, assessment, and control and management of existing and potential safety hazards in the provision of operational services.
The Aviation Rescue Services’ Operational Risk Assessment will support your organisation to:
- Limit the exposure of your organisation to situations and occurrences that could have harmful or undesirable consequences to the organisation and/or its members
- Provide a safe working environment for the members of your organisation whilst recognising the risks inherent to your organisation’s operation / mission
- Require all personnel to use the concept of risk vs benefit as a primary consideration during emergency operations
Particular focus will be applied to the following known areas of inherent risk:
- Administration / procedures
- Facilities
- Training
- Vehicle operations, emergency, and non-emergency
- Protective clothing and equipment
- Firefighter health and wellbeing, including health hazard exposure
- Operations at emergency incidents
- Operations at non-emergency incidents
- Environment
What risk does the ARFFS own?
Here is something you may not have considered. Providers of Aircraft Rescue & Fire Fighting services (ARFFS) do not “own” the risk associated with emergencies at aerodromes. Emergencies may occur at aerodromes that are aircraft-related or not aircraft-related. Regardless of this, unless the emergency has been inadvertently caused by ARFFS actions (i.e., a fire vehicle driving into a parked aircraft, or a runway incursion causing collision with an aircraft), the risk associated with an emergency is owned by two parties. In the example of an aircraft crash; the pilot and aircraft owner, as well as the aerodrome operator.
Often (and incorrectly) the risk and outcome of an emergency is perceived to be that part of the incident exclusively managed by the ARFFS, however this is an incorrect notion which leads to assumptions being wrongly made in relation to an ARFFS and its ‘operational landscape’.
The only risk an ARFFS “own” is in relation to the risk of providing (or not providing) service delivery, or better termed, operational safety. ARFFS are mandated with certain performance characteristics to manage the most serious plausible emergency at a given aerodrome. Such resources are established so that an intervention can be achieved – and if correctly applied, changing the course of events from a catastrophic accident to an incident that is controlled. Rescue will also be undertaken if able to be performed depending on the situational context and operational requirements.
Therefore, a result of an effective ARFFS intervention is that life and property may be saved and preserved. However, the ARFFS should not assume responsibility for the risk associated with loss of life / property at an aircraft crash. An aircraft crash may occur where all persons on board may perish, yet the ARFFS may execute its function with speed and precision fulfilling every expected / mandated requirement. The loss of life could not be averted. Therefore, the ownership of risk can only be undertaken over areas ARFFS have direct control, and in the instance of the ARFFS this is the provision of service delivery / operational safety.
Our Operational Risk Assessment will be founded on internationally prescribed ARFFS service delivery requirements to ensure a focussed approach to your operational risk. Based on an agreed scope of work, we will undertake a detailed risk analysis of identified areas and provide you with a comprehensive report to ensure organisational decisions are better informed.