So, today, the question is, “Is it important for the client to be involved in the risk assessment?”
The short answer is, YES, and here’s why.
The client initially may not know what they are looking for and that is why they have asked for help in a risk assessment. And quite honestly, if the client is not involved in the risk assessment, then the risk assessment is essentially useless.
This sounds harsh but hear me out.
As a consultant, I can only see what is available to me at the time. I do not understand the vulnerabilities at a specific location because they are site-specific. I don’t know the details outside of my scope, I don’t know the history of threats and vulnerabilities for that location, and I don’t have the inside information as to the criticality of things.
Whether you run a business, a team, or are working on a project, to achieve any success you must be mindful of these simple words: You can expect what you inspect.
For a risk assessment to work, the client MUST be involved. Every plan and strategy associated with a goal must always be monitored and inspected to ensure proper execution and achievement. And the end goal of a risk assessment is to plug your vulnerabilities.
Now, how do we involve you, the client, in the risk assessment process?
As previously stated, involving you in the risk assessment process is crucial for comprehensive risk management. Here are a few steps we use to work together with you in the risk assessment process effectively.
1. Identify the hazards and vulnerabilities:
Every risk assessment starts with identifying the hazards and vulnerabilities that you face within your business. These could include accidents, emergencies like fires or active shooter situations, toxic chemicals, employee conflicts, and even bullying and stress. The goal here is to detect all threats to worker safety.
2. Conduct the risk assessment and evaluation:
Once we have identified our hazards, the next step is risk assessment.
Each risk and hazard found during the identification process is now assessed for the probability of harm it could cause and the severity of that harm.
The risk level is calculated by multiplying the Probability and Severity of harm (see Figure 1):
The severity of harm ranges from Negligible to Catastrophic.
The Probability spans from Unlikely to Frequent.
The resulting risk level helps prioritize actions taken to mitigate the hazards and vulnerabilities you’ve previously identified.
The goal during the assessment and evaluation is to create a comprehensive plan that includes controls, preventative measures, and corrective actions to protect your workers and improve the work environment. We will explore strategies to prevent or mitigate the identified risks or hazards. This may involve removing the hazard altogether, implementing safety measures, or even creating a training program.
3. Importance:
Safety and security are a top priority across all industries. Proper hazard identification and risk assessment serve as the baseline for implementing safety controls, policies, and best practices.
Remember, effective communication and collaboration between you, the client, and the consultant enhances risk assessment accuracy and promotes a safer environment for everyone involved.
Let us work together in conducting a security threat assessment to identify potential vulnerabilities and find security procedures that can be used to mitigate these risks. In return, you will create a more secure environment for your business, employees, and visitors.
Reach out today by clicking on the "Ask me a Question" button on the lower right, or via email: markzirtzlaff@mzsecurityconsulting.com and receive Our FREE 30-minute safety and security consultation (a $500 value) to assess your current safety status and kickstart your safety journey.
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