Look both ways before crossing -- or -- An informal approach to Personal Risk Management Published July 9, 2013 By Lt. Col. Steve Todd Chief, 71st Flying Training Wing Safety VANCE AIR FORCE BASE, Okla. -- How many times have you crossed the street without first looking both ways? OK, maybe I don't want to know the answer to that. Before crossing, you normally pause to identify and assess the presence of various hazards such as cars, wheat combines or open manholes that pose a risk to your personal safety. You develop controls and implement controls by looking both ways before you decide whether or not to cross a busy intersection. You use crosswalks as an added safety control before potentially stepping out into oncoming traffic. Little did you know you just employed a form of real-time risk management to maximize your chances of successfully negotiating a hazardous thoroughfare. No paperwork involved here, just a systematic approach to smart decision-making. We do it everyday for seemingly mundane tasks, but what about hazardous activities involving potentially high-cost consequences? Hazards are real or potential conditions that can cause injury, illness, death or damage to equipment. Here in Enid, hazards may range from towing aircraft on a bustling flight line to walking barefoot through a minefield of forgotten Legos on the kitchen floor at night. Hazards, both big and small, will always pose a threat to our personal safety and to the mission. In our line of work we can never eliminate all the hazards, but we can mitigate or eliminate the risks associated with those hazards. Think of it as a cost-benefit analysis. When the cost of a potential risk outweighs the benefits gained from a particular task, it makes no sense to accept the risk. In the military, we sometimes accept higher levels of risk based on factors such as mission priority. But we must always seek ways to mitigate the risk. One of the four Risk Management principles dictates that we will accept no unnecessary risk. Statistics show that on-duty mishaps occur at a lower rate than off-duty mishaps. According to the Air Force Safety Center, there have been five on-duty fatalities and 35 off-duty fatalities across the Air Force so far in fiscal 2013. Fourteen of those include motorcycle-related fatalities, which exceeded the 10-year average. Why are there more mishaps off-duty when there are clearly more hazards associated with work on a military base than at home or downtown? The answer lies in leadership presence. While on duty, leaders ensure risk assessments are accomplished before people engage in a given task. As a result, risk mitigation decisions are made at the appropriate level of supervision for the level of an anticipated risk. As the level of risk increases, the level of decision-making authority must also increase to provide the appropriate cost-benefit analysis. The process According to Air Force Pamphlet 90-803, "Risk Management Guidelines and Tools," risk management "is a decision-making process to systematically evaluate possible courses of action, identify risks and benefits, and determine the best course of action for any given situation." This is the cyclical and continuous process that guides us to make smart decisions. Risk management is a five step process: Identify the hazards Assess the hazards Develop controls and make decisions Implement controls Supervise and evaluate Leadership "injectionship" As Airmen depart their work areas each day they leave behind the protective umbrella of supervision that keeps them safe. Therefore, commanders and supervisors need to inject their personal risk management philosophy within their subordinates and ensure they are armed with the tools to prevent mishaps. Individuals must conduct the same on-duty risk assessment concepts when they engage in activities while off-duty. If you ever find yourself wondering whether you should participate in a certain activity, first seek the advice of your supervisor or a fellow Wingman. It is incumbent upon each of us as Wingmen and leaders to ensure our Airmen understand and practice personal risk management every day. It is a vital step in proactively safeguarding our comrades through mishap prevention and driving down the tragic statistics that negatively impact our families, coworkers and the mission. So, before you mount-up on your motorcycle, don water skis or engage in another hazardous activity, review these questions with your supervisor or Wingman as part of your risk assessment: What are the risks involved? Am I properly trained for this activity? Do I have the right attitude? Am I going to exceed my personal limits or any limits that the environment will allow? Be honest with yourself when conducting your risk assessments. The life you save could be your own.