During a recent discussion with a client, the topic of risk timelines came up and I realised that although we use it as a background concept in much of our work we haven’t articulated it in our textbooks or previous blogs.
The idea of a risk timeline approach recognises that you can’t do everything all at once because there are always constraints – time, people and resources.
Unless the situation is prohibitively dangerous for a critically exposed group (in which case the activity needs to be stopped and addressed immediately) then a risk timeline approach can be used.
Contemporary WHS/OHS legislation requires risks be eliminated so far as is reasonably practicable, and if they can’t be eliminated, reduced SFAIRP.
A risk timeline argument includes:
The key of a risk timeline argument, however, is to make sure that:
The management of credible critical issues of concern, even if rare, cannot be deferred indefinitely.