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Leadership Matters: Managing Fatal Risk Guidance

1 April 2010

Despite the implementation of comprehensive safety management systems by many companies in the mining and metals industry, fatal and potentially fatal events continue to occur with unacceptable frequency.

  • This guidance provides managers of operations with a tool to help reduce such events. It consists of a series of self-diagnostic prompts that may assist in identifying gaps in safety management systems.

  • This guidance should be read in conjunction with ICMM’s earlier report aimed at Chief Executives and corporate leaders, Leadership Matters: The Elimination of Fatalities.

  • Both reports provide checklist-based advice on three key themes:

    • Live the vision of zero fatalities.

    • Focus on high potential events.

    • Recognise the fallibility of people and systems.

  • This document does not provide a comprehensive guide to safety and risk management systems but should help managers build upon their existing processes to enhance their management of fatal risk.

  • The consistent use of this methodology enables people, at each level of the operation, to make informed decisions on risk treatment options.

  • By working through the risk management framework and answering the questions posed within each prompt, the operation manager can review current efforts to eliminate fatalities and address gaps in resources, staffing and systems – continuing the drive towards a goal of eliminating fatalities.