What are some of the common pitfalls and errors in hazard identification and mitigation?

Data base decision making with minimal data could create high level of risk, this is why it is important to keep data based update and accurate. It is common function that is missed across all reporting. It is highly important to have mandatory fields with pick lists or assigned categories. This will ensure data is fluid across all incident therefor dashboards and trends are commonly comparative. Having a collaborative standard for data across emergency management needs to be the future of reporting. Therefor all can draw on lesson learned or gains in the same simple forms. Data management and standardization is the next critical step in emergency management. Unification across all data structures will be critical to prevention.

Para identificar los principales escollos y errores en la identificación de riesgos laborales se deben tener presentes: 1. Falta de Conocimiento para identificar todos los posibles peligros en el entorno laboral. 2. Falta de Experiencia puede llevar a pasar por alto situaciones peligrosas que podrían causar accidentes laborales. 3. Falta de Actualización puede llevar a identificaciones inadecuadas. 4. Falta de Participación de todos los niveles puede resultar en una identificación incompleta. 5. Subestimación de Riesgos puede llevar a resultados muy graves. 6. Falta de Registro y Seguimiento dificulta el seguimiento y la mejora continua en la gestión de riesgos laborales. 7. Falta de Planificación de la seguridad laboral.

In the realm of hazard identification and risk assessment, an often underestimated and invaluable approach is field risk identification. This perspective, often referred to as a 'bottom-up' approach, centers on grasping the true nature of risk and danger through the lens of field operations and staff experiences, as opposed to relying solely on models or theoretical constructs. This methodology paves the way for a practical and applicable risk management culture within an organization or community. The initial crucial step in this process involves understanding local phenomena. It is important to note that, on occasion, certain hazards, previously overlooked or unrecognized by authorities, come to the forefront.

One way to address the potential of biases and assumptions being introduced into hazard identification is to chart out the first, second, and third order implications. Visualizing the full potential of the threat and assigning a likelihood to each potential outcome can bring vivid context to decision-making. You may find out the issue is not a real problem, which will free you up to examine other threats. Or, you may realize that there is an issue that needs mitigation to prevent it from metastasizing. Either way, you will have enhanced your situational awareness.

One of the more important biases affecting decision-makers in complex environments is an inability to adequately distinguish between the likelihood of an adverse event and the magnitude of its consequences. Incidents with extreme consequences often loom large in planning processes regardless of their likelihood. Consequently, opportunities to mitigate these events are missed because people overlook causal connections and the outsized influence of vulnerability on outcomes. Often smaller, more frequent, and less costly incidents present important opportunities to build resilience against catastrophic events.

In complex situations, people often have difficulty distinguishing ambiguity from uncertainty. Too often, complex situations present decision-makers with no good options. Consequently, not knowing what to do is less of a problem than not knowing what compromises or trade-offs to accept. As such, crisis managers need a deep understanding of organization goals and a nuanced understanding of competing interests and conflict management. Getting to answer that people can accept is often of greater importance and urgency than achieving optimal outcomes, which more often than not are unachievable anyway.

The assumption that certain services will be provided to address Hazards will be readily available. For example, Post Hurricane Laura and Ida the assumption was that contractors would come in to remove debris. However, legislature from one state did not allow contractors from out-of-state to bid for contracts. The in-state contractors were already slated to work in other parts of the state and/or other states impacted by the Hurricane. Communication and proper planning would have prevented in addressing the hazards caused by debris in roadways.

In recent years, emergency management, especially in the public sector, has been plagued by a "one and done" culture. Political leaders find it easier to demote, dismiss, or replace an emergency manager than admit shortcomings in planning, preparedness, or policy responses. This habit of naming, blaming, and shaming was quite evident in the aftermath of the Lahaina Conflagration. This approach inhibits growth and sends a clear message that learning and development remain secondary to performance. Consequently, underlying issues remain unaddressed or unresolved, such as water and lands rights disputes, gentrification, competing economic and development agendas, and efforts to meet climate change mitigation targets.

Tunnel vision can cloud judgement and cause some to rush to a central focal point, rather than observing the situation for a proper approach & response. The OODA Loop can be done quickly- Observe-Orient-Decide & React. A plane fire on a runway was the initial call. Fire apparatus responded with foam and another truck ran over 2 passengers who lay just outside the plane obscured by the foam. A size up of the situation may have changed the outcome, especially when an element such as thick fire retardant foam obstructed sight line’s immediately adjacent to the plane.

All comments and perspectives are essential and important. However, a Disaster Recovery Program (DRP) needs to be developed to ensure business operations can continue subsequent to, and in some cases, during the disaster.