A critical aspect of any organisations Safety Management System (SMS) is the identification, assessment and mitigation of Fatal Risks. Wherever there is a potential for a given workforce or members of the public to be harmed in the course of business undertakings, organisations must act to eliminate Fatal Risks where possible or to manage the risk to a level that is as so far as is reasonably practicable (SFAIRP).
A Fatal Risk is a situation or hazardous activity that has the potential to result in a fatality if established controls and defences are ineffective. Fatal Risk controls are therefore considered to be mandatory requirements (procedural, equipment and people) that must be in place to eliminate the potential occurrence of a Fatal Risk event(s).