Transforming Risk Assessments: A More Engaging Approach

Last week, I had the privilege of conducting what I consider one of the most effective risk assessment sessions of my career, and I’m excited to share the experience with you. The session focused on the isolation process, and I had the opportunity to work with a diverse group of frontline workers, including professionals from operations, maintenance, electrical, mechanical, and engineering fields. It was a fantastic mix of expertise and perspectives, which made for a great learning environment.

As the group walked into the room, you could see the usual skepticism — “Here we go again, another risk assessment that will drag on all day. I can’t wait for the break.” This is a common sentiment among those who have been involved in traditional risk assessments. If you ask any frontline worker, the response is usually the same: risk assessments often become bogged down in lengthy discussions about likelihood, consequence, and risk rankings that don’t add value. These are subjective discussions that slow everything down, and in most cases, it feels like wasted time.

I’ve long felt that this isn’t the best use of everyone’s time. So, we decided to approach the session differently. Instead of getting stuck in the weeds of risk rankings and probability, we focused on the bigger picture right from the start. I posed the question:

“If we get the isolation process wrong, what’s the worst-case scenario?”

Everyone agreed that the most likely outcome could be a fatality. With this in mind, we agreed that we would start with a single risk ranking for the entire process, which we could then apply across all the other lines we needed to review.

Once we tackled that tough, critical part upfront, something amazing happened — the atmosphere shifted. It was as though a weight had been lifted. The team felt more engaged, and we could focus on the heart of the matter: our existing controls, what additional controls were needed, and where we could make improvements in the process. The conversation flowed naturally, and the team was actively involved in identifying gaps, proposing changes, and refining the process.

We moved through the session efficiently, and by the end, we had covered all the lines in a way that felt purposeful and collaborative. I made it a point to go around the room and ask everyone for their final thoughts. Almost everyone said the same thing: it was the best risk assessment they had ever attended. Not only did they feel like their voices were heard, but they also felt like they had genuinely contributed to improving safety on the job.

As I drove home that day, I reflected on the session and asked myself, “Why can’t all risk assessments be like this?”

Why can’t we eliminate the administrative burdens that often bog down the process and focus on what really matters — the causes, consequences, and controls?

The goal of any risk assessment should be to prevent incidents, not to get lost in subjective analysis that wastes time.

There are many tools and processes we must follow, but I believe there are ways to streamline and improve these sessions. By focusing on outcomes, simplifying the process, and encouraging meaningful discussions, we can create more effective, engaging, and productive risk assessments.

Now, I’m really interested to hear from others: What strategies or approaches have you used to make your risk assessments more interactive and engaging? Have you found ways to make them more effective learning experiences? I’m always looking for ways to improve, and I’d love to hear your thoughts and ideas on what works for you.