Why Should I Use It?
“In the thick” is no time to try to mitigate a
potentially hazardous outcome. When preparing for
a flight or maintenance task, operators and
maintenance technicians should take time to stop
and think about the hazards involved.
Attempting this task “in our heads” usually
does not take into account actual risk exposure.
The mind tends to compartmentalize the individual
hazards which, in turn, fails to appreciate their
cumulative effects. We may also allow our personal
desires to manipulate our risk assessment in order
to meet personal goals. The best way to
compensate for these inherent shortcomings is to
take the task to paper.
Putting everything on “paper” allows us to
establish our risk limits in an atmosphere free
from the pressure of an impending flight or
maintenance task. It also gives a perspective on
the entire risk picture that we cannot get in our
heads. Most importantly, it sets the stage for
managing risk through proactive risk mitigation
strategies that are documented.