Army Ground Risk Management Publication: Countermeasure, Vol 21, No 4, April 2000. Water Safety... A Risk Management Approach

摘要

When winter starts shedding its frost coat, many soldiers begin planning warm-weather, water-related weekends and vacations. Last summer, four soldiers died in off-duty water-related accidents. Most of these accidents could have been prevented had soldiers included risk management with their maps, guidebooks, and ice chests. The 5-step risk-management process works the same way off-duty as it does at work. 1. Identify the hazards. The hazards are the potential sources of danger: unfamiliar water, unknown water depth and current, fatigue, debris, and changing weather conditions. These hazards can be affected by swimming ability, boating skills, and the condition of the boat. 2. Assess the hazards. Each hazard is analyzed to determine both the probability of its causing a problem and the severity of the consequences should such a problem occur. For example: How fast is the current and what type of underwater debris is present. Is the boat appropriate and seaworthy enough to travel a long distance in this kind of water.