If you realize a plan could risk safety, what is your course of action?

• A. Seek clarification, reassess risk, and escalate if needed.
• B. Wait until after the event to address concerns.
• C. Proceed with plan to avoid delays.
• D. Ignore risk because you disagree with safety standards.

Answer: (A)

When you spot a potential safety risk in a plan, the correct approach is to pause and manage that risk through clarification, reassessment, and escalation. By seeking input to confirm how safety will be maintained, you ensure you fully understand the controls in place. Then you reassess the risk with the new information, considering whether the residual risk is acceptable. If uncertainty remains or the plan still poses unacceptable risk, you escalate to the appropriate authority to decide the next steps or adjustment needed before proceeding. This keeps the activity within safe, approved parameters and demonstrates responsible judgment.

Waiting until after the event to address concerns defeats safety, and proceeding to avoid delays ignores hazards and can lead to harm. Ignoring risk because you disagree with safety standards undermines the process and could compromise mission and team safety.