Beyond Prevention: The Strategy of
Managed Failure and Integrated Risk
In modern industry, we often talk about "continuous
improvement" as a mantra. However, throughout my 15 years in risk control consulting and projects, I
have seen a recurring pitfall: improving one sector at the
expense of another is not evolution—it is a transfer of liability.
True improvement only exists when it is integrated and resilient. It
requires the alignment of Costs, Productivity, Quality, HSE (Health, Safety,
and Environment), and Strategy. If a cost-cutting measure compromises safety or
quality, the net result for the organization is negative.
1. Living Processes
Improvement happens when the most critical processes are documented,
delivered to the frontline worker, and subjected to periodic multidisciplinary
reviews. A process shouldn't be a static document; it must be a dynamic tool
for excellence.
2. Designing for Resilience: Managed
Failure
We must accept that some events—earthquakes, extreme storms, or
floods—are inevitable. Therefore, a robust risk project must go beyond trying
to prevent the unpreventable; it must direct the damage to preserve
lives.
In my view, advanced engineering must incorporate:
·
Planned
Fragility (Sacrificial Zones): Designing
specific areas to fail or break first (such as in dams or pressure systems) to
relieve stress and prevent a total catastrophic collapse.
·
Strategic
Reinforcement (Safety Islands): Creating
reinforced structures—such as concrete bunkers or shielding—to protect human
life and critical assets during landslides or fires.
We must design systems that "know" how to
fail safely by directing the flow of water, fire, or earth away from what is
most precious.
Real
improvement is only achieved when all sectors are considered and when the
project is resilient enough to handle the unexpected.
Question
for my global network: Are your risk control projects designed only to
prevent errors, or are they engineered to manage failure safely?
Celso França
15 years of experience in Risk Control Consulting & Projects
Mechanical Engineer | Safety Engineer | Judicial Expert | M.Sc. in
Integrated Risk Management | Law Student
#RiskManagement #ResilienceEngineering #IntegratedManagement
#ProcessSafety #GlobalEngineering #RiskControl #CelsoFrança
