3.2.5 Risk management
Risk management is a defined and well-planned process to identify and manage those risks that are considered unacceptable. The desired outcome of a risk management program is a reduction in risk
to levels considered acceptable. It involves a number of steps, as follows: • identifying options for managing risk;
• assessing those options; and • preparing and implementing appropriate risk management plans Standards Australia, 1999.
3.3 Risk management – a critical review
3.3.1 Current approaches to risk management during live export
Until very recently, industry has managed risks during live export using a “prescriptive standards approach”. This approach has been based on the Australian Livestock Export Standards ALES,
which documents a set of prescriptive instructions relevant to all stages of export. Using this approach, the management of animal health and welfare risks was considered satisfactory provided
these instructions were fully complied with.
It is now clear, however, that there are serious flaws with the prescriptive standards approach to risk management. Based on recent events, particularly during 2002, there is now compelling evidence of
high mortality events despite full compliance with these industry standards. Although these events have been relatively uncommon with ALES proving adequate in most circumstances, they have,
nonetheless, added to existing community concerns about live export.
Reasons for the failure in the prescriptive standards approach have been uncovered following a critical review both of the standards and of the causes of recent mortality events. These can be
specifically attributed to the ongoing use of prescriptive standards to manage biological and physical risks, as follows:
• Biological risks. By their nature, biological systems are complex, and system outcomes are not highly predictable. To illustrate, the ‘cause’ of feedlot-related salmonellosis can best be described
using a diagrammatic web, with disease being associated with a wide range of interacting risk factors at each stage of export. Furthermore, although the probability of an outbreak is increased
when certain risk factors are present, it cannot be predicted with any level of certainty. Therefore, a prescriptive approach to risk management can only be effective in biological systems if the
standards are all-encompassing, accounting for all possible eventualities. Although the current ALES documentation is very sound, it is not all-encompassing and cannot be used successfully
as the basis for risk management in all situations.
• Physical risks. Although physical systems are also complex, system outcomes can generally be predicted with a much higher level of certainty. For example, with a sound understanding of heat
gain and heat loss on ship, it is possible – with some certainty – to predict deck conditions during live export. Therefore, prescriptive standards can be used as the basis of risk management in
physical systems. The failure to adequately manage physical risks specifically, heat stress using the current ALES documentation can be attributed to gaps in understanding. These
standards do not consider all of the factors relating to heat gain and heat loss on-ship, and therefore cannot be used – in its current form – as a means to manage heat stress risk in all
situations.
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SUMMARY: Recent high-mortality incidents during live export, despite full compliance with the industry standards, can be directly attributable to the use of
prescriptive standards as the basis of risk management. The prescriptive approach to risk management can only be effective in biological systems if the standards are
all-encompassing, accounting for all eventualities. Physical risks can be managed using this approach, but only if the underlying system is completely understood.
3.3.2 Alternative risk management models
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