How to Properly Refuse Risk IRPG Flashcards
What resource can you use to reference?
Page 19 of the current 2014 “Incident Response Pocket Guide” or IRPG from the National Wildfire Coordinating Group or NWCG.
Who has the right and obligation to report safety problems?
Every individual has the right and obligation to report safety problems or concerns.
When can a order be turned down?
When an individual feels an assignment is unsafe they also have the obligation to identify, to the degree possible, safe alternatives for completing that assignment.
What is a “Turn down”?
A “turn down” is a situation where an individual has determined they cannot undertake an assignment as given and they are unable to negotiate an alternative solution.
Individuals may turn down an assignment as unsafe, when:
Violation of safe work practices
Environmental conditions make work unsafe
Lack the proper experience or qualification
Defective equipment is being used
Who informs the supervisor
The individual directly informs their supervisor they are turning down the assignment as given. Use the criteria outlined in the Risk Management Process (Firefighting Orders, Watch Out Situations, etc.) to document the turn down.
Who notifies the safety officer?
The supervisor notifies the Safety Officer immediately upon being informed of the turn down. If there is no Safety Officer, the appropriate Section Chief or the Incident Commander should be notified. This provides accountability for decisions and initiates communication of safety concerns within the incident organization.
If the supervisor asks another resource to perform the assignment
they are responsible to inform the new resource that the assignment was turned down and the reasons why it was turned down.
If an unresolved safety hazard exists or an unsafe act was committed
the individual should also document the turn down by submitting a SAFENET (ground hazard) or SAFECOM (aviation hazard) form in a timely manner.
