Risk and Ammunition Management

Ammution and explosives are inherently hazardous materials. The policies and activities of storing and handling ammunition and explosives should be controlled by a robust, effective, and integrated Risk Management System. The Risk Management System should examine the organisation, policies, methodologies, and processes in order to assess and provide safe and secure conventional ammunition stockpile management.

The two main hazards related to an ammunition stockpile are;

1. Accidental explosions
2. Diversion

The IATG follow the principles in ISO 31000. The individual IATG modules work to form an integrated Risk Management System. This means that just by adhering to the guidelines, a stockpile management organisation will already be implementing a basic Risk Management System. However, the Risk Management System should be formally implemented to become fully effective.

Risk management should be seen by States as a fundamental activity to support safe, secure, and effective conventional ammunition stockpile management. Decisions should be based on the likelihood of an event occurring as well as the consequences of such an event.

The physical phenomena of blast, fragmentation and thermal radiation resulting from explosions are well understood, as are the mechanisms that cause fatalities, injury and damage as a result of these effects.

Explosion effects and consequence predictive techniques and models have been developed by a number of states and organisations to support risk assessments. Some provide a rough indication of casualties and damage, whereas others will provide more precise estimates of explosion effects. Quite often risk assessments will involve a combination of both qualitative and quantitative risk assessment methods and tools, based on available information and techniques and models being used.

Effective ammunition stockpile management is achieved by reducing risk to an acceptable level, which is defined in IATG 02.10 Introduction to Risk Management Principles and Processes as tolerable risk. There can be no absolute safety/security; some risk will remain, and this is the residual risk. This is achieved by conducting a Risk Assessment (to identify, analyze and evaluate risks), then suitable measures (or Risk Treatment) are be put in place.

In the case of ammunition stockpile management there are two approaches to Risk Treatment;

1. Prevention; the measures taken to stop an event occurring,
2. Mitigation; the measures taken to reduce the effects should an event occur.

Utilizing the principles in ISO 31000 and the guidance in the IATG will enable organisations to conduct appropriate Risk Assessments, which will in turn will facilitate effective Risk Treatment. This, as part of a complete Risk Management System, will help prevent events occurring and mitigate the consequences if they do occur.