(121a) Enhancing Critical Control Management using Bowties for High Consequence Risks at Rio Tinto

In an industry where high-consequence events can have devastating impacts, effective risk management is paramount. This paper outlines Rio Tinto’s journey in evolving risk management practices for high-consequence events across its operations. Following the Jukaan Gorge incident, the company committed to continual improvement in risk management, addressing not only major hazards like process safety and tailings facilities but also cultural heritage and environmental concerns.

I led the design and development of central bowties for critical control management. Rio Tinto uniquely operates both mining and minerals processing facilities, necessitating a tailored approach that integrates insights from both the Energy Institute and CCPS guidance, as well as ICMM critical control management.

This paper will discuss:

• The importance of defining control and critical control.
• Best practices in bowtie methodology.
• Benefits of centrally defined control performance specifications.
• Integration with Rio Tinto’s Critical Risk Management (CRM) for personal safety.
• Leveraging software tools for effective application.
• Refining the Three Lines of Defence risk management model for successful implementation.

Ultimately, this paper demonstrates that a centrally defined critical control management system, informed by cross-industry learnings, is essential for enhancing safety and preventing high-consequence events in mining and minerals processing.