In this episode of Risk! Engineers Talk Governance, due diligence engineers Richard Robinson and Gaye Francis break down the concept of SFAIRP "So Far As Is Reasonably Practicable" into three key parts: "So Far", "As Is", and "Reasonably Practicable".

This was one of their key take-aways from their recent Live Forum where lawyer Joseph Coleiro articulated the following:

• "So Far" refers to the notion of doing as much as possible to address a risk, rather than just meeting a target level of risk.
• "As Is" refers to the information and circumstances available at the time a decision is made, rather than considering hindsight.
• "Reasonably Practicable" is defined in legislation, considering the likelihood and degree of harm, what is known about the risk, the availability and suitability of controls, and the cost associated with implementing those controls.

The discussion details a legal case where an organisation was prosecuted for failing to implement various risk controls, demonstrating that negligence often arises from unimplemented, insufficient, or failed precautions.

Overall, the key is to break down SFAIRP into these three distinct elements and to not leave out any part, especially when it is fully defined in the Legislation or Act.

For further information on Richard and Gaye’s consulting work with R2A, head to https://www.r2a.com.au, where you’ll also find their booklets (store) and a sign-up for their quarterly newsletter to keep informed of their latest news and events. 

Gaye is also founder of Australian women’s safety workwear company Apto PPE https://www.aptoppe.com.au.