VanGuard - Risk-Management and Assessment Systems

Vanguard Solutions is a leading independent consultancy specialising in the management of risk (safety, health, environment, reliability, and business), including detailed risk and safety engineering. The company is a multi-disciplined group providing high-quality solutions to business and industry.

We have offices in Perth (Vanguard Solutions, Vanguard Enviro Pty Ltd) and Dubai (Vanguard Solutions (Middle East), with personnel located worldwide.

We can assist in developing, implementing, maintaining and reviewing risk-management systems. The aim of these partnerships is to maximise the knowledge transfer to the clients business. We provide specialist services in the following areas for mining and mineral processing industries.

ENTERPRISE (HOLISTIC) RISK MANAGEMENT

Every decision we take is a risk. We can assist mining organisations in their journey towards a holistic approach to managing their risks. In particular, the risk management framework, the risk-management strategy and plans, the risk appetite of the organisation, and the risk-management assurance process.

RISK AND SAFETY ENGINEERING

Risk assessment is a key part of the risk management process. We use well-established methodologies tailored to suit the client's requirements (Staged Hazard Study, HAZOP, FMEA, Bowtie, SQRA, QRA FSA etc). However, assessment is ineffective if suitable risk identification has not been performed. In addition, specialist services associated with loss prevention, such as fire risk management and business interruption analysis can be provided to assist with the organisations business continuity planning.

MINING SAFETY CASES AND SAFETY REPORTS

Many may see safety cases / reports as a regulatory compliance issue, although their benefit is not just a compliance tick. Vanguard Solutions have prepared many safety cases and reports which assist in embedding risk and safety management within the organisation, generating a greater understanding of the hazards. Additionally, the principles involved are equally applicable to risks other than safety and contribute to the holistic approach.

SAFETY SYSTEM MAINTENANCE

Optimising system performance and ensuring safety systems function when required is crucial to ensuring that business objectives are met, and demonstrating safety can be achieved. Vanguard Solutions has the expertise and software to undertake Reliability, Availability and Maintainability (RAM) modelling and provide Reliability Centred Maintenance (RCM) strategies.

Vanguard Solutions also provide Common Cause Failure (CCF) and human error modelling, as well as detailed Failure Modes, Effects and Criticality Analysis (FMECA) studies to aid the understanding of an overall systems' performance.

MINING INCIDENT ANALYSIS

Investigating incidents is a key step in any business to understand what went wrong and how to correct the underlying issues. Vanguard Solutions has trained analysts in industry-accepted root cause analysis techniques to assist our clients effectively manage their business and recovery from an incident.

REGULATORY COMPLIANCE REVIEWS

Although many organisations operate their business above the minimum safety standards required by law, some things can ‘slip through the cracks’. To assist in this area Vanguard Solutions can provide compliance reviews / audits for operations that either have the potential to become major hazard facilities.

MINING SAFETY MANAGEMENT

We can assist in the facilitation of risk assessments and the development of safe working procedures (JSA or equivalent). Additionally, if the organisation or facility is new then safety system development, and subsequent system review and upgrade for those in a more mature environment, is a core service we provide.

ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT

Environmental management is an integral part of all industrial operations. Sound management of industrial operations will generally result in a low level of environmental impact – protecting the assets protects the environment. We provide specialist services to meet the national and state environmental legislative requirements in the following areas:

• Contaminated sites
• Environmental management systems
• Environmental impact assessments
• Design and management of ecosystem studies
• Environmental risk assessment
• Environmental auditing
• Environmental engineering
• National Pollutant Inventory (NPI) emissions reporting
• Waste management

RISK-ASSESSMENT TRAINING

To assist in the embedding and transfer of knowledge Vanguard Solutions can provide in-house training courses in risk-assessment methods; HAZO participation / leader; hazard identification and other safety-related areas.