Our Approach

We conducted a targeted review of critical risk controls associated with low voltage live electrical work, using a structured, evidence-based methodology. This involved:

• Mapping incident data against critical controls and their intended performance.

• Reviewed incidents involving low voltage live electrical work, facilitated bow tie workshops, undertook semi-quantitative analysis of control reliability, and worked with operational teams to develop clear control performance standards
• Analysing how controls function across risk pathways, including where degradation or failure may occur.
• Applying advanced analytical techniques to assess control effectiveness in operational contexts.
• Engaging with frontline and leadership teams to validate findings and ensure practical relevance.
• Translating complex analytical outputs into clear, actionable insights.

This approach enabled a deeper assessment of both control design and real-world performance, highlighting where controls were vulnerable, how they degraded, and why failures occurred.

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Research and Insight

Key findings revealed important opportunities to strengthen control effectiveness:

• Enhanced visibility of how controls perform along risk pathways, including failure points and degradation risks.
• Identification of gaps between intended control design and operational reality.
• Greater understanding of how complexity and variability influence control reliability.
• Improved insight into the vulnerability of specific controls under real operating conditions.
• Opportunities to improve consistency in how critical risks are understood and managed across the organisation.

These insights provided a more complete and evidence-based view of the organisation’s risk profile.

Tangible Outcomes

In response, the organisation:

• • Strengthened its approach to identifying and managing control degradation and failure.
  • Enhanced supervision and monitoring of critical controls, particularly those identified as more susceptible to failure.
  • Increased frontline awareness of how and why certain controls are vulnerable.
  • Implemented more targeted and effective mitigation strategies.
  • Began evaluating opportunities for technological improvements in control design.
  • Improved consistency in critical risk management practices across teams and operations.
  • Built internal capability to translate analytical insights into practical improvements.
  • Enhanced alignment between risk understanding, control design, and operational execution.
  This structured, data-driven approach has increased frontline awareness of control vulnerabilities, strengthened supervision and monitoring of critical controls, and prompted evaluation of opportunities to improve control design through technology.

To learn more about how Meta Incident Analysis and the SCALE© Analysis Process can help uncover hidden risks and improve control reliability in the Energy Sector, contact the Incident Analytics team.

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