In ORM, what is the first step in the process?

• A. Assess risks
• B. Develop controls
• C. Supervise
• D. Identify hazards

Answer: (D)

In ORM, the initial action is identifying hazards—spotting anything that could cause harm to people, equipment, or the mission. This step is the foundation because you can’t accurately assess risk, develop effective controls, or implement and supervise them without knowing what could go wrong. Once hazards are identified, you evaluate their risk (considering likelihood and severity), then develop and apply safeguards, and finally supervise and evaluate how well those safeguards work. Hazard identification draws on sources like past incidents, checklists, standard procedures, and team input, which helps ensure you’re looking at all the potential problems before moving to analysis and mitigation.