Item: OPERATIONAL STRATEGIES FOR IMPROVING AVALANCHE RISK PERCEPTION AMONGST WORKERS: A PRACTICAL APPROACH TO CULTURE CHANGE
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Title: OPERATIONAL STRATEGIES FOR IMPROVING AVALANCHE RISK PERCEPTION AMONGST WORKERS: A PRACTICAL APPROACH TO CULTURE CHANGE
Proceedings: Proceedings, International Snow Science Workshop, Whistler, BC, Canada, 2026
Authors:
- Johanna Kelly [ Snowbird Resort, Snowbird, Utah ]
Date: 2026-09-28
Abstract: The Snowbird Snow Safety team has identified a need to better communicate the avalanche risk analysis process to ski patrollers on the front line. Recently, we have recognized that patrollers have been uninformed of the expectations that we, as forecasters, hold for them regarding the level of residual risk they accept while performing avalanche hazard mitigation. This lack of communication has led to misunderstandings of risk acceptance and misgivings toward the forecasting team. By implementing new operational strategies, our goal has been to address these deficiencies to improve our workplace culture. In this paper we will discuss three operational strategies that have been implemented at Snowbird to shift the culture towards more transparency and mutual trust between ski patrollers and the Snow Safety (forecaster) team. The first operational strategy outlines methodic record-keeping of patrol avalanche involvements, made accessible to both patrollers and forecasters. The second strategy will discuss targeted communication of methods for reducing vulnerability and exposure to patrollers performing avalanche hazard mitigation. This was a crucial step towards getting patrollers and forecasters on the same page with perceived risk, and segued into the question of what is an acceptable level of risk for patrollers? In answering this query, the forecast team developed their third strategy: an operational risk band specifically for patrollers, presented in pre-season training. Since integrating these strategies, we have noticed a shift toward higher levels of reporting avalanche involvements and near-misses, more open discourse about these events, and a stronger relationship between patrollers and the forecasting team. This paper will discuss how these strategies were developed and the challenges faced in communicating them to the team.
Object ID: ISSW2026_FS1.6.pdf
DOI: https://doi.org/10.15788/1790098401
Language of Article: English
Presenter(s): Johanna Kelly
Keywords: Risk communication, operational risk band, culture change, risk acceptance
Page Number(s): 1273 - 1277
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