scope:

Scope and Intended

Uses AASTP-4 applies to risks associated with ammunition and explosives. The underlying principles can also be applied to the management of other hazardous situations.

This document is intended to support governments in developing and applying risk-based decision aids and in reducing risk. It should also aid comparison of the risk-based approaches and standards used by various nations.

Purpose

AASTP-4 supports the continued growth and utilization of risk-based methods. It is designed to assist in developing and using new applications and to provide examples of current international uses. Toward these purposes, it:

• Advocates the broader application of risk-based methods,

• Provides guidance in the establishment of risk-based decision methods,

• Describes existing risk-based methods in use by the participating nations,

• Identifies common features of risk-based approaches, so that assessments done by individual nations in multinational operations may be understood and, if appropriate, used by other countries.

AASTP-4 is also intended to facilitate risk management and decision making on the safety of explosives and munitions activities especially those involving joint operations. Such as:

• To quantify the risk of situations that do not meet quantity-distance (Q-D) criteria,

• To identify potential improvements in existing risk-based methods,

• To establish means of exchanging results using different national models,

• To contribute to solutions for operational problems (e.g., field storage),

• To compare situations where Q-D and risk-based methods lead to different decisions,

• To assess the benefit of different risk reduction options,

• To support risk assessments needed to develop insensitive munitions.