Risk Mitigation aims to reduce the consequences when a negative risk activity occurs.

For example, buildings that are in earthquake prone areas such as San Francisco tend to be equipped with shock absorbers and cross supports. This technology has nothing to do with reducing the likelihood of an earthquake occurring, but it aims to reduce the consequence when an earthquake hits.

To assess effective risk mitigation methods to implement, organisations should look at what might happen as a result of the negative risk. Once most of the key consequences have been identified, research should be conducted on methods to reduce the consequences.

We must consider that not all mitigation methods are aimed at directly reducing the consequence but some are aimed at detection of the consequence so we can act accordingly at an early stage of its development.

For example, fire alarms are used as detection methods that do not directly reduce the consequences of a fire (because they do not put the fire out), but bring to our attention the hazard so we can act accordingly.

By detecting consequences earlier in their development, the impact is going to be substantially reduced.