Hannah McKeand’s experience ranges from a comprehensive South Pole Station area risk register for the U.S. Antarctic Program to a decade of annual Antarctic camp risk management plans, COVID risk assessments and annual assessments for expedition training in Norway.
South Pole Station area risk register
Hannah developed a comprehensive risk register for the South Pole Station area within the U.S. Antarctic Program, assessing risk across the full range of operational and organisational topics.
The scope included reputation, environment, facilities, health, safety and financial risk. This brought risks to people, infrastructure, resources and the organisation into a single register, extending well beyond an individual activity or health-and-safety assessment.
Antarctic camp risk management
For each of the past ten years, Hannah has developed a detailed risk management plan for a remote camp in Antarctica. The planning covers the operating context, hazard identification, likelihood and consequence, mitigation, residual risk, and arrangements for monitoring and review.
The scope includes weather exposure, aircraft operations, camp infrastructure, communications, emergency evacuation, fire, fuel handling, cooking systems and hygiene. Controls are considered together with the limited support and resources available in a remote environment.
Remote training in Norway
Hannah produces an annual risk assessment for the delivery of Polar Expedition Training’s courses in remote Norwegian environments.
The course risk management plan covers winter travel, navigation and low visibility, terrain and water hazards, cold exposure, camping, communications and emergency support. It connects assessments to practical mitigation, residual risk and the monitoring and review of training and travel practices.
COVID risk and operational change
Hannah’s work also includes COVID risk assessments, authorship of a remote station area’s COVID strategy and advice on the wider programme’s strategy.
Her decision-specific assessments include comparing proposed camp deployment arrangements against staffing, transport, weather exposure and the available preparation window.
