Risk Management: How to Avoid Being Charged For Murder

If a dodge ball, traveling at 40 miles per hour, hits a fountain drink cup sitting on the ledge of the sound booth, what are the odds the tech director will soon be charged for murder?

Designing the booth several years ago, we discussed the issue of people placing drinks on the ledge of the booth.  The sanctuary is also an "all-purpose room" so we knew it could happen.  We considered putting a 45-degree angle on the ledge so the above scenario, or one similar, could never happen.

After deliberation, we decided to place a bit of molding on the back of the ledge so if anything was knocked over, it wouldn't spill into the booth.  In retrospect, we made a very poor assumption.  We assumed nothing would ever get knocked into the booth.

Cleaning up the spilled drink in the sound booth, which had been there for 24 hours, I knew we were lucky.  The cup came to rest upside-down between components, directly on the countertop.  The liquid refreshment had migrated underneath the mixer so a few minutes with a damp towel cleaned up that which could have been a $$$$$$$ problem.

Funny how people don’t put drinks up there when a sound tech is around.

Risk management involves capturing two bits of information; the probability of something happening and the impact if it happens.  We initially thought it was a low probability and failed to take the impact into account.  

This week, the signs go up; "Do Not Place Drinks on Ledge."  That's a nicer wording than I suggested.  

What's the big deal if someone sets a drink on the ledge of the sound booth?
What's the big deal if the guitarist always has to use the ground lift on the direct box?
What's the big deal if I play golf during a thunderstorm?

What can you afford to risk?

Question: What Disasters Have You Experienced?