In honor of Star Wars Day, I thought it would be fun to write a blog about various aspects of the Star Wars universe and how risk management tactics would apply.
A long time ago, in a galaxy not so far away, OSHA began implementing rules to protect employees. One of them was with regards to personal protective equipment (PPE), which is designed to protect workers from serious workplace injuries or illnesses. Did anyone else think of PPE when Finn advised Rey in The Force Awakens that a Stormtrooper’s mask would filter out smoke but not toxins? Even the Empire had safety in mind when designing a Stormtrooper’s uniform!
While we are on the topic of safety, how many people cringed when Han Solo and the gang went into the trash compactor in A New Hope? Ironically, it also appears the Empire may have had a plan regarding lockout/tagout because you may recall when they decided to start the compactor to smash the Rebels, they first let the dianoga out of the compactor. By the way, how many fans knew that was the name of the trash compactor monster??
Let’s switch gears to the Empire’s business continuity plan. Anyone who loves Star Wars knows that not only did the Rebels blow up two Death Stars - spoiler alert, they also managed to blow up the Starkiller Base. Now they did try to remedy the holes (pun intended) in their plans, yet the Rebels still came out on top, three times. I think the Empire needs to go back to testing their disaster plan!
Another obvious standout from a risk management perspective is how Darth Vader “handles” his co-workers. As you think of the many scenes throughout the Star Wars movies of Darth Vader force choking someone (Captain Needa after losing the Millennium Falcon, Admiral Ozzel after the Hoth debacle, Padme on the lava planet of Mustafar, need I go on?), did you ever wonder if there were allegations of a hostile work environment? The Empire may want to invest in workplace violence training as well as a good employment practices policy.
What about a strong fleet management policy? Distracted driving kills more than 9 people each day in the United States. Many scenes throughout the original trilogy highlight the importance of being focused when “driving.” Remember the tie fighter pilot who nicks Vader’s ship in A New Hope and the speeder bike operator who crashes into a tree in Return of the Jedi because he’s looking behind him for Princess Leia?
Let’s wrap this up with a brief look at faulty password management. If you recall in Return of the Jedi, the Rebels steal the shuttle Tydirium from the Empire and utilize it to transport Han Solo’s strike team to Endor. As they approach Endor, they are asked to “transmit the clearance code for shield passage.” As Vader senses their presence, he asks Admiral Piet if they have a code clearance to which he replies “It’s an older code, but it checks out. I was about to clear them.”
Even a more current look at the Star Wars universe reveals the Empire’s inability to have good risk management protocols in place. In an episode of Star Wars Rebels, Captain Rex, a now defected Stormtrooper, provides a still active emergency access code to enable the Rebels to land on a secret Empire base. A solid risk management tactic would be to disable all codes of employees who are no longer part of the company.
We hope you enjoyed this quick peek at risk management from a self-proclaimed Star Wars geek. May the fourth be with you!
