Critical Control Management (CCM) is increasingly recognised as an essential approach to preventing fatal and catastrophic events; however its success depends on more than identifying controls and developing verification processes. It depends on building the capability, confidence and ownership of the people responsible for managing risk every day. This paper presents an industry case study describing how First Quantum Minerals (FQM) evolved its fatal risk management approach by combining its established THINK framework with CCM. Rather than implementing CCM as a compliance exercise, FQM focused on developing an organisational learning system that helped people understand what keeps them safe, identify the critical controls that prevent Material Unwanted Events (MUEs), and provide evidence that those controls are present and effective. The approach centred on building internal capability through practical workshops, clear accountability, an innovative 85 per cent completion methodology, independent quality assurance and quality control, and a simple three-layer verification model connecting systems, processes and tasks. Implemented across Kansanshi and Trident in Zambia, the program has strengthened workforce ownership, improved visibility of degraded controls and enabled operational teams to develop practical solutions, including a workforce-designed digital verification application. The key lesson is simple: sustainable fatal risk prevention is achieved by teaching people to fish – building capable, confident teams who understand and own the critical controls that keep themselves and their colleagues safe.