How can you conduct safety analysis consistently and systematically?

It is a best practice to involve the safety organization from the beginning of the product life cycle. This means working with program and engineering to define early systems engineering products from a safety and reliability perspective. Safety perspective and inputs to system goals, objectives, capabilities, measures of success, concepts of operation, operational requirements, and even liability and mission failure liabilities greatly reduces issues later. A safety vision and goals for hazards, failure mitigations, reliability, critical items, fault tolerance etc. needs to be socialized with business development, and all functional organizations from the beginning with increasing rigor as the designs and technology mature.

Read a book on system safety and enable stakeholders to do this...Define the system… 1 Define the system needs 2 Define the system 3 Decompose the system 4 Perturb system 5 Develop and define risk criteria 6 Design adverse progressions 7 Define risks with minimal controls 8 Design controls to enable acceptable levels of risk 9 Rank risks and address high to low risks 10 Develop and design system monitoring: early detection, isolation, correction, contingency and recovery 11 Continually validate and verify risk controls 12 Monitor the system and revise analyses due to system dynamics....

Safety analysis is all about controlling the risks and their outcome. As long as one is mindful from start and all the way through the life cycle of any product or process, follows the prescribed procedures and most importantly adapt and improvise as the situation demands, one should be fine.

First go read a book on system safety and enable all stakeholders to do this...Define the system… 1 Define the system needs 2 Define the system 3 Decompose the system 4 Perturb system 5 Develop and define risk criteria 6 Design adverse progressions 7 Define risks with minimal controls 8 Design controls to enable acceptable levels of risk 9 Rank risks and address high to low risks 10 Develop and design system monitoring: early detection, isolation, correction, contingency and recovery 11 Continually validate and verify risk controls 12 Monitor the system and revise analyses due to system dynamics....

Don't be vague! A well-defined scope ensures everyone involved is on the same page and prevents analysis paralysis. Remember, safety analysis is an investment – tailor it to achieve the most impactful results.

The choice of the type of analysis to be performed depends much more on what is required to be obtained than on the maturity of the system, just look at what is required in a development cycle. In order to take into account different states of maturity of a system, there are different variations of these analyses (for example to perform a Functional-FMEA instead of an FMEA) that allow to adapt to these circumstances.

Uff,,. The requirements are established precisely for risk, that is, for the acceptable combination of severity and probability. On the other hand, the analyses that are performed (FTA or FMEA type, for example; which are top-dpwn or botton-up analyses respectively) are not only selected depending on the maturity, complexity or availability of information of the system but also on what is intended to be obtained from them.

To identify hazards,safety managers must determine what dangers are associated with a given task,job or procedure.Tips for beginning include : Study existing information on the given task Review when applicable,manufactures instructions and data sheets Examine past accident and health reports Visit the site of the task Walk around,look and examine Seek workers feedback

Don't underestimate the power of brainstorming! Encourage diverse perspectives to uncover hidden hazards. Remember, even seemingly minor issues can cascade into bigger problems.

Risk analysis based on frequency and severity (2,3) feed back into requirements (1) in the section on controlling the risks (4). The product of frequency and severity compared against a threshold is useful. These transform from relative quantities into absolute when business case (cost) and human consequence (injuries) are taken into account. Preventive measures such as monitoring are emphasized over reactive measures.

risks shall be reviewed with a criticality matrix supported by a Code of Practices and typically Cenelec standard. It is a team of SME work.

I suggest that the concept of residual risk should be introduced in this section, as it is very relevant for the following sections. The mitigation measures discussed in the following sections actually refer to this residual risk.

Evaluating risks is akin to navigating through a particularly dense asteroid belt. Once the cosmic dust settles and you've spotted the asteroids (hazards) and their trajectories (risks), it's time to chart their impact potential. Using your intergalactic toolkit—be it numerical, ordinal, descriptive, or even color-coded scales—you'll categorize these celestial threats by the likelihood of collision and potential damage to your spacecraft (project). You're not only identifying the big, scary asteroids but also figuring out which ones require immediate deflection. It's the cosmic equivalent of deciding whether to deploy your ship's shields, navigate a safer route, or, in dire cases, push the big red button and initiate evasive maneuvers.

Prioritize your efforts! Focus on mitigating the most critical risks first. Utilize risk matrices to categorize and communicate risk levels effectively.

Risk evaluation involves assessing the likelihood and consequences of identified hazards. This includes determining the probability of each hazard occurring and evaluating its potential impact. By combining these assessments, organizations can prioritize mitigation efforts and manage risks effectively.

I agree with my colleagues that safety analysis is iterative and that there is a selection of mitigation measures to be taken (which depend on the final product in terms of their effectiveness and order but are quite widespread) but in a development cycle, you have to take into account what are the objectives to be taken into account. For example, in a V development cycle, on the left side, what must be ensured is the system architecture, the validation requirements of higher instances and the definition of requirements to the next sublevel.

Safety analysis is an iterative process that should be conducted iteratively throughout the system lifecycle. Regular reviews & updates to the safety analysis enable engineers to account for changes in system requirements, design modifications & operational experience, ensuring that safety remains a priority at every stage of the project. In a project involving the upgrade of an existing power distribution network, we conducted regular safety reviews at key milestones to reassess potential risks and update mitigation strategies as necessary. By incorporating lessons learned from previous phases and incorporating feedback from stakeholders, we were able to adapt our safety analysis approach dynamically and address emerging safety concerns.

Think creatively! Elimination is ideal, but sometimes layered controls are necessary. Remember, the most effective controls are those that are practical, sustainable, and readily adopted by everyone involved.

This would be hazard control ladder used by OSHA and NIOSH. from most effective to least effective: 1. Elimination 2. Substitution 3. Engineering controls 4. Administrative controls 5. PPE PPE is only an option if all others have failed or are not feasible. In all safety and engineering there is the "acceptable level of risk".

Develop strategies to mitigate or control identified risks. Prioritize and implement control measures, considering the hierarchy of controls (elimination, substitution, engineering controls, administrative controls, and personal protective equipment).

The safety process must be integrated with the development process. All steps starting from concept must link with with the safety life cycle.

It is also important to have the required tools for risk tracking. There are various programs and plugins that are developed specifically for the purposes of not just identifying the risks, but also tracking them through the lifecycle.

Proactive is ALWAYS better than reactive! Schedule regular reviews and encourage employees to report any safety concerns. Remember, a culture of safety awareness is vital for long-term success.

Monitoring and review it constantly will help to determine and ensure the reliability and effectiveness of the implemented systems and its processes.

Establish a system for continuous monitoring of safety performance. Encourage employees to provide feedback on the effectiveness of implemented control measures and report any new hazards.

In a recent aerospace project, we utilized sophisticated CAD software coupled with simulation tools to conduct safety analysis for the propulsion system of a new aircraft design. By simulating various operating conditions and failure scenarios, we were able to identify critical failure modes, assess their impact on system performance, and optimize design parameters to enhance safety and reliability. The integration of advanced tools significantly expedited the analysis process and provided valuable insights for design optimization. Leverage advanced tools and technologies such as computer-aided design (CAD) software, simulation tools, and risk assessment software to automate and streamline the safety analysis process.

Provide training and support to personnel involved in conducting safety analyses to ensure they have the necessary knowledge, skills, and resources to perform their roles effectively. Foster a culture of continuous learning and professional development within the organization.

As one being able to perform system test and verify requirements via an inspection, count the door plug bolts. Qualifications of the Test Engineer is the ability to count to four consistently.

Document everything! Keep a clear record of your analysis and control measures for future reference. Communication is key. Share your findings and safety procedures with everyone involved. Be adaptable. Safety is an ongoing process. Be prepared to adjust your analysis and controls as circumstances change.

For pre site visits I tend to review: 1. LOTO procedures 2. PM or inspection records of the equipment in question 3. Equipment failure records 4. Equipment update records At this point I can more accurately categorize the risks into severity to likelihood chart.