What is System Safety?What is System Safety?

System Safety is an effort to make things as safe as practical by systematically using engineering and management tools to identify, analyze and control hazards

“Effort” in this case is synonymous with an:– Approach– Discipline– Concept– Doctrine– Philosophy

What “things” are we talking What “things” are we talking about making safe?about making safe?

SystemsProgramsProjectsProductsOperationsFacilities

How safe is “…as safe as How safe is “…as safe as practical?”practical?”

Regulatory compliantRecognized industry “best

practice”Proactively Managed Risk

What “system” are we talking What “system” are we talking about?about?

Any composite of:– People (Man)– Hardware (Machine)– Tasks & Procedures (Mission)– Environment (Medium)

5 M model5 M model

Represents the casual factors in accidents5 main areas become a meaningful

checklistIntertwined circles illustrate interactionInterrelated areas focus on missionMission accomplishment is implicit to

system safety effort

Man-Machine-EnvironmentMan-Machine-Environment

T.P. Wright introduced this concept to aviation safety in the late 1940’s

Triad adopted by USC instructors and became the 3-M model

Management, the 4th M, added in 1965Mission added in 1976 by E.A. Jerome of

the Flight Safety Foundation

Why System Safety?Why System Safety?

Regulatory compliance is a minimalist approach

Exemplar “best practices” may not recognize hazards unique to your system

Codes, standards and regulations tend to lag leading-edge activities

Primary reason is to achieve better results!

““Systematic methods with a Systematic methods with a measured approach to measured approach to

identifying, analyzing, and identifying, analyzing, and controlling hazards aid in controlling hazards aid in

reducing errors and improve reducing errors and improve task accomplishment through task accomplishment through increased effectiveness and increased effectiveness and

efficiency”efficiency”

You are about to be evaluated on You are about to be evaluated on a task. It will be timed so work a task. It will be timed so work quickly but safely -- quickly but safely -- Accuracy is Accuracy is

paramount!paramount!

FINISHED FILES ARE THE RESULT OF YEARS OF SCIENTIFIC STUDY COMBINED WITH THE EXPERIENCE OF MANY YEARS.

How many F’s did you count?How many F’s did you count?

2345None of the Above?

Starting at the end of the sentence count Starting at the end of the sentence count backwards and mentally X each letter F. backwards and mentally X each letter F. Use your fingers to tally each X. Use your fingers to tally each X. Accuracy Accuracy

is paramountis paramount – time is of no concern. – time is of no concern.

FINISHED FILES ARE THE RESULT OF YEARS OF SCIENTIFIC STUDY COMBINED WITH THE EXPERIENCE OF MANY YEARS.

A “systems” approach A “systems” approach willwill reduce reduce errors even for simple taskserrors even for simple tasks

Almost all operations benefit from a combination of controls

A “safety precedent” dictates an order of approaches

This precedent sequence is one of the “common strategies” in various systems approaches used today

Not all safety systems are created equal

Safety, who is responsible?Safety, who is responsible?

Management has overall responsibility for ensuring programs are established, staffed, trained and resourced

The safety community has responsibility for support, education, tools & techniques, and monitoring progress

The engineers are responsible to provide hardware expertise, perform analyses and to make design changes

Systems Safety Working Systems Safety Working Group (SSWG)Group (SSWG)

Project ManagersDesign EngineersSafety EngineersEnd User (customer)

Final CommentsFinal Comments

System Safety efforts begin with the system conceptualization

Continue through initial design and construction

Sustained during operational life cycleFollow through with system disposalA “cradle to grave” program

Second Second Thoughts?Thoughts?