Closed-loop hazard tracking system

Closed-loop hazard tracking system or plan... 

Figure 3.3 Typical closed-loop hazard tracking system fiow.

In addition to the hazardous conditions that develop during daily operations and are incorporated in the closed-loop hazard tracking system, the customer may require the contractor to perform a formal periodic risk assessment (usually annually, but it can be more frequent if the customer so desires or if operational activities dictate) of all facilities in which operations will occur. The risk assessment will also take into consideration the hazards associated with the permanent equipment and hardware assigned for use in the facility. The accident risk assessment then becomes a detailed safety analysis of a facility, including its systems and functions. 

It is important to maintain an institutionalized closed-loop hazard tracking system. This not only allows the firm to perform trend analyses to study accident patterns (or near-miss patterns), it also provides documentation of not only accident data but also hazard data for regulatory compliance. If a company can show an effective hazard tracking and resolution system to regulatory inspectors, such as OSHA, most of the battle is already won. 

As you may remember from Chapter 2, the system safety process is a closed-loop process. If there is no feedback in the system, it can never regulate itself nor fine-tune its processes. This closed-loop process is twofold tracking individual hazards in each system or subsystem and periodic review of the entire system safety process. Not only are you able to verify that safety controls are truly working, you can also optimize the safety process and make the entire system as cost-effective as possible. 

This Step in the hazard analysis process is important as mentioned in Chapter 4, the need to track hazards and verify that either they have been controlled or the risk accepted is very important A closed-loop tracking system prevents something from slipping through the cracks. 

Figure 2.38 shows the overall HTS concept. As hazards are identified, they entered into the HTS. As additional hazard related information is generated in the closed-loop process, it too is entered into the tracking system. Any desired information regarding the hazard can be obtainable from the HTS at... 

The cote system safety process can therefore be reduced to Hazard Identification -> Hazard Risk Assessment -> Hazard Risk Control -> Hazard Risk Verifica-tion-> Hazard Identification... (Ericson 2005). This is a closed-loop process where Hazards ate identified and tracked until acceptable closure action is implemented and verified. 

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