Information sources, system safety

Additional sources of information for System Safety 2000 were instructor s notes and... 

Additional information may be had on storage of chemicals from several sources. Material Safety Data Sheets, for example, have specific instructions with regard to storage. The local fire inspector will have good suggestions, and much can be found in reference books. Above all, the laboratory operator should throughly familiarize himself with all chemicals to be used in order to develop a safe storage system. 

One documented method uses process safety barriers identification for metrics selection. This concept uses a combination of lagging and leading indicators associated with process safety barriers and incident escalation controls to evaluate the process safety system performance. The basis for this method is documented in the U.K. Health and Safety Executive (HSE) publication HSG254 and illustrated by Figures 4.1-4.3. The strength of this technique arises from using the combination of indicators that provides multiple perspectives for judging the surety of a barrier or escalation control. For example, this basic concept was adopted and modified by BP to focus upon three information sources to assess key control barriers as summarized below ... 

It has come to my attention recently that many of our laboratory workers have not had much of an opportunity to explore the various information sources that are at our disposal. These include Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS), the Merck Index on compact disc, and the Handbook of Chemistry and Physics, for example. In addition, some of our newer employees need to come up-to-speed on our system for ordering chemicals. 

In addition, questions about OPs experiences, training, use of information sources, attitudes on ethical issues, their perception and assessment of safety culture at the Estonian enterprise, strengths and weaknesses of the current OH S system in Estonia were also asked. 

Figure 1. Flow of information in a safety management system (Source Adapted from Kjellen, 2000).

Fourth, at times some elements of the system safety community have tended to operate out of ivory towers, with narrow concepts and inadequate attention to two of the most valuable sources of information available end users and the rest of the safety community. 

System Safety Data. Specify the types of data that are required to support the effort, including sources of the data and information needed to acquire or access the data. Outline specific data generation and reporting requirements. 

While the OSHA rule applies to operations that affect workers within a site where certain highly hazardous chemicals are present at stated levels, the EPA rule was developed to additionally protect the public and the environment from the undesired consequences of explosions and other accidental releases. Much of the information in this chapter comes from DOE-STD-1100 (U.S. Department of Energy 19%) and is enhanced with associated material from the System Safety Analysis Handbook (Stephans and Talso 1997) and other sources as specified. 

Finally, on completion of this text, readers should be in a position to make an informed decision to further pursue the field of system safety engineering, analysis, and/or management based upon their individual needs. Appendix A provides a brief listing of respectable sources where further, more detailed information and training may be obtained. 

The following is a compilation of sources where the interested reader may obtain additional information and/or training in the area of system safety engineering and/or management. There are, of course, many more excellent references available to the system safety practitioner. However, those listed here will provide the reader of this Basic Guide to System Safety additional information presented at the next technical level. 

The ASSE is an international organization with over 30,000 members (as of 2004) in the United States and in selected countries such as England and Saudi Arabia, where numerous American safety professionals work and live. Organized in 1911 and incorporated in 1915, it is one of the oldest sustaining professional safety membership organizations in the United States. Through its many Counsels, the ASSE is an excellent source of information on a wide variety of safety and health topics, including system safety. Their monthly journal. Professional Safety, often includes articles on the subject of system safety analysis. 

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