Safety assessment interviews

Hazards may be identified through a qualitative process, either formal (part of safety assessment) or based on discussions, interviews, and brainstorming. This is normally done after formation of a multidisciplinary team. As a part of safety assessment, the main aims are (1) to identify a potential incident/accident scenario, and (2) evaluate the scenario through detailed discussions and brainstorming to arrive at risk assessment and recommend risk mitigating procedures. In some cases when conclusive judgment cannot be made, then the system may be repeated for the final result. Some of the various methods under this category are ... 

Supplement the questions from the safety assessment checklist with additional questions you identify as you review the safety data and conduct the interviews. In addition to the items on the safety assessment checklist, here are some other questions that may be appropriate ... 

After all the answers from the interviews had been uploaded, an expert analysed each supply chain for each of the seven defined criteria for quality and safety microbial toxins and abiotic contaminants potential pathogens natural plant toxicants freshness and taste nutrient content and food additives fraud social and ethical aspects. For example, an expert on freshness and taste would check each major step in a supply chain for tomatoes to determine if it fulfilled the definition of a CCP (HACCP, Principle 2) in relation to freshness and taste for this commodity. If the step was considered to be a CCP, the answers in the questionnaire that related to relevant substeps at this step would be reviewed, to assess the control procedures that were in use for this CCP. The expert would then fill in the text field, structuring the input to consist of the following points ... 

Third, the center determines during the screening process whether the client is a threat to self or others. Suicidal behavior should be routinely assessed in a screening interview. Some care facilities do not have the resources to treat an actively suicidal client, so if the person expresses suicidal ideations and plans, then a referral may be made elsewhere. The treatment center also wants to protect clients and staff from someone who is extremely aggressive and hostile and may represent a threat to the safety of people in the unit. In some cases, treatment facilities may refer such people elsewhere if the threat cannot be adequately contained within that facility. 

Audit notes are indispensable to allow QA auditors to write an accurate report after the audit. Detailed notes allow the auditor to prepare a meaningful audit report which is based on verified observations. All information collected during an audit is considered audit evidence. Information sources in an audit are, for example, document review, interviews and observation of activities. If applicable, sampling techniques may be applied, for example for SDV and verification of information in tables and listings. Audit observations are only considered audit findings if it is determined after comparison with audit criteria that these are not or insufficiently fulfilled. And finally, audit conclusions can be drawn to assess whether the audit findings impact the validity of the clinical data and the safety of the trial subjects. 

The primary method which could be used to assess job applicant s safety expectations is a number of questions presented in an employment interview. Table 3.4 shows questions which could be used. It is also possible to use other questions, such as What is the safety risk level associated with the job you are applying for and Will it be necessary for you to be vigilant about safety in the job you are applying for However, such questions are very open to socially desirable responses. In contrast, the questions shown in Table 3.4 should provide a more objective measure of factors which should positively influence realistic safety expectations. Each question will generate a numeric response which can be totaled. A larger overall score should be indicative of a higher probability that the individual will have realistic safety expectations. Recruiters would also be advised to note when an... 

Flanagan (1954) developed the procedure known as the critical incident technique. This relatively simple process involves interviewing job incumbents and asking for descriptions of critical incidents in their job, and also asking what they did in the particular simation. Critical incident information could also be obtained by supervisors keeping a record of simations they have observed, and employees responses to the simation. Thus, a critical incident represents a specific job simation and a particularly effective response to that simation. The critical incident technique can easily be applied to gather safety-specific examples. A sample of employees would be asked to describe a simation which had a safety aspect and then to describe how the safety issue was handled or resolved. Of course it is necessary to ensure that the response to the simation is indeed the correct response in that it is what the organization would want an employee to do when the particular safety simation occurred. Once a number of these critical incidents have been identified, they can be formed into employment interview questions. The job applicant is presented with the question (or scenario) and is assessed on their description of how they would (or have) handle or responded to the simation, and in particular how... 

The pilot project report, which was published in April 2001, included (1) a survey of various indicators of the development of the risk level, (2) interviews with some of the key actors in the industry, and (3) proposals for further work (Norwegian Petroleum Directorate 2001). These proposals included a questionnaire to be distributed to all employees working on offshore installations. By including interviews and questionnaires, the RNNP project legitimised the opinions of offshore workers and union representatives as valid and necessary input to an assessment of safety in the petroleum sector. 

As a response to the obvious need for clarification about the risk level and as a first step measure to turn the development of safety in a positive direction, the authorities, here represented by the NPD, launched the first RNNS pilot proj ect. The project was done in cooperation with external research institutions and the expressed purpose was to establish a methodology to assess trends in the risk level and safety work at the Norwegian continental shelf (Ministry of work and administration 2001). This pilot project, which included extensive interviews with some of the key actors in the industry, documented the conflicts discussed above (Norwegian Petroleum Directorate 2000). Generally speaking, it became evident that some of the actors had very different views of the risk picture and development, and expressed different perceptions of reality. As a result, the trust among the partners in the industry was low. 

As further baekgroimd for the survey, Westat eondueted telephone and in-person interviews with hospital nurses, staff and physieians to assess whether the survey dimensions eovered all relevant aspects of patient safety culture or whether any new dimensions were needed. Based on these interviews, there was a general eonsensus that the draft dimensions and items appeared to measure key patient safety eoneepts. 

A mixture of qualitative and quantitative methods was used in this work. These include reliability analysis, eapital investment costs, safety, feasibility and environmental impaet assessment (ElA). Tools used include failure mode and effect analysis (FMEA), environmental impaet assessment, and risk analysis. FMEA was used to conduct a reliability analysis, EIA was used to calculate the concentration of the flared gas eomposition partieles affeeting the local environment, and risk assessment was employed to find out the hazards and exposure in the case study in order to assure safety. Cost estimation was used to ealculate the capital investment cost for each option considered. Information and expert opinions were eaptured through interviews and questionnaires. 

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