Joint analysis of process and operator performance in chemical process operational safety

Independent studies of case histories by the Health and Safety Commission in the UK and by a Honeywell led industrial consortium world-wide showed that human errors represent the major cause of failure in process plant operation. In contrast to this discovery the majority of previous studies on computer aided systems for fault detection and diagnosis has focused on the process side. This paper presents a methodology, which can involve human factors into the development of systems for automatic identification and diagnosis of abnormal operations and develops methods and techniques that can be used to simultaneously capture, characterise and assess the performance of operators as well as of the process. A joint process–operator simulation platform is developed which is used as a test-bed for carrying out the study. The process part is a simulator, which simulates in high fidelity the dynamic behaviour of the process that is subject to the influence of various disturbances and operators’ interventions. The operator module is developed as a real-time expert system, which emulates operator’s behaviour in interpretation of received signals, and planning and execution of decisions. The interaction between the two modules is managed through an interaction module, which handles the real-time exchange of data using Dynamic Data Exchange. The interaction module also contains the toolkits for analysing the dynamic behaviour of the joint process–operator system. The method and system are illustrated using a simulated case study.     

Attitude and behaviour of junior rugby union players towards tackling during training and match play

The tackle event in rugby, places both ball-carrier and tackler at a high risk of injury at all levels of play. To reduce this risk of injury, risk factors need to be identified. Attitude and behaviour have been identified as risk factors for injury in other sports, and probably also have a role in rugby. The purpose of this study was to assess the attitude and behaviour of players in training and match play with regards to safety and performance. A questionnaire was designed to assess attitude (importance) and behaviour (frequency and quantity) among junior (under 19) players on a 5-point Likert Scale. Questionnaires were handed out to 220 players (10 schools) at a tournament and 75% (9 schools, n = 164) were returned for analysis. During training and match play, players’ mean ratings were higher for improving performance than for injury prevention. However, a level of importance was evident for injury prevention. When executing a tackle the aim is to dominate the contact situation and prevent the ball-carrier from gaining territory and retaining the ball. Therefore, players, coaches and administrators need to find the most suitable balance between injury prevention and performance during training within their team setting. This process may be facilitated by modifying the current equipment and training drills used to train the tackle, and the time of season during which tackle technique training occurs. Equally important, players should learn proper tackle technique at a younger age, with the importance of safety emphasised from all information sources.     

Developing and validating a scientific model for exploring safe work practices in interdisciplinary teams

Health research literature on quality and safety in recent years has pointed to a need to explore the characteristics of interdisciplinary team work unique to the health care sector and the particular organization. The literature also has identified a need for scientific models that explore and integrate existing findings concerning team dynamics. In this article, I attempt to address these concerns by developing and validating a scientific model for exploring safe work practices of interdisciplinary OR teams. Specifically, existing health research literature on quality and safety is reviewed to identify and incorporate various team-related aspects into dimensions of the proposed model. To further validate the model, I conduct an ethnographic study of safe work practices within an interdisciplinary OR setting. I find that safe work practices can be viewed as a product of the individual’s and team’s ability to draw on and combine explicit and tacit knowledge repertoires, which again is a product of the particular inner and outer structural conditions of a system. While the findings add their own unique distinctiveness to the scientific model, the findings also compare to the existing aspects and dimensions of the model. I conclude that the fit of the empirical data to the model improves the validity of the model, and also the potential application of the model in ethnographic research within different medical and/or team settings.     

Exploring the perceived influence of safety management practices on project performance in the construction industry

Although safety management is known to be vital to construction projects, very few studies have solicited views from construction practitioners about their perceptions of which safety management practices (SMPs) are important to construction projects and related to project performance. An empirical study was undertaken in Hong Kong in order to shed more light on this topic. In the study, the importance levels of 15 popular SMPs and five project performance criteria were rated by 232 respondents. An exploratory factor analysis was conducted, and three SMP categories - information, process, and committees - were extracted. Of these three categories, safety management process was perceived by the construction practitioners as being the most important, followed by safety management information and committees. Moreover, the effect of the three SMP categories on a composite project performance variable was tested using hierarchical regression analysis. Results indicate that the “information” and “committees” categories were associated with project performance positively and significantly. One of the major conclusions of the study is that the construction industry has paid relatively less attention to safety management committees, which were empirically analyzed as having a strong perceived impact on project performance. In order to improve project performance, construction companies should promote the criticality of safety management committees.     

Exploring the information literacy of professionals in safety management

With the rapid development of increasingly complex technology and large scale industrial projects, all kinds of safety problems become extremely intricate in daily safety management (SM). It is therefore indispensable to effectively collect, analyze, assess, and synthesize information that is relevant to accident risk. In this paper, the concept of the information literacy (IL) of professionals in SM is proposed, and a conceptual framework is put forward. Further, determinants of the IL of safety professionals are suggested, including individual attributes, safety climate and culture, information infrastructure, information technology (IT) human resources, production technology and management, and national information policy, law and ethics. Of course, further research on the IL of safety professionals should be carried out for effective SM.     

Operator competence and capacity - Lessons from the Montara blowout

The blowout of the Montara H1 well in the Timor Sea off the northwest coast of Australia in August 2009 was the first such incident in Australian offshore waters for 25 years. This article seeks to draw lessons for management of complex hazardous activities from these events by analysing critical decisions regarding well control barriers. Concepts such as trial and error learning, sensemaking and the need for multiple barriers are used to demonstrate why the organisation was blind to the developing problems and hence why lack of technical competence alone is not sufficient to explain the events that occurred. Three organisational improvements are proposed - providing active supervision, improved technical integrity assurance and better use of risk assessment. The article concludes with an appeal for changes in regulatory policy regarding safety to include organisational issues in addition to the traditional technical focus.     

Assessing safety culture in the Spanish nuclear industry through the use of working groups

This paper presents the design and the implementation of a methodology for measuring and improving safety culture at a nuclear power plant (NPP). The study has involved the completion of a pilot project aimed at seeing how to make use of the RADAR logic (Results, Approach, Deployment, Assessment and Review) of the EFQM model as a tool for the self assessment of safety culture in a nuclear power plant. The work was aimed at finding evidence of the safety culture that was in place at the plant and at identifying both the strengths of that culture and any areas in which it could be improved. The score obtained from an analysis of those strengths and areas for improvement has made it possible to prioritise the actions to be taken. The identification of perceptions and evidence, the agreement on the strong points and areas for improvement and the quantification of the safety culture have been performed by groups comprising volunteers who work at the NPP. The advantages of this methodology are assessed in the paper.     

Omnidirectional safety culture analysis and discussion for railway industry

On the basis of literature relevant to safety culture and investigation of the Taiwan Occupational Safety and Health Management System (TOSHMS), the Omnidirectional Safety Culture Model (OSCM) was proposed in which a questionnaire composed of 18 safety dimensions was developed and used in safety culture evaluation. This questionnaire was reviewed by a focus group of employees with various backgrounds and was revised accordingly. Questionnaire items were selected and amended by considering the suggestions of experts; the Taiwan railway industry was surveyed as the questionnaire subject; and the current safety culture of the railway industry was extensively investigated. It was determined the railway employees place a higher emphasis on safety awareness and attitude as well as safe behavior, leading to the conclusion that they recognize the importance of safety and value human life over other matters. However, railway employees also believe that procurement management; safety encouragement and punishment; and safety rule have more room for improvement.     

Shipyard fatalities in Turkey

The objective of this paper is to investigate causes and incidence rates of 115 fatalities between 2000 and 2010 in Turkish shipyards and to propose mitigation measures. The fatality rate in Turkish shipbuilding industry is unacceptably high, being 3.5 times the average of all industry groups. Classification of fatal occupational accidents revealed five major fatality reasons for the shipbuilding industry; falling from higher elevation to a lower level, exposed to electric shock, fire and/or explosion, being struck by or struck against objects, and caught in between. The highest number of cases of fatal accidents was found among welders, blasters, painters and substructure workers. Statistically analyzed data showed that working on Mondays and Saturdays have special impact on the fatality probability. Also, the number of fatalities is highest in working temperatures above average 25 °C, which covers from June through September. Strategies recommended to minimize the fatalities at shipyards are discussed. Furthermore a risk framework of fatal occupational accidents were drawn so that when working conditions are within the high risk region, extra precautions can be taken in order to minimize the occurrence of accidents and fatalities.     

而今迈步从头越——《安全生产法》征求意见稿学习体会和修改建议

首先分析了我国《安全生产法》的发展沿革,且认真学习了目前发布的《安全生产法》征求意见稿,归纳了征求意见稿还应实现四个重点突破:必须体现以人为本的执政理念;职业危害防治应列为《安全生产法》的重要条款之一;安全生产执法监察应与公共安全及行政管理分离;应对工伤保险预防机制作出明确要求。此外,建议通过《安全生产法》的进一步修订实现我国安全生产的制度化建设:建议逐步建立安全生产分级监察管理体制;推进风险管理制度,对企业实行风险分级与分级监管;逐步提出建立安全生产监察员专业化制度;建立与国际接轨的生产安全事故统计报告系统;强化城市建设土地使用规划的风险管理和安全许可;生产安全事故应急管理应强化应急准备工作;建立独立生产安全事故调查机构和公开公正调查程序;应在《安全生产法》中明确"安全生产委员会"的组织形式和功能;生产安全事故责任追究应与激励政策相结合。