Facility Designers and System Safety: Bringing them Together

摘要

A survey of recently constructed facilities reaffirmed the fact that Facility Designers do not use a system safety approach to facility design. This survey showed that in any large new facility there could be upwards of a 100 individual safety issues after construction is complete. These are not simple constructior errors or oversights. These are safety issues that could have been easily designed out if the designers would have followed a system safety approach. The following three examples demonstrate the types of problems found: 1. Designers failed to design in safety showers and eyewash stations in a fuel testing facility. 2. Designers failed to design in fall protection for workers who must maintain overhead cranes. 3. Designers who were more concerned about lighting ambience failed to determine how light bulbs in high areas of an atrium would be changed and now the area is very dark at night.