Is Acceptable Level of Risk Still Acceptable?

摘要

There is increasingly persuasive evidence that organizational factors are at the root of most catastrophes. Consequently, even companies that employ sophisticated techniques to develop and operate technical systems are vulnerable to the organizational, operational and human factors that can conspire to cause accidents. A number of safety critical industries are adapting System Safety principles ard techniques to prevent organizationally based accidents. Their activities are based on the assumption that organizational factors are predictable, and can be managed if they are proactively identified. Like the sub-systems of a complex technical system, the components of an organization can be understood by the way in which they function and contribute to a company's total safety performance. Critical aspects of that operation - and an organization's support of the operation - can be mapped. In this way, operational and organizational change can be guided by appropriately sequenced hazard analyses, similar to to ose found in a System Safety Program Plan. Safety requirements are developed; safety is designed into the changed operation; and ongoing performance is measured. By adapting and integrating the principles ar d techniques of System Safety into the operational and business practices of safety critical industries, the goal of System Safety Engineering - to prevent accidents - may be attained in ways never considered when it first emerged in the last century.