Using Lessons Learned to Promote a Healthy Skepticism in System Safety

摘要

System Safety is an accepted approach to analyze and manage hazards and risks in complex systems. Many different industries use System Safety analyses and methods to help reduce the potential for harm to people, property, and the environment. When used correctly, System Safety methods can provide tremendous benefits, focusing resources to reduce risk and improve safety in complex systems. But poor System Safety analyses can result in efforts that focus resources on low risk activities while ignoring the larger risks. When applied inappropriately, System Safety methods can lead to overconfidence, and can result in a misunderstanding of the potential for harm. This paper will explore the potential for failures in the System Safety process, and point to ways to improve the process. This paper will discuss how basic System Safety tenets can be bypassed, and will review lessons learned from accident reports to illustrate potential failures in the System Safety process. This discussion is intended to provide insights to help promote a healthy skepticism that can improve System Safety efforts.