Effects of Human and Organizational Factors on the Reliability and Maintainability of CNC Turning Center

Análisis de la situación actual del mantenimiento centrado en la confiabilidad RCM

Abstract: The objective of this paper is to analyze the current situation of Reliability Centered Maintenance (RCM) in the industry, as well as to show in detail a methodology for its application. To complement this objective, a bibliographic analysis was carried out, for which the main databases containing specialized literature on this subject were consulted, in addition to a logical historical study of the emergence and evolution of this type of maintenance management. The results, expose the theoretical bases and foundations of maintenance management focused on reliability with respect to the current aspects, traditions, and particularities of efficient maintenance management. The procedure for the elaboration of the Failure Modes and Effects Analysis (FMEA) was also detailed, showing that both the RCM procedure and the FMEA methodology are systematic and start from a logical sequence, oriented to prioritize the equipment and reduce the costs of the maintenance activity to the extent that an operational reliability is created. Keywords: Reliability, RCM, Maintenance, Management.

A data-informed PIF hierarchy for model-based Human Reliability Analysis

Abstract: This paper addresses three problems associated with the use of Performance Shaping Factors in Human Reliability Analysis (1) There are more than a dozen Human Reliability Analysis (HRA) methods that use Performance Influencing Factors (PIFs) or Performance Shaping Factors (PSFs) to model human performance, but there is not a standard set of PIFs used among the methods, nor is there a framework available to compare the PIFs used in various methods (2) The PIFs currently in use are not defined specifically enough to ensure consistent interpretation of similar PIFs across methods (3) There are few rules governing the creation, definition, and usage of PIF sets This paper introduces a hierarchical set of PIFs that can be used for both qualitative and quantitative HRA The proposed PIF set is arranged in a hierarchy that can be collapsed or expanded to meet multiple objectives The PIF hierarchy has been developed with respect to a set fundamental principles necessary for PIF sets, which are also introduced in this paper This paper includes definitions of the PIFs to allow analysts to map the proposed PIFs onto current and future HRA methods The standardized PIF hierarchy will allow analysts to combine different types of data and will therefore make the best use of the limited data in HRA The collapsible hierarchy provides the structure necessary to combine multiple types of information without reducing the quality of the information

Assessment of complex sociotechnical systems – Theoretical issues concerning the use of organizational culture and organizational core task concepts

Abstract: This article studies organizational assessment in complex sociotechnical systems. There is a practical need to monitor, anticipate and manage the safety and effectiveness of these systems. A failure to do so has resulted in various organizational accidents. Many theories of accidents and safety in industrial organizations are either based on a static and rational model of an organization or they are non-contextual. They are thus reactive in their search for errors and analysis of previous accidents and incidents, or they are disconnected from the actual work in the organization by their focus on general safety attitudes and values. A more proactive and predictive approach is needed, that is based on an accurate view on an organization and the demands of the work in question. This article presents and elaborates four statements: (1) the current models of safety management are largely based on either a rational or a non-contextual image of an organization, (2) complex sociotechnical systems are socially constructed and dynamic cultures, (3) in order to be able to assess complex sociotechnical systems an understanding of the organizational core task is required, and (4) effectiveness and safety depend on the cultural conceptions of the organizational core task. Finally, we will discuss the implications of the proposed concepts for safety research and development work in complex sociotechnical systems.

The role of human error in risk analysis: Application to pre- and post-maintenance procedures of process facilities

Abstract: Human factors play an important role in the safe operation of a facility. Human factors include the systematic application of information about human characteristics and behavior to increase the safety of a process system. A significant proportion of human errors occur during the maintenance phase. However, the quantification of human error probabilities in the maintenance phase has not been given the amount of attention it deserves. This paper focuses on a human factors analysis in pre-and post- pump maintenance operations. The procedures for removing process equipment from service (pre-maintenance) and returning the equipment to service (post-maintenance) are considered for possible failure scenarios. For each scenario, human error probability is calculated for each activity using the Success Likelihood Index Method (SLIM). Consequences are also assessed in this methodology. The risk assessment is conducted for each component and the overall risk is estimated by adding individual risks. The present study is aimed at highlighting the importance of considering human error in quantitative risk analyses. The developed methodology has been applied to a case study of an offshore process facility.

Human reliability analysis: A critique and review for managers

Abstract: In running our increasingly complex business systems, formal risk analyses and risk management techniques are becoming more important part to managers: all managers, not just those charged with risk management. It is also becoming apparent that human behaviour is often a root or significant contributing cause of system failure. This latter observation is not novel; for more than 30 years it has been recognised that the role of human operations in safety critical systems is so important that they should be explicitly modelled as part of the risk assessment of plant operations. This has led to the development of a range of methods under the general heading of human reliability analysis (HRA) to account for the effects of human error in risk and reliability analysis. The modelling approaches used in HRA, however, tend to be focussed on easily describable sequential, generally low-level tasks, which are not the main source of systemic errors. Moreover, they focus on errors rather than the effects of all forms of human behaviour. In this paper we review and discuss HRA methodologies, arguing that there is a need for considerable further research and development before they meet the needs of modern risk and reliability analyses and are able to provide managers with the guidance they need to manage complex systems safely. We provide some suggestions for how work in this area should develop. But above all we seek to make the management community fully aware of assumptions implicit in human reliability analysis and its limitations.

Issues in Benchmarking Human Reliability Analysis Methods: A Literature Review

Abstract: There is a diversity of human reliability analysis (HRA) methods available for use in assessing human performance within probabilistic risk assessments (PRA). Due to the significant differences in the methods, including the scope, approach, and underlying models, there is a need for an empirical comparison investigating the validity and reliability of the methods. To accomplish this empirical comparison, a benchmarking study comparing and evaluating HRA methods in assessing operator performance in simulator experiments is currently underway. In order to account for as many effects as possible in the construction of this benchmarking study, a literature review was conducted, reviewing past benchmarking studies in the areas of psychology and risk assessment. A number of lessons learned through these studies is presented in order to aid in the design of future HRA benchmarking endeavors.