Showing papers on "System safety published in 2011"

Vehicle charger safety system and method

Abstract: Wireless vehicle charger safety systems and methods use a detection subsystem, a notification subsystem and a management subsystem. The detection subsystem identifies a safety condition. The notification subsystem provides an indication of the safety condition. The management subsystem addresses the safety condition. In particular, undesirable thermal conditions caused by foreign objects between a source resonator and a vehicle resonator are addressed by sensing high temperatures, providing a warning and powering down a vehicle charger, as appropriate for the environment in which the charger is deployed.

Probabilistic Risk Assessment Procedures Guide for NASA Managers and Practitioners (Second Edition)

Abstract: Probabilistic Risk Assessment (PRA) is a comprehensive, structured, and logical analysis method aimed at identifying and assessing risks in complex technological systems for the purpose of cost-effectively improving their safety and performance. NASA's objective is to better understand and effectively manage risk, and thus more effectively ensure mission and programmatic success, and to achieve and maintain high safety standards at NASA. NASA intends to use risk assessment in its programs and projects to support optimal management decision making for the improvement of safety and program performance. In addition to using quantitative/probabilistic risk assessment to improve safety and enhance the safety decision process, NASA has incorporated quantitative risk assessment into its system safety assessment process, which until now has relied primarily on a qualitative representation of risk. Also, NASA has recently adopted the Risk-Informed Decision Making (RIDM) process [1-1] as a valuable addition to supplement existing deterministic and experience-based engineering methods and tools. Over the years, NASA has been a leader in most of the technologies it has employed in its programs. One would think that PRA should be no exception. In fact, it would be natural for NASA to be a leader in PRA because, as a technology pioneer, NASA uses risk assessment and management implicitly or explicitly on a daily basis. NASA has probabilistic safety requirements (thresholds and goals) for crew transportation system missions to the International Space Station (ISS) [1-2]. NASA intends to have probabilistic requirements for any new human spaceflight transportation system acquisition. Methods to perform risk and reliability assessment in the early 1960s originated in U.S. aerospace and missile programs. Fault tree analysis (FTA) is an example. It would have been a reasonable extrapolation to expect that NASA would also become the world leader in the application of PRA. That was, however, not to happen. Early in the Apollo program, estimates of the probability for a successful roundtrip human mission to the moon yielded disappointingly low (and suspect) values and NASA became discouraged from further performing quantitative risk analyses until some two decades later when the methods were more refined, rigorous, and repeatable. Instead, NASA decided to rely primarily on the Hazard Analysis (HA) and Failure Modes and Effects Analysis (FMEA) methods for system safety assessment.

$\mathcal {L}_1$ Adaptive Control for Safety-Critical Systems

Abstract: This article presents the development of L1 adaptive-control theory and its application to safety critical flight control system (FCS) development. Several architectures of the theory and benchmark examples are analyzed. The key feature of L1 adaptive-control architectures is the decoupling of estimation and control, which enables the use of arbitrarily fast estimation rates without sacrificing robustness. Rohrs's example and the two-cart system are used as benchmark problems for illustration. NASA's flight tests on subscale commercial jet verify the theoretical claims in a set of safety-critical test flights.

Combining driver and environment sensing for vehicular safety systems

Abstract: An apparatus for assisting safe operation of a vehicle includes an environment sensor system detecting hazards within the vehicle environment, a driver monitor providing driver awareness data (such as a gaze track), and an attention-evaluation module identifying hazards as sufficiently or insufficiently sensed by the driver by comparing the hazard data and the gaze track. An alert signal relating to the unperceived hazards can be provided.

Vehicle Safety Communications – Applications (VSC-A) Final Report: Appendix Volume 3 Security

Abstract: The Vehicle Safety Communications – Applications (VSC-A) Project was a three-year project (December 2006 - December 2009) to develop and test communications-based vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) safety systems to determine if Dedicated Short Range Communications (DSRC) at 5.9 GHz, in combination with vehicle positioning, can improve upon autonomous vehicle-based safety systems and/or enable new communications-based safety applications. The VSC-A Project was conducted by the Vehicle Safety Communications 2 Consortium (VSC2). Members of VSC2 are Ford Motor Company, General Motors Corporation, Honda R & D Americas, Inc., Mercedes-Benz Research and Development North America, Inc., and Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc. This document presents the third volume set of appendices for the Final Report of the VSC-A Project which contains technical content for the Security Protocols and Implementation Results, Security Network Simulations, and Analysis of Infrastructure and Communications Requirements for V2V PKI Security Management.

Design of computer based risk and safety management system of complex production and multifunctional process facilities-application to fpso's

Abstract: A method for predicting risk and designing safety management systems of complex production and process systems which has been applied to an FPSO System operating in deep waters. The methods for the design were derived from the inclusion of a weight index in a fuzzy class belief variable in the risk model to assign the relative numerical value or importance a safety device or system has contain a risk hazards within the barrier. The weights index distributes the relative importance of risk events in series or parallel in several interactive risk and safety device systems. The fault tree, the FMECA and the Bow Tie now contains weights in fizzy belief class for implementing safety management programs critical to the process systems. The techniques uses the results of neural networks derived from fuzzy belief systems of weight index to implement the safety design systems thereby limiting use of experienced procedures and benchmarks. The weight index incorporate Safety Factors sets SFri {0, 0.1, 0.2 . . . 1}, and Markov Chain Network to allow the possibility of evaluating the impact of different risks or reliability of multifunctional systems in transient state process. The application of this technique and results of simulation to typical FPSO/Riser systems has been discussed in this invention.

Integrated vehicle-based safety systems field operational test final program report.

Abstract: U.S. Department of Transportation Research and Innovative Technology Administration ITS Joint Program Office

Laser safety: Risks, hazards, and control measures.

Abstract: Now that laser technology has emerged from hospital operating rooms, and has become available to office practices, clinics, and private enterprises, the burden of responsibility for safety has shifted from hospital staff to the individual user, often without benefit of appropriate or adequate resources. What remains, regardless of the practice site, application, or system in use, is the constant goal of establishing and maintaining a laser safe environment for the patient, the staff, and the user, at all times. This should be the goal of all who are involved with the sale, purchase, application, and management of all medical laser systems-under all circumstances. Laser safety is EVERYONE'S concern! A laser is as safe or as hazardous as the user-and that user's knowledge and skill, defines how well laser safety is managed. Of all hazards, complacency is the most dangerous, and it is imperative to develop a risk management perspective on laser safety. Proper safety management requires a fourfold approach including: knowledge of standards, identification of hazards and risks, implementation of appropriate control measures, and consistent program audit to demonstrate quality assurance.

Vehicle Safety Communications – Applications (VSC-A) Final Report

Abstract: The Vehicle Safety Communications – Applications (VSC-A) Project was a three-year project (December 2006 - December 2009) to develop and test communications-based vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) safety systems to determine if Dedicated Short Range Communications (DSRC) at 5.9 GHz, in combination with vehicle positioning, can improve upon autonomous vehicle-based safety systems and/or enable new communications-based safety applications. The VSC-A Project was conducted by the Vehicle Safety Communications 2 Consortium (VSC2). Members of VSC2 are Ford Motor Company, General Motors Corporation, Honda R & D Americas, Inc., Mercedes-Benz Research and Development North America, Inc., and Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc. This document presents the final report of the VSC-A Project.

Integrated vehicle-based safety systems light-vehicle field operational test key findings report

Abstract: US Department of Transportation Research and Innovative Technology Administration ITS Joint Program Office

Methodological Approach for Performing Human Reliability and Error Analysis in Railway Transportation System

Abstract: Today, billions of dollars are being spent annually world wide to develop, manufacture, and operate transportation system such trains, ships, aircraft, and motor vehicles. Around 70 to 90 percent of transportation crashes are, directly or indirectly, the result of human error. In fact, with the development of technology, system reliability has increased dramatically during the past decades, while human reliability has remained unchanged over the same period. Accordingly, human error is now considered as the most significant source of accidents or incidents in safety-critical systems. The aim of the paper is the proposal of a methodological approach to improve the transportation system reliability and in particular railway transportation system. The methodology presented is based on Failure Modes, Effects and Criticality Analysis (FMECA) and Human Reliability Analysis (HRA). Keyword-Human Error, Incidents, HRA, FMECA, Railway, Transportation I. INTRODUCTION The safety of staff, customers and of the general public in general viewed as one of the most important requirements in industry and is of particular importance in the railway industry, where passenger rightly expert vary high standards of care. Identifying the errors that frequently result in the occurrence of rail incidents and accidents can lead to the development of appropriate prevention and/or mitigation strategies. There is little doubt that human error contributes to the majority of incidents and accidents which occur within complex systems, including the railway system (1, 2). To prevent and/or reduce the number of accidents and incidents which occur we must work towards reducing human error or making the system/organisation more error tolerant. Human error and accident management involves the prevention of human errors, the recovery from errors, and the containment of the consequences that result from error occurrence (3). The first step in this process is error identification. Identifying the errors that frequently result in the occurrence of incidents and accidents may allow appropriate prevention and/or mitigation strategies to be developed. We note that the objective difficulties of governing the human factor and the human error, have made many experts believe that the conduct of preventive and safety were related to intrinsic characteristics of the person, as the traits of personality. Another explanation of the phenomenon credited accident is based, on the contrary, on the search for extrinsic causes, such as research productivity. In other words, the accident can be determined on one side by unsafe behaviour and on the other, by structural conditions and inadequate instrumentation technique. From this point of view several methods have been developed to control the behaviour of safety or methods for safety management based on better behaviour critical to the safety of workers with the aim to drastically reduce accidents For risk analysis have been developed several techniques including: Safety Review, Checklist Analysis, Relative Ranking, What-if Analysis, Preliminary Hazard Analysis, Hazard and Operability (HAZOP), Failure Modes, Effects and Criticality Analysis (FMECA), Fault Tree Analysis (FTA), Event Tree Analysis (ETA), Cause-Consequence Analysis (CCA). In particular in our work we will analyse: • The Human Reliability Analysis (HRA), a recently spread method which focuses its attention on the responsibility of the "human factor"; • The Failure Modes, Effects and Criticality Analysis (FMECA), methodology designed to identify potential failure modes for a product or process, to assess the risk associated with those failure modes, to rank the issues in terms of importance and to identify and carry out corrective actions to address the most serious concerns. It is evident that the inherent complexity of the study of human factors requires the implementation of multi- criteria approach. The aim of this work is to develop a methodological approach to improve the reliability of transportation system and in particular of railway transportation system starting from identification of possible sources of risk and through the integration of HRA and FMECA (4). The paper is structured in the following

Sensor Modeling, Low-Complexity Fusion Algorithms, and Mixed-Signal IC Prototyping for Gas Measures in Low-Emission Vehicles

Abstract: This paper addresses the detection of hydrogen leaks for safety warning systems in automotive applications and the measurement of nitrogen oxide concentration in exhaust gases of zero-emission vehicles. The presented approach is based on the development of accurate models (including nonlinearity and error sources of real building components) for all the system elements: sensors and acquisition chain. This methodology enables efficient design space exploration and sensitivity analysis, allowing an optimal analog-digital and hardware-software partitioning. Such analysis drives also the development of effective data fusion techniques to reduce the measure uncertainty (due to cross-sensitivity to other gases or to temperature/humidity variations). Such techniques have been implemented on a microcontroller-based mixed-signal embedded platform for intelligent sensor interfacing with limited complexity, suitable for automotive applications.

Vehicle Safety Communications – Applications (VSC-A) Final Report: Appendix Volume 1 System Design and Objective Test

Abstract: The Vehicle Safety Communications – Applications (VSC-A) Project was a three-year project (December 2006 - December 2009) to develop and test communications-based vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) safety systems to determine if Dedicated Short Range Communications (DSRC) at 5.9 GHz, in combination with vehicle positioning, can improve upon autonomous vehicle-based safety systems and/or enable new communications-based safety applications. The VSC-A Project was conducted by the Vehicle Safety Communications 2 Consortium (VSC2). Members of VSC2 are Ford Motor Company, General Motors Corporation, Honda R & D Americas, Inc., Mercedes-Benz Research and Development North America, Inc., and Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc. This document presents the first volume set of appendices for the Final Report of the VSC-A Project which contains technical content for the DSRC+Positioning and Autonomous Safety System Analysis, Test Bed System Development, Path History Reference Design and Test Results, Minimum Performance Requirements, Objective Test Procedures and Plan, and Objective Testing Results.

Global process industry initiatives to reduce major accident hazards

Abstract: In the past 10 years, the vapor cloud explosion at Texas City, the ammonium nitrate explosion in Toulouse, a pipeline disaster in Belgium, and three near total loss events in Norway have highlighted that major accident process safety is still a serious issue. Hopes that PSM or Safety Case regulations would reduce process events by 80% have not proven true. The Baker Panel, convened after Texas City developed a series of recommendations, mainly around leadership, incentives, safety culture and more effective implementation of PSM systems. Many US-based companies are working hard to implement the Baker recommendations. In Europe, an approach built around safety barriers, especially relating to technical safety systems, is being widely adopted. The author’s company has carried out a global survey of process industry initiatives, for both upstream and downstream activities, to identify what the industry itself is planning to enhance process safety in the next 5–10 years. This paper presents a summary of some of the major programs and initiatives as apply to traditional oil majors, newer national oil companies, and the chemical industry. These are a mixture of Baker recommendations, barrier approaches and tighter integration of process safety and asset integrity. While the factor of 10 improvement achieved in occupational safety over the past 20 years seems unattainable for process safety, a factor of 3–4 improvement in the next 20 years does seem possible. This would call for significant effort on the part of operators, but the benefits fully justify the effort.

Evaluation of risk and cost using an age-dependent unavailability modelling of test and maintenance for standby components

Abstract: The improvement of safety in the process industries is related to assessment and reduction of risk in a cost-effective manner. This paper addresses the trade-off between risk and cost related to standby safety systems. An age-dependent unavailability model that integrates the effects of the test and maintenance (T&M) activities as well as component ageing is developed and represents the basis for calculating risk. The repair “same-as-new” process is considered regarding the T&M activities. Costs are expressed as a function of the selected risk measure. The time-averaged function of the selected risk measure is obtained from probabilistic safety assessment, i.e. the fault tree analysis. This function is further extended with inclusion of additional parameters related to T&M activities as well as ageing parameters related to component ageing. In that sense, a new model of system unavailability, incorporating component ageing and T&M costs, is presented. The testing strategy is also addressed. Sequential and staggered testings are compared. The developed approach is applied on a standard safety system in nuclear power plant although the method is applicable to standby safety systems that are tested and maintained in other industries as well. The results show that the risk-informed surveillance requirements differ from existing ones in technical specifications, which are deterministically based. Moreover, the presented approach achieves a significant reduction in system unavailability over a relatively small increase of total T&M costs.

A device-centric approach to a safer internet of things

Abstract: The Internet of Things is a promising implementation approach to the vision of ubiquitous computing. However, "things" in the IoT are not always collaborative, cooperative or predictable. Things may interfere with each other or may be programmed erroneously. They may fail or cause other things to fail. This paper addresses issues of safety in the IoT with a special focus on a main source of concerns - devices. We analyze safety issues in IoT and propose a domain independent safety ontology to be used by all stake-holders of an IoT system to express their safety concerns in the form of knowledge. We also present a device description language intended for use by device manufacturers to describe device safety. Finally, we present a sensor domain ontology that assists in providing explicit hints to the IoT system about the relationships between sensors and actuators. Such hints help significantly in empowering the devices themselves to proactively participate in enhancing the overall system safety.

The indirect effect of safety investment on safety performance for building projects

Abstract: Despite growing evidence supporting the positive impact of safety investment on safety performance, little is known about how safety investment impacts safety performance in construction sites. We still need to better understand the causal relationship between safety investment and safety performance. To address this need, this article examines the ways in which safety investment impacts the safety performance of building projects. This study was conducted by means of structured interviews with project managers or safety officers of building projects. The survey results show that both direct and indirect relationships are found between safety investment and safety performance. Part of the effects of safety investment on safety performance is mediated by safety culture. A graphic model is proposed to describe the causal relationship between safety investment, safety culture and safety performance. The findings of this study contribute to a better understanding of the role of safety investment in determinin...

Module and method for LINUX host computing environment safety protection

Abstract: The invention relates to a module and a method for LINUX host computing environment safety protection, which belong to the field of computer system safety, and solve the safety threats to an LINUX host The module comprises an executable file protection module, an anomalous detection module and an inner core key data structure protection module, wherein the executable file protection module is used for registering, canceling, completeness protection functions of an executable program, and carrying out completeness detection before the operation of any program so as to ensure the process safety of a user state loaded in an internal memory; the anomalous detection module is used for setting up a process lawful action set, extracting process actions in a system during the operation process, and jugging whether the process action is anomalous or not through being matched with a normal action so as to prevent the process from being infected by a rogue program; and the inner core key data structure protection module is used for providing the backup, completeness detection and recovery functions of the inner core important data structure in the operating system, detecting whether the inner core important data structure is modified or not during the operation process, and recovering the important data structure according to the previous backup if the inner core important data structure is modified The module and the method can completely and effectively protect the operation environment safety of the LINUX host

Concise Encyclopedia of System Safety: Definition of Terms and Concepts

Abstract: Preface. Acknowledgments. Author Biography. Chapter 1. Introduction to System Safety. Chapter 2. System Safety Terms and Concepts. Chapter 3. System Safety Specialty Areas. Chapter 4. System Safety Acronyms. Index.