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1 – 10 of over 21000Mouloud Bourareche, Rachid Nait Said, Fatiha Zidani and Nouara Ouazraoui
The purpose of this paper is to show the impact of operational and environmental conditions (risk influencing factors) on the component criticality of safety barriers, safety…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to show the impact of operational and environmental conditions (risk influencing factors) on the component criticality of safety barriers, safety barrier performance and accidents frequency and therefore on risk levels.
Design/methodology/approach
The methodology focuses on the integration of criticality importance analysis in barrier and operational risk analysis method, abbreviated as BORA-CIA. First, the impact of risk influencing factors (RIFs) associated with basic events on safety barrier performance and accident frequency is studied, and then, a risk evaluation is performed. Finally, how unacceptable risks can be mitigated regarding risk criteria is analyzed.
Findings
In the proposed approach (BORA-CIA), the authors show how specific installation conditions influence risk levels and analyze the prioritization of components to improve safety barrier performance in oil and gas process.
Practical implications
The proposed methodology seems to be a powerful tool in risk decision. Ordering components of safety barriers taking into account RIFs allow maintenance strategies to be undertaken according to the real environment far from average data. Also, maintenance costs would be estimated adequately.
Originality/value
In this paper, an improved BORA method is developed by incorporating CIA. More precisely, the variability of criticality importance factors of components is used to analyze the prioritization of maintenance actions in an operational environment.
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This study aims to improve the reliability of emergency safety barriers by using the subjective safety analysis based on evidential reasoning theory in order to develop on a…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to improve the reliability of emergency safety barriers by using the subjective safety analysis based on evidential reasoning theory in order to develop on a framework for optimizing the reliability of emergency safety barriers.
Design/methodology/approach
The emergency event tree analysis is combined with an interval type-2 fuzzy-set and analytic hierarchy process (AHP) method. In order to the quantitative data is not available, this study based on interval type2 fuzzy set theory, trapezoidal fuzzy numbers describe the expert's imprecise uncertainty about the fuzzy failure probability of emergency safety barriers related to the liquefied petroleum gas storage prevent. Fuzzy fault tree analysis and fuzzy ordered weighted average aggregation are used to address uncertainties in emergency safety barrier reliability assessment. In addition, a critical analysis and some corrective actions are suggested to identify weak points in emergency safety barriers. Therefore, a framework decisions are proposed to optimize and improve safety barrier reliability. Decision-making in this framework uses evidential reasoning theory to identify corrective actions that can optimize reliability based on subjective safety analysis.
Findings
A real case study of a liquefied petroleum gas storage in Algeria is presented to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed methodology. The results show that the proposed methodology provides the possibility to evaluate the values of the fuzzy failure probability of emergency safety barriers. In addition, the fuzzy failure probabilities using the fuzzy type-2 AHP method are the most reliable and accurate. As a result, the improved fault tree analysis can estimate uncertain expert opinion weights, identify and evaluate failure probability values for critical basic event. Therefore, suggestions for corrective measures to reduce the failure probability of the fire-fighting system are provided. The obtained results show that of the ten proposed corrective actions, the corrective action “use of periodic maintenance tests” prioritizes reliability, optimization and improvement of safety procedures.
Research limitations/implications
This study helps to determine the safest and most reliable corrective measures to improve the reliability of safety barriers. In addition, it also helps to protect people inside and outside the company from all kinds of major industrial accidents. Among the limitations of this study is that the cost of corrective actions is not taken into account.
Originality/value
Our contribution is to propose an integrated approach that uses interval type-2 fuzzy sets and AHP method and emergency event tree analysis to handle uncertainty in the failure probability assessment of emergency safety barriers. In addition, the integration of fault tree analysis and fuzzy ordered averaging aggregation helps to improve the reliability of the fire-fighting system and optimize the corrective actions that can improve the safety practices in liquefied petroleum gas storage tanks.
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Peter Söderholm and Terje Nilsen
The purpose of this paper is to describe an application of an effective risk-based methodology to support a living maintenance programme for railway infrastructure.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to describe an application of an effective risk-based methodology to support a living maintenance programme for railway infrastructure.
Design/methodology/approach
The overall research strategy is a single case study of switches and crossings at the Iron Ore Line in northern Sweden. The analysis was performed as a risk workshop guided by a methodology that integrates reliability-centred maintenance and barrier analysis.
Findings
The applied methodology is valuable to systematise and improve the existing maintenance programme, as well as supporting a continued living maintenance programme.
Research limitations/implications
The single case study approach may decrease the validity of the achieved results. However, similar case studies corroborate the results, which affect the validity in a positive way.
Practical implications
The resulting maintenance programme is effective, through compliance with external requirements, and more efficient, through improvements of tasks and intervals.
Social implications
An enhanced railway infrastructure maintenance programme contributes to improved safety, punctuality, and costs. Hence, railway becomes a more attractive mode of transport. Thereby, it also supports a safety performance of the railway that society is willing to pay for.
Originality/value
Significant improvements of the maintenance programme are achieved through adjustment of inspection intervals and tasks. The results also support the development of indicators, monitoring, and continuous improvement.
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Hadef Hefaidh, Mebarek Djebabra, Sedrat Lila and Taghelabet Mouna
The risk control is an unavoidable step in the risk management process. It is materialized by concrete actions of risks reduction in order to decrease their likelihood and/or…
Abstract
Purpose
The risk control is an unavoidable step in the risk management process. It is materialized by concrete actions of risks reduction in order to decrease their likelihood and/or their severity and also to preserve the environment. The paper aims to discuss this issue.
Design/methodology/approach
The main goal of the proposed methodology is to define the safety barriers (SB) that can be realized and their contribution to reduce major accidents scenarios that may occur in high-risk establishments.
Findings
In the proposed methodology, the authors present a combination of methods to prove the effectiveness of SB in an industrial installation.
Practical implications
The proposed methodology is a valuable help to industrialists to secure their industrial activities and preserve the environment at the same time.
Originality/value
The retained methods are often used separately for audit purposes or risk assessments of high-risk industrial facilities. In this paper, three methods have been selected and articulated in an approach for a better evaluation of risk control level.
Zhaleh Abdi, Hamid Ravaghi, Mohsen Abbasi, Bahram Delgoshaei and Somayeh Esfandiari
The purpose of this paper is to apply Bow-tie methodology, a proactive risk assessment technique based on systemic approach, for prospective analysis of the risks threatening…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to apply Bow-tie methodology, a proactive risk assessment technique based on systemic approach, for prospective analysis of the risks threatening patient safety in intensive care unit (ICU).
Design/methodology/approach
Bow-tie methodology was used to manage clinical risks threatening patient safety by a multidisciplinary team in the ICU. The Bow-tie analysis was conducted on incidents related to high-alert medications, ventilator associated pneumonia, catheter-related blood stream infection, urinary tract infection, and unwanted extubation.
Findings
In total, 48 potential adverse events were analysed. The causal factors were identified and classified into relevant categories. The number and effectiveness of existing preventive and protective barriers were examined for each potential adverse event. The adverse events were evaluated according to the risk criteria and a set of interventions were proposed with the aim of improving the existing barriers or implementing new barriers. A number of recommendations were implemented in the ICU, while considering their feasibility.
Originality/value
The application of Bow-tie methodology led to practical recommendations to eliminate or control the hazards identified. It also contributed to better understanding of hazard prevention and protection required for safe operations in clinical settings.
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Rajan Kumar Gangadhari, Vivek Khanzode, Shankar Murthy and Denis Dennehy
This paper aims to identify, prioritise and explore the relationships between the various barriers that are hindering the machine learning (ML) adaptation for analysing accident…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to identify, prioritise and explore the relationships between the various barriers that are hindering the machine learning (ML) adaptation for analysing accident data information in the Indian petroleum industry.
Design/methodology/approach
The preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analysis (PRISMA) is initially used to identify key barriers as reported in extant literature. The decision-making trial and evaluation laboratory (DEMATEL) technique is then used to discover the interrelationships between the barriers, which are then prioritised, based on three criteria (time, cost and relative importance) using complex proportional assessment (COPRAS) and multi-objective optimisation method by ratio analysis (MOORA). The Delphi method is used to obtain and analyse data from 10 petroleum experts who work at various petroleum facilities in India.
Findings
The findings provide practical insights for management and accident data analysts to use ML techniques when analysing large amounts of data. The analysis of barriers will help organisations focus resources on the most significant obstacles to overcome barriers to adopt ML as the primary tool for accident data analysis, which can save time, money and enable the exploration of valuable insights from the data.
Originality/value
This is the first study to use a hybrid three-phase methodology and consult with domain experts in the petroleum industry to rank and analyse the relationship between these barriers.
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Stable approach concept has great importance for the safe operation of an airline during the approach and landing phases. The purpose of this study is to analyse the unstabilized…
Abstract
Purpose
Stable approach concept has great importance for the safe operation of an airline during the approach and landing phases. The purpose of this study is to analyse the unstabilized approaches with bow-tie method and determine the threats that may cause risk in an unstable approach.
Design/methodology/approach
In this study, risk assessment of the unstabilized approaches is carried out by using fuzzy bow-tie method and Bayesian networks. Bow-tie method is the combination of event tree analysis and fault tree analysis. Bayesian network is used in the analysis to see interrelationship of basic and intermediate events as well as to update posterior probabilities. Finally, analysis results are verified by the safety performance indicator values.
Findings
In this study, the probabilistic values of the numerical model presented by the risk assessment system for risks were calculated using the fuzzy bow-tie method. Thus, the risk assessment system has been transformed into a structure that can be expressed in a probabilistic manner, and the relationship of the risks within the system has been examined and the effect of a possible change on the risk value has been found to be prevalent.
Originality/value
The bow-tie model is widely applied to assess the risks in aviation. Obtaining prior probabilities is not always possible in the risk assessment process. In this paper, innovative fuzzy bow-tie method is used to assess the risks to overcome the lack of prior probability problem in aviation operations.
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Rachel Canaway, Marie Bismark, David Dunt and Margaret Kelaher
The purpose of this paper is to understand the concerns and factors that impact on hospital quality and safety, particularly related to use of performance data, within a setting…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to understand the concerns and factors that impact on hospital quality and safety, particularly related to use of performance data, within a setting of devolved governance.
Design/methodology/approach
This qualitative study used thematic analysis of interviews with public hospital medical directors. For additional context, findings were framed by themes from a review of hospital safety and quality in the same jurisdiction.
Findings
Varying approaches and levels of complexity were described about what and how performance data are reviewed, prioritised, and quality improvements implemented. Although no consistent narrative emerged, facilitators of improvement were suggested relating to organisational culture, governance, resources, education, and technologies. These hospital-level perspectives articulate with and expand on the system-level themes in a state-wide review of hospital safety and quality.
Research limitations/implications
The findings are not generalisable, but point to an underlying absence of system-wide agreement on how to perceive, retrieve, analyse, prioritise and action hospital performance data.
Practical implications
Lack of electronic medical records and an inefficient incident reporting system limits the extent to which performance and incident data can be analysed, linked and shared, thus limiting hospital performance improvement, oversight and learning.
Social implications
Variable approaches to quality and safety, standards of care, and hospital record keeping and reporting, mean that healthcare consumers might expect inconsistency across Victorian hospitals.
Originality/value
The views of medical directors have been little researched. This work uses their voice to better understand contextual factors that situate and impact on hospital quality and safety towards understanding the mixed effectiveness of hospital quality improvement strategies.
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Zhiqi Liu, Tanghong Liu, Hongrui Gao, Houyu Gu, Yutao Xia and Bin Xu
Constructing porous wind barriers is one of the most effective approaches to increase the running safety of trains on viaducts in crosswinds. This paper aims to further improve…
Abstract
Purpose
Constructing porous wind barriers is one of the most effective approaches to increase the running safety of trains on viaducts in crosswinds. This paper aims to further improve the wind-sheltering performance of the porous wind barriers.
Design/methodology/approach
Improved delayed detached eddy simulations based on the k-ω turbulence model were carried out, and the results were validated with wind tunnel tests. The effects of the hole diameter on the flow characteristics and wind-sheltering performance were studied by comparing the wind barriers with the porosity of 21.6% and the hole diameters of 60 mm–360 mm. The flow characteristics above the windward and leeward tracks were analyzed, and the wind-sheltering performance of the wind barriers was assessed using the wind speed reduction coefficients.
Findings
The hole diameters affected the jet behind the wind barriers and the recirculation region above the tracks. Below the top of the wind barriers, the time-averaged velocity first decreased and then increased with the increase in the hole diameter. The wind barrier with the hole diameter of 120 mm had the best wind-sheltering performance for the windward track, but such barrier might lead to overprotection on the leeward track. The wind-sheltering performance of the wind barriers with the hole diameters of 240 mm and 360 mm was significantly degraded, especially above the windward track.
Originality/value
The effects of the hole diameters on the wake and wind-sheltering performance of the wind barriers were studied, by which the theoretical basis is provided for a better design of the porous wind barrier.
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