Methods and IT tools for safety management in company design, operation and maintenance
While organisational safety has come a long way, the current rate of accidents suggests room for further improvement. The concept of TSM fully integrates safety practices into high-level organisational management, also providing businesses with performance improvements and competitive advantage. The EU-funded TOSCA (Total operation management for safety critical activities) project supported such integration. TOSCA established a framework in which the most innovative tools and techniques such as advanced 3D software, virtual reality, theoretical models and updated information exchange protocols operate together. This enables them to exploit possible synergies in processing standards requirements, fulfilling regulations, improving safety and enhancing productivity. The TOSCA team developed a model to illustrate the project’s approach to TSM. It is based on information and knowledge about the operational system that is used to support risk assessment and safety management. The information held here may be represented in different ways. It should be accessible to all stakeholders involved in a project or operation in order to analyse and communicate risk, and to support training and procedure design. Project partners devised an integrated methodology that includes a modelling approach, an integrated set of methods, and supporting IT tools for TSM in all phases of design, operation and maintenance activities performed by plant personnel or subcontractors. The methodology is in line with ISO 31000, and its transferability across different domains and organisations was successfully demonstrated. Researchers incorporated knowledge management methodologies to generate, store and update risk-related data from various sources. They also incorporated advanced concepts and techniques for modelling the role of human and organisational factors in risk analysis. Virtual and augmented reality, computer-aided design, information systems and enterprise resource planning were employed to improve the gathering, modelling and management of risk-relevant data. TOSCA’s solutions should contribute to the development and implementation of the TSM concept among European SMEs. Such work will advance management of organisational safety, also leading to improvements in productivity and efficiency.
Keywords
Total safety management, TOSCA, total operation management, safety critical activities
