THE RESOURCE LIBRARY
Practical explanations, considered perspectives and useful ideas for people working with safety.
120 articles
Ideas worth understanding.Computer Reliability: Legal Presumptions and Safety must align if we are to have justice! Background The ‘Horizon’ Scandal in the UK was a major miscarriage of justice: Between 1999 and 2015, over 900 sub postmasters were convicted of theft, fraud and false accounting based on faulty Horizon data, with about 700 of these prosecutions carried […]
Read articleRisk Assessment Standards: How to Choose and Use Them. The standard is the thing that we’re going to use to achieve things – the tool. And that’s important because tools designed to do certain things usually perform well. But they don’t always perform well on other things. So we will ask, ‘Are we doing the […]
Read articleWelcome to Risk Management: Principles, Process and Techniques, where we’re going to go through these basic concepts of risk management. We’re going to break it down into the constituent parts and then we’re going to build it up again and show you how it’s done. I’ve been involved in risk management, in project risk management, […]
Read articleLet’s talk about Artificial Intelligence: How Do We Use It Ethically? There’s been a lot of interest in this topic recently, as well as quite a lot of emotion and misinformation. I wanted to set out how the Safety Artisan uses Artificial Intelligence, or AI, ethically. But to do that, we have to understand what […]
Read articleIn this ‘super post’, we will learn System Safety Analysis: Methods, Tasks and Techniques. I will show you thirteen lessons that explain each of the ten analysis tasks, the analysis process, and how to combine those tasks into a program! Follow the links to sample and buy lessons on individual tasks. Introduction Military Standard 882, […]
Read articleIn this 40-minute video, ‘Human Factors Engineering: Principles and Methods’, I am very pleased to welcome Peter Benda to The Safety Artisan. Peter is a colleague and Human Factors specialist who has 23 years’ experience in applying Human Factors to large projects in all kinds of domains. In this session, we look at some fundamentals: […]
Read articleIn this video lesson, I look at Sub-System Hazard Analysis with Mil-Std-882E (SSHA, which is Task 204). I teach the mechanics of the task, but not just that. I’m using my long experience with this Standard to teach a pragmatic approach to getting the work done. Task 204 is one of three tasks that integrate […]
Read articleSafety Case Lifecycle: How to Develop a Safety Case is Part 4 of a four-part series on safety cases. In it, we look at timing issues and typical content through the safety case lifecycle. A Comprehensive Guide to Ensuring Project Safety When embarking on any significant project, ensuring safety isn’t just a step in the […]
Read articleIn this 45-minute session, I look at System Hazard Analysis with Mil-Std-882E. SHA is Task 205 in the Standard. I explore Task 205’s aim, description, scope, and contracting requirements. I also provide commentary, based on working with this Standard since 1996, which explains SHA. How to use it to complement Sub-System Hazard Analysis (SSHA, Task […]
Read articleThe Principles of Safe Software Course – Learn how to develop safe software – and understand what the safety standards are really asking you to do. Software is everywhere. And increasingly, safety depends on it. Modern aircraft, vehicles, ships, railways, industrial systems and other safety-critical systems rely on software to perform functions that can affect […]
Read articleCISSP 2021: What’s New and How to Prepare? Let’s look at the significant changes made to the CISSP Official Exam Outline (the course syllabus). What You Can Learn Who is this Course for? Students wishing to become Certified Information Systems Security Professionals. Are there any Prerequisites? I designed this course to help students prepare for […]
Read articleMaster the Complete System Safety Assessment Process. Learn how to design, tailor, and execute a comprehensive system safety assessment programme — from Preliminary Hazard Identification through to Environmental Hazard Analysis. Mil-Std-882E Tasks 201–210 · 69 lessons · 10.5 hours of video · Self-paced online training Learn the process. Master the analyses. Build a defensible safety […]
Read articleThe Safety Artisan’s Resume, or Curriculum Vitae (CV), if you prefer, is quite long. Why should you listen to me? If you want to know how I know what I know, read on… Simon Di Nucci – Principal Safety Consultant BEng, MSc, CPEng, FIE(Aust), NER, Cert CMi, CISSP Key Skills Qualifications MSc in Safety Critical […]
Read articleAt The Safety Artisan, we recently received a Certificate of Appreciation from The Fred Hollows Foundation in recognition of our support. We are genuinely honoured to receive this acknowledgement. More importantly, we are proud to support an organisation whose work has transformed millions of lives around the world. Our Business is Improving Safety Our business […]
Read articleThe ISSS Credentialing Initiative: System Safety Professionals. Where is the Next Generation of System Safety Professionals? We need a Workforce Development Program for Safety-Critical Industries. The International System Safety Society (ISSS) is launching a major credentialing initiative designed to strengthen and expand system safety capability across Canada and the United States. Developed as a three-year […]
Read articleIn this video lesson, I look at Sub-System Hazard Analysis with Mil-Std-882E (SSHA, which is Task 204). I teach the mechanics of the task, but not just that. I’m using my long experience with this Standard to teach a pragmatic approach to getting the work done. Task 204 is one of three tasks that integrate […]
Read articleIn this 45-minute session, I look at System Hazard Analysis with Mil-Std-882E. SHA is Task 205 in the Standard. I explore Task 205’s aim, description, scope, and contracting requirements. I also provide commentary, based on working with this Standard since 1996, which explains SHA. How to use it to complement Sub-System Hazard Analysis (SSHA, Task […]
Read articleNavigating the Safety Case is Part 4 of a four-part series on safety cases. In it, we look at timing issues and typical content through the safety case lifecycle. A Comprehensive Guide to Ensuring Project Safety When embarking on any significant project, ensuring safety isn’t just a step in the process—it’s the foundation of success. […]
Read articleIntroduction In The Lifelong Evolution of a Safety Case, we look at how to Review and revise a Safety Case and Re-Issue a Safety Case Report. When it comes to ensuring safety throughout any Product, System, or Service lifecycle, reviewing and revising the Safety Case isn’t just a recommendation—it’s essential. The age or status of […]
Read articleThe 2024 Blog Digest – Q3/Q4 brings you all of The Safety Artisan’s blog posts from the first six months of this year. I hope that you find this a useful resource! The 2024 Blog Digest – Q3/Q4: 18 Posts! Meet the Author Learn safety engineering with me, an industry professional with 25 years of […]
Read articleIn Crafting a Safety Case and Safety Case Report – Part 2, we move on to review and sign off on the artifacts. Introduction In any high-stakes environment—whether it’s defense, engineering, or aviation—Safety Case Reports play an essential role in validating the safety of a system. A meticulous review and sign-off process ensures that these […]
Read articleCrafting a Safety Case and Safety Case Report: A Comprehensive Guide for Project Safety Assurance – PART 1 [Picture by Eric Bruton from Pexels.com] Introduction Building a robust Safety Case and Safety Case Report is essential to ensuring the safety and regulatory compliance of complex systems within the Ministry of Defence (MOD) and similarly regulated […]
Read articleIn-Service Safety Management System: Ensuring Long-Term Safety for Military Equipment Safety is paramount when it comes to military operations, especially for in-service equipment relied upon by personnel daily. This article delves into the intricacies of maintaining an In-Service Safety Management System, offering insight into how safety practices are implemented, monitored, and evolved over time. Introduction: […]
Read articleComprehensive Project Safety Management Plans. Safety is a critical element in any large-scale project, especially in the context of defence and complex systems. One essential tool for managing safety is a Safety Management Plan (SMP). In this article, we’ll break down the process and structure of an effective SMP, highlighting its objectives, content, and how […]
Read articleGuide to Running a Project Safety Committee. Okay, so committees are not the sexiest subject, but we need to get stakeholders together to make things happen! Project Safety Committee: Introduction In safety-critical industries such as defense, aerospace, and engineering, maintaining a robust safety management system (SMS) is paramount. A Project Safety Committee (PSC) plays a […]
Read articleIn ‘Project Safety Initiation’ we look at what you need to do to get your safety project or program started. Introduction Definitions A stakeholder is anyone who will be affected by the introduction of the system and who needs to be consulted or informed about the development and fielding of the system, and anyone who contributes to […]
Read articleWelcome to Module Five, More Resources for Risk Assessment. We’re on the home straight now! This is the last of the five modules. I will let you know where to get more resources and help on these topics. Course Learning Objectives More Resources for Risk Assessment: Transcript Copyright/Source Statement “First, I want to point out […]
Read articleDesigning Your Risk Assessment Program. Which Ingredients should we use? In this post, I draw upon my 25+ years in system safety to give you some BOLD advice! I’m going to dare to suggest which analysis tasks are essential to every System Safety Program. I also suggest which tasks are optional depending on the system […]
Read articleWhen Understanding Your Risk Assessment Standard, we need to know a few things. The standard is the thing that we’re going to use to achieve things – the tool. And that’s important because tools designed to do certain things usually perform well. But they don’t always perform well on other things. So we will ask, […]
Read articleWelcome to Risk Management 101, where we’re going to go through these basic concepts of risk management. We’re going to break it down into the constituent parts and then we’re going to build it up again and show you how it’s done. I’ve been involved in risk management, in project risk management, safety risk management, […]
Read articleIn this module, System Safety Risk Analysis, we’re going to look at how we deal with the complexity of the real world. We do a formal risk analysis because real-world scenarios are complex. The Analysis helps us to understand what we need to do to keep people safe. Usually, we have some moral and legal obligation to do it as well. We need to do it well to protect people and prevent harm to people.
Read articleTL;DR Updating Legal Presumptions for Computer Reliability must happen if we are to have justice! Background The ‘Horizon’ Scandal in the UK was a major miscarriage of justice: Between 1999 and 2015, over 900 sub postmasters were convicted of theft, fraud and false accounting based on faulty Horizon data, with about 700 of these prosecutions […]
Read articleWhat are the Hazard and Risk basics? So, what is this risk analysis stuff all about? What is ‘risk’? How do you define or describe it? How do you measure it? When? Why? Who…? In this free session, I explain the basic terms and show how they link together, and how we can break them […]
Read articleThis post, ‘SSRAP: Start the Course’, gives an overview of System Safety Risk Assessment Programs. It describes the Learning Objectives of the Course and its five modules. We’re going to learn how to: This post is part of a series: SSRAP: Start of the Course – Transcript Welcome to this course on System Safety Risk […]
Read articleIn this post, we will look at Three Insightful Methods for Causal Analysis. Only three?! If you search online, you will probably find eight methods coming up: However, not all these methods are created equal! Only some provide real insight to the challenge of causal analysis. So, I’ve picked the best ones – based on […]
Read articleIn this ‘Introduction to System Safety Risk Assessment’, we will pull together several key ideas. First, we’ll talk about System Safety. This is safety engineering done in a Systems Engineering Framework. We are doing safety within a rigorous process. Second, we’re talking about Risk Assessment. This is a term for putting together different activities within […]
Read articleThe 2024 Blog Digest – Q1/Q2 brings you all of The Safety Artisan’s blog posts from the first six months of this year. I hope that you find this a useful resource! The 2024 Blog Digest – Q1/Q2: 25 Posts! There’s More! Head over to my Thinkfic Site for courses & webinars. Subscribe for a […]
Read articleThis is the full-length (one hour) session on Environmental Hazard Analysis (EHA), which is Task 210 in Mil-Std-882E. I explore the aim, task description, and contracting requirements of this Task, but this is only half the video. In the commentary, I then look at environmental requirements in the USA, UK, and Australia, before examining how […]
Read articleIn this full-length (38-minute) session, The Safety Artisan looks at System of Systems Hazard Analysis, or SoSHA, which is Task 209 in Mil-Std-882E. SoSHA analyses collections of systems, which are often put together to create a new capability, which is enabled by human brokering between the different systems. We explore the aim, description, and contracting […]
Read articleIn this full-length (55-minute) session, The Safety Artisan looks at Health Hazard Analysis, or HHA, which is Task 207 in Mil-Std-882E. I explore the aim, description, and contracting requirements of this complex Task. It covers: physical, chemical & biological hazards; Hazardous Materials (HAZMAT); ergonomics, aka Human Factors; the Operational Environment; and non/ionizing radiation. I will […]
Read articleGet the Preliminary Hazard Identification & Analysis Guide for free! It’s a 50-page .pdf download, collated from reliable sources. Contents: Preliminary Hazard Identification & Analysis Guide – Introduction Hazard Identification has been defined as: “The process of identifying and listing the hazards and accidents associated with a system.” Hazard Analysis has been defined as: “The […]
Read articleSo, what I’m talking about today is safety and risk audit, that is about process, Q&A, and some personal experience. Also something called layered process audits, which I ran into while researching this webinar. I thought that sounded interesting – and it is! Those are today’s topics for the webinar. Audit Process I’m talking about […]
Read articleIn this full-length session, I look at Operating & Support Hazard Analysis, or O&SHA, which is Task 206 in Mil-Std-882E. I explore Task 206’s aim, description, scope, and contracting requirements. There’s value-adding commentary, which explains O&SHA: how to use it with other tasks; how to apply it effectively on different products; and some of the […]
Read articleIn this 45-minute session, I’m looking at System Requirements Hazard Analysis, or SRHA, which is Task 203 in the Mil-Std-882E standard. I will explore Task 203’s aim, description, scope, and contracting requirements. SRHA is an important and complex task, which must be done on several levels to succeed. This video explains the issues and discusses […]
Read articleSo, how do we identify and analyze functional hazards? I’ve seen a lot of projects and programs. We’re great at doing the physical hazards, but not so good at the functional hazards. So, when I talk about physical and functional hazards, the physical stuff, I think we’re probably all very familiar with them. They’re all […]
Read articleTL;DR: This article on Failure Mode and Effects Analysis explains this powerful and commonly-used family of techniques. You can access this webinar (and all the others) here. I have used FMEA and related techniques on many programs, and it can produce powerful results quickly and cheaply. Recently, I’ve seen some criticism of FMEA on social […]
Read articleIn my webinar ‘Five Ways to Identify Hazards’ I look at a mix of techniques. We need these diverse techniques to assure us (give justified confidence) that we have identified the full range of hazards associated with a system. To do this I draw on my 25 years of experience (see ‘Meet the Author‘, below) […]
Read articleIn this post, ‘Exploring Causal Analysis: Techniques and Insights’, I provide a quick summary of my recent webinar. You can see a short video introduction below, or access the full webinar at my Safety Engineering Academy. Introduction: Causal analysis is a vital aspect of system safety engineering, offering insights into the root causes of issues […]
Read articleIn this post ‘Full Function Hazard Logs: A Deep Dive into Relational Databases’, I explore some things we can do with a hazard log built upon a database. In my 25-year career in safety engineering, I’ve seen many hazard logs and hazard tracking systems. Most of them were hosted in Microsoft Excel, but there were […]
Read articleIn this video, I look at Functional Hazard Analysis with Mil-Std-882E (FHA, which is Task 208 in Mil-Std-882E). FHA analyses software, complex electronic hardware, and human interactions. I explore the aim, description, and contracting requirements of this Task, and provide extensive commentary on it. (I refer to other lessons for special techniques for software safety […]
Read articleIn this 45-minute session, I look at how to do a Preliminary Hazard Analysis with Mil-Std-882E. Preliminary Hazard Analysis, or PHA, is Task 202 in the Standard. I explore Task 202’s aim, description, scope, and contracting requirements. There’s value-adding commentary, and I explain the issues with PHA – how to do it well and avoid […]
Read articleWhat are the Challenges of Online Learning? In my previous article, I looked at ‘Five Key Dimensions of Online Learning’, which explored what makes it popular. But there’s a downside too – things that put students off. What are they, and can they be fixed? “Top reasons cited by students who do not intend to […]
Read articleGet your free Preliminary Hazard Identification & Analysis, PHIA Guide here! Introduction Hazard Identification is sometimes defined as: “The process of identifying and listing the hazards and accidents associated with a system.” Hazard Analysis is sometimes defined as: “The process of describing in detail the hazards and accidents associated with a system and defining accident […]
Read articleIn this article ‘Five Key Dimensions of Online Learning’, I discuss the learning dimensions and attributes that students are looking for. How do I know what students are looking for? Fortunately “McKinsey surveyed more than 7,000 students in 17 countries to find out which elements of online higher education they value most.”[1] Unfortunately, McKinsey didn’t […]
Read article“What Have Hazard Logs Ever Done for Us? Well, there’s the aqueduct…” Monty Python’s Flying Circus may not be an obvious connection to hazard management, but it works! Hazard Logs – or Hazard Tracking Systems (HTS), which is a better term – are underappreciated but vital tools. In this webinar on hazard logs, one of […]
Read articleIn ‘Optimizing Safety: Active Hazard Management with Hazard Logs’ we look at how to unleash the power of this underrated tool! Introduction A Hazard Log is more than just a record; it’s a dynamic tool for actively managing safety risks associated with systems. This continually updated log encapsulates Hazards, Accident Sequences, and Accidents, ensuring a […]
Read articleIn this blog post and video ‘Hazard Logs and Hazard Tracking Systems’, I’m going to tell you about their benefits and features. In many industries, we are required to create a hazard log: perhaps by a regulator, a customer, or a prime contractor. Or maybe it’s “just the way we do it round here”. Whatever […]
Read articleThe 2023 Digest brings you all The Safety Artisan’s blog posts from last year. I hope that you find this a useful resource! (The final post in the list is the 2022 Digest, which lists another 31 posts.) That’s the 2023 Digest – look out for much more in 2024! My name’s Simon Di Nucci. […]
Read articleThis is the first in a new series of blog posts on Principles of Software Safety Assurance. In it, we look at the 4+1 principles that underlie all software safety standards. We outline common software safety assurance principles that are evident in software safety standards and best practices. You can think of these guidelines as […]
Read articleLessons Learned: In this 30-minute video, we learn lessons from an accident in 2016 that killed four people on the Thunder River Rapids Ride in Queensland. The coroner’s report was issued this year, and we went through the summary of that report. In it, we find failings in WHS Duties, Due Diligence, risk management, and […]
Read articleUnderstanding System Safety Engineering: A Quick Guide, takes you through some key points of this complex subject. Introduction System safety engineering plays a crucial role in ensuring the safety of complex systems. In this post, we will explore the fundamental concepts of system safety engineering and its importance in the realm of systems engineering. System […]
Read articleIntroduction In System Safety FAQs, I will deal with the most commonly searched-for online queries. This post is also the basis for the First in a new series of monthly webinars I’m running. I will also be answering your questions: leave them in the comments at the bottom of this post! What is System Safety? […]
Read articleHere is a video about my CISSP exam journey. Get the full ‘My CISSP Exam Journey’ free video here. I’ve just passed the Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) Exam, which was significantly updated on 1st May 2021. In this 30-minute video, I will cover: I wish you every success in your CISSP journey: it’s […]
Read articleIn this lesson, I will teach you how to demonstrate SFARP. I’ve been doing this on complex programs for 20+ years now, both in the UK and Australia. The concept of ‘reasonably practicable’ is much easier to apply than people think. I’ve watched a lot of programs over-complicate the process. We just don’t have to […]
Read articleIn this 40-minute video, ‘Introduction to Human Factors’, I am very pleased to welcome Peter Benda to The Safety Artisan. Peter is a colleague and Human Factors specialist who has 23 years’ experience in applying Human Factors to large projects in all kinds of domains. In this session, we look at some fundamentals: what does […]
Read articleThis post provides an overview of Safe Design in Australia: Overview, Statistics, and Principles. Introduction Learn about safe design in Australia, integrating hazard identification and risk assessment methods early in the design process to minimize injury risks. Safe design is about integrating hazard identification and risk assessment methods early in the design process, to eliminate or minimize risks of […]
Read articleUnderstanding System Safety Engineering: A Holistic Approach to Ensuring Safety. To know that we first need to understand what Systems Engineering is… Section 1: The Basics of Systems Engineering It starts with needs and concepts, which may be quite abstract, and progressively breaks these down into concrete, specific requirements. We also determine how those requirements […]
Read articleThis Guide to the WHS Act covers many topics of interest to system safety and design safety specialists. The full-length video explains the Federal Australian Work Health and Safety (WHS) Act (latest version, as of 14 Nov 2020). Brought to you by The Safety Artisan: professional, pragmatic, and impartial. Recap: In the Short Video… … […]
Read articleWhich Skills Should Humans Learn in an Age of ‘AI’? In my previous article, I looked at the new challenge that faces all who teach online. How do we stop students from using AI to cheat on assessments? Well, the short answer is: we can’t. Not entirely. AI is now good enough at answering questions […]
Read articleIn this post on the Foundations of Safety Assessment, I’m going to look at the (few) things that we need to do in every System Safety Program. Because we don’t always need to do everything. We don’t always need to throw everything at the problem. Some systems are simpler than others, and they don’t need […]
Read article‘How Should We Learn in an Age of ‘AI’?’ is the first in a series of articles addressing this topical subject. Introduction I’ve created and taught courses on technical subjects for about 20 years now. I started when I inherited a half-finished course on software supportability in 2001. The Royal Air Force relied on software […]
Read articleWant to know how to perform Preliminary Hazard Identification with Mil-Std-882E? (This is Task 201 under the standard.) This is the first step in safety assessment. We look at three classic complementary techniques to identify hazards and their pros and cons. This includes all the content from Task 201, and also practical insights from my […]
Read articleThis Intro to Work Health and Safety (WHS) video looks at Australian legislation that is relevant to System Safety. When I moved from the UK to Australia in 2012, I had to learn a new legal framework as a safety engineer. I was delighted to find that Australia had taken the principles of UK health […]
Read articleThis is The 2022 Digest – all the posts from The Safety Artisan last year. There have been 31 posts in all covering subjects such as: Here we go… The 2022 Digest: Quarter Four In this 45-minute session, I’m looking at System Requirements Hazard Analysis, or SRHA, which is Task 203 in the Mil-Std-882E standard. […]
Read articleAre you looking for Safety Engineering Jobs in Australia? Thinking of moving into the profession and wondering if it’s worth it? Already a safety engineer and thinking of moving to Australia (Poms, take note)? Then this article is for you! Introduction The most popular online job site in Australia is seek.com.au. If we go on […]
Read articleSoftware Safety Principles Conclusions and References is the sixth and final blog post on Principles of Software Safety Assurance. In them, we look at the 4+1 principles that underlie all software safety standards. (The previous post in the series is here.) Read on to Benefit From… The conclusions of this paper are brief and readable, but […]
Read articleThis post, Software Safety Assurance and Standards, is the fifth in a series of six blog posts on Principles of Software Safety Assurance. In it, we look at the 4+1 principles that underlie all software safety standards. (The previous post in the series is here.) Read on to Benefit from… In this post, we assess how […]
Read articleSoftware Safety Assurance is the fourth in a new series of six blog posts on Principles of Software Safety Assurance. In them, we look at the 4+1 principles that underlie all software safety standards. (The previous post in the series is here.) Read on for These Benefits… This post deals with some crucial software assurance topics: […]
Read articleSoftware Safety Principle 4 is the third in a new series of six blog posts on Principles of Software Safety Assurance. In it, we look at the 4+1 principles that underlie all software safety standards. (The previous post in the series is here.) We outline common software safety assurance principles that are evident in software safety […]
Read articleSoftware Safety Principles 2 and 3 is the second in a new series of blog posts on Principles of Software Safety Assurance. In it, we look at the 4+1 principles that underlie all software safety standards. (The previous blog post is here.) We outline common software safety assurance principles that are evident in software safety standards […]
Read articleProportionality is about committing resources to the Safety Program that are adequate – in both quality and quantity – for the required tasks. Introduction to Proportionality Proportionality is a concept that should be applied to determine the allocation of resource and effort to a safety and environmental argument based on its risk. It is a difficult concept […]
Read articleThis post, Australian vs. UK Safety Law compares the two approaches, based on my long experience of working on both sides. Are you a safety professional thinking of emigrating from the UK to Australia? Well, I’ve done it, and here’s my BREXIT special guide! In this 45-minute video, The Safety Artisan looks at the similarities […]
Read articleIn this 45-minute video, I discuss System Safety Principles, as set out by the US Federal Aviation Authority in their System Safety Handbook. Although this was published in 2000, the principles still hold good (mostly) and are worth discussing. I comment on those topics where the modern practice has moved on, and those jurisdictions where […]
Read articleIn this 33-minute session, Safety Concepts Part 2, The Safety Artisan equips you with more Safety Concepts. I look at the basic concepts of safety, risk, and hazard in order to understand how to assess and manage them. Exploring these fundamental topics provides the foundations for all other safety topics, but it doesn’t have to […]
Read articleIn Hazard Logs – a Brief Summary, we will give you an overview of this important safety management tool. This post serves as an introduction to longer posts and videos (e.g. Hazard Logs & Hazard Tracking Systems), which will provide you with much more content. Hazard Logs – a Brief Summary Description of Hazard Log […]
Read articleIn this Australian WHS Course, we show you how to practically and pragmatically implement the essential elements of Australian Work Health and Safety Legislation. In particular, we look at the so-called ‘upstream’ WHS duties. These are the elements you need to safely introduce systems and services into the Australian market. Lessons in This Course A Guide […]
Read articleCareer change: in my lecture to the System Engineering Industry Program at the University of Adelaide, I reflect on my career changes. What can you learn from my experiences? (Hint: a lot, I hope!) I want to talk about career changes because all of you – everyone listening – have already started to make them. […]
Read articleIn this post on Safety Management Policy, we’re going to look at the policy requirements of a typical project management safety standard. This is the Acquisition Safety & Environmental System (ASEMS). The Ministry of Defence is the biggest acquirer of manufactured goods in the UK, and it uses ASEMS to guide hundreds of acquisition projects. […]
Read articleGood work design can help us achieve safe outcomes by designing safety into work processes and the design of products. Adding safety as an afterthought is almost always less effective and costs more over the lifecycle of the process or product. Introduction The Australian Work Health and Safety Strategy 2012-2022 is underpinned by the principle […]
Read article‘So Far As Is Reasonably Practicable’ is a phrase that gets used a lot, but what does it mean? How do you demonstrate it? In this post, I will talk about how to demonstrate SFARP. I’ve been doing this on complex programs for 20+ years now, both in the UK and Australia. The concept of […]
Read articleIn Safety Assessment Techniques Overview we will look at how different analysis techniques can be woven together. How does one analysis feed into another? What do we need to get sufficient coverage to be confident that we’ve done enough? Learning Objectives: Safety Assessment Techniques Overview You will be able to: List and ‘sequence’ the five […]
Read articleI’m pleased to tell you that The Safety Artisan is on Thinkific! Thinkific is a powerful and beautifully-presented online Learning Management System. This will complement the existing Safety Artisan website. My first course will be ‘System Safety Assessment‘ with ten hours of instructional videos. The new course is here. (Please note that this is the same […]
Read articleIn this article, I look at The Risk Matrix, a widely used technique in many industries. Risk Matrices have many applications! In this article, I have used material from a UK Ministry of Defence guide, reproduced under the terms of the UK’s Open Government Licence. Introduction A risk matrix is a graphical representation of the […]
Read articleYou heard me right. Risk: Averse, Adverse, or Appetite? Which would you choose? Do we even have a choice? Read on … We often hear that we live in a risk-averse society. By that, I mean that we don’t want to take risks, or that we’re too timid. I don’t think that’s the whole story. […]
Read articleIn this article, I’m looking at Due Diligence and Safety in the USA, UK, and Australia. Why? Because Due Diligence is the root of so much that we should be doing in Safety. Let’s start with the definitions of due diligence in the way that it applies to safety (because due diligence is a concept […]
Read articleIn this ‘super post’, we will Learn How to Perform System Safety Analysis. I will show you thirteen lessons that explain each of the ten analysis tasks, the analysis process, and how to combine those tasks into a program! Follow the links to sample and buy lessons on individual tasks. Introduction Military Standard 882, or […]
Read articleThe System Safety Engineering Process – what it is and how to do it. This is the full-length (50-minute) session on the System Safety Process, which is called up in the general requirements of Mil-Std-882E. I cover the Applicability of Mil-Std-882E tasks, the General Requirements, the Process with eight elements, and the Application of process […]
Read articleTestimonials from 20+ years in the industry. Hear what some clients and ex-colleagues have to say about The Safety Artisan. General Testimonials The way you teach this subject makes it comprehensible and part of an integral whole. It seems like your approach is rare (and valuable) in the world of System Safety. Thomas AnthonyDirector, Aviation […]
Read articleThis is ‘How to Get the Most from The Safety Artisan #3’. Last time #2, I posted about the two major focus areas for The Safety Artisan’s teaching. These are System Safety and Australian Work Health and Safety or WHS. In my first post, I talked about the fundamental lessons under the start here topic. […]
Read articleHi everyone, and welcome to The Safety Artisan. I’m Simon, your host. This is ‘How to Get the Most from The Safety Artisan #2’. In my previous post (#1) I talk about the Start Here topic page. There you will find lessons that deal with fundamental issues – most of them are free. This time […]
Read articleIn this post, ‘How to Get the Most from The Safety Artisan #1’ I will show you some of the free resources you can access… Welcome Hi everyone, and welcome to The Safety Artisan, my name is Simon and I’m a professional system safety engineer with more than 25 years of experience in various industries. […]
Read articleIn this FAQ on System Safety, I share some lessons that will explain the basics right through to more advanced topics! The system safety concept calls for a risk management strategy based on identification, analysis of hazards and application of remedial controls using a systems-based approach. Harold E. Roland; Brian Moriarty (1990). System Safety Engineering and Management. In ‘Safety Concepts Part 1’, we […]
Read articleIn this FAQ on Risk Management, I will point you to some lessons where you will get some answers to basic questions. Lessons on this Topic Welcome to Risk Management 101, where we’re going to go through these basic concepts of risk management. We’re going to break it down into the constituent parts and then […]
Read articleNow we move on to Q&A: ‘Reflections on a Career in Safety’. Q&A Session | Q&A Session | Q&A Session | Q&A Session How do you Keep People Engaged with Safety? Q. I was thinking of an idea as I was walking here, and you did mention just in your slide about going with the […]
Read articleIn ‘Reflections on a Career in Safety, Part 5’, I finally get around to reflecting on personal lessons learned from my own career. Reflecting on a Career in Safety Very briefly, I just wanted to pick out three things. Learning and Practice First, at university in my first degree and in my master’s degree and […]
Read articleIn ‘Reflections on a Career in Safety, Part 4’, I want to talk about Consultancy, which is mostly what I’ve been doing for the last 20 years! Consultancy As I said near the beginning, I thought that in the software supportability team, we all wore the same uniform as our customers. We didn’t cost them […]
Read articleIn ‘Reflections on a Career in Safety, Part 3’ I continue talking about different kinds of Safety, moving onto… Projects and Products Then moving on to the project side, where teams of people were making sure a new aeroplane, a new radio, a new whatever it might be, was going to work in service; people […]
Read articleIn ‘Reflections on a Career in Safety, Part 2’ I move on to … Different Kinds of Safety So I’m going to talk a little bit about highlights, that I hope you’ll find useful. I went straight from university into the Air Force and went from this kind of [academic] environment to heavy metal, basically. […]
Read articleThis is Part 1 of my ‘Reflections on a Career in Safety’, from “Safety for Systems Engineering and Industry Practice”, a lecture that I gave to the University of Adelaide in May 2021. My thanks to Dr. Kim Harvey for inviting me to do this and setting it up. The Lecture, Part 1 Hi, everyone, […]
Read articleThe following is a short, but excellent, introduction to the topic of ‘Functional Safety’ by the United Kingdom Health and Safety Executive (UK HSE). It is equally applicable outside the UK, and the British Standards (‘BS EN’) are versions of international ISO/IEC standards – e.g. the Australian version (‘AS/NZS’) is often identical to the British […]
Read articleLearn How to Understand Safety Standards with this FREE session from The Safety Artisan. In this module, Understanding Your Standard, we’re going to ask the question: Am I Doing the Right Thing, and am I Doing it Right? Standards are commonly used for many reasons. We need to understand our chosen system safety engineering standard, in […]
Read articleWhy did I call my business The Safety Artisan? artisan/ˈɑːtɪzan,ɑːtɪˈzan/Learn to pronounce noun A worker in a skilled trade, especially one that involves making things by hand. “street markets where local artisans display handwoven textiles, painted ceramics, and leather goods” Why The Safety ‘Artisan’? Hi, everyone. When I was choosing a name for my business, […]
Read articleLearn about System Safety Risk Assessment with The Safety Artisan. In this module, we’re going to look at how we deal with the complexity of the real world. We do a formal risk analysis because real-world scenarios are complex. The Analysis helps us to understand what we need to do to keep people safe. Usually, […]
Read articleRisk Analysis Programs – Design a System Safety Program for any system in any application. Risk Analysis Programs: Learning Objectives At the end of this course, you will be able to: Risk Analysis Programs: Transcript Introduction Hello and welcome to this course on Systems Safety Risk Analysis Programs. I’m Simon Di Nucci, The Safety Artisan, […]
Read articleWelcome to the New Website! It has been professionally redesigned to provide a much better user experience by the awesome Sam Jusaitis. My thanks to him for doing such a great job. The Main Pages You can now browse through the main pages, which give you all the content that you might need, in the […]
Read articleIn this 30-minute session, we look at the Consultation, Cooperation & Coordination Code of Practice (CC&C CoP). We cover the Commonwealth and Model versions of the CoP, appendices & a summary of detailed requirements; and further commentary. This CoP is one of the two that are generally applicable. Consultation, Cooperation & Coordination CoP: Topics Consultation, […]
Read articleIn this 40-minute session, we look at the Risk Management Code of Practice (CoP). We cover: who has WHS duties; the four-step process; keeping records, appendices & a summary of detailed requirements; and further commentary. This CoP is one of the two that are generally applicable. Risk Management Code of Practice: Topics Risk Management Code […]
Read articleIn the 30-minute session, we introduce Australian WHS Codes of Practice (CoP). We cover: What they are and how to use them; their Limitations; we List (Federal) codes; provide Further commentary; and Where to get more information. This session is a useful prerequisite to all the other sessions on CoP. Codes of Practice: Topics What […]
Read articleWant some good guidance on Safe Design? In this 52-minute video from the Safety Artisan, you will find it. I take the official guidance from Safe Work Australia. Then I provide some value-adding commentary on it, based on my 10+ years of experience working system safety under Australian WHS Law. This guidance integrates seamlessly with […]
Read articleIn this ‘Safety Concepts Part 1’ Blog post, The Safety Artisan looks at the meaning of the term “safe”. I look at an objective definition of safe – objective because it can be demonstrated to have been met. This fundamental topic provides the foundation for all other safety topics, and it isn’t complex. The basics […]
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