System Safety in Organizational Safety Decision Making

Malcolm Jones

doi:10.56094/jss.v52i2.126

Authors

Malcolm Jones Atomic Weapons Establishment (AWE)

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.56094/jss.v52i2.126

Keywords:

organizational, decision making, ensurance, assurance, peer review, safety case

Abstract

The two cardinal aspects of safety are intrinsic safety and its demonstration. A key element of demonstrating system safety is the organizational structure that is best placed to ensure and demonstrate that high standards of safety are clearly in place for its products, processes and facilities. This is particularly important for high-consequence industries. Accomplishing this depends on a number of organizational integrated layers of scrutiny, ranging from the accumulation of arguments and evidence at the lower levels to final executive decision making. The latter holds final responsibility and accountability. Potential problems arise because products, processes and facilities are becoming more and more complex and the associated supporting data inordinately large. In turn, the organizational processes that enable top-level decision makers to make wise and informed decisions are themselves becoming more complex and difficult. This final stage requires clear and transparent communication.

Organizations have moved more towards the application of peer review to support final decision making but, nevertheless, one still expects the final decision-making layer to provide further independent scrutiny to enhance overall confidence in the process. This would represent a three-tier independent process — strength in depth. This is the subject of the paper.

Author Biography

Malcolm Jones, Atomic Weapons Establishment (AWE)

Malcolm Jones has previously led the Distinguished Scientists group at the Atomic Weapons Establishment (AWE). He currently holds the position of Scientific Adviser to AWE’s Chief Scientist and directly supports AWE’s Chief of Product Assurance. His career at AWE has taken him through a wide range of scientific and engineering topics, but he has maintained a continuous association with nuclear weapon design and process safety and top-level nuclear safety standards. His interests extend to corporate safety cultures and the root-cause reasons for failures. He is a Fellow of the International System Safety Society and is an adviser to a number of senior U.K. Ministry of Defence and AWE safety bodies. He has been awarded an MBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List for contributions to the U.K. defense industry and is a recipient of the John Challens’ Medal, which is AWE’s highest award for lifetime contributions to science, engineering and technology. He has also been honored by VNIIA in the Russian Federation for his work in fostering nuclear weapon safety collaboration between the U.K. and the R.F.