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How to interpret safety critical failures in risk and reliability assessments

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  • Selvik, Jon TømmerÃ¥s
  • Signoret, Jean-Pierre

Abstract

Management of safety systems often receives high attention due to the potential for industrial accidents. In risk and reliability literature concerning such systems, and particularly concerning safety-instrumented systems, one frequently comes across the term ‘safety critical failure’. It is a term associated with the term ‘critical failure’, and it is often deduced that a safety critical failure refers to a failure occurring in a safety critical system. Although this is correct in some situations, it is not matching with for example the mathematical definition given in ISO/TR 12489:2013 on reliability modeling, where a clear distinction is made between ‘safe failures’ and ‘dangerous failures’. In this article, we show that different interpretations of the term ‘safety critical failure’ exist, and there is room for misinterpretations and misunderstandings regarding risk and reliability assessments where failure information linked to safety systems are used, and which could influence decision-making. The article gives some examples from the oil and gas industry, showing different possible interpretations of the term. In particular we discuss the link between criticality and failure. The article points in general to the importance of adequate risk communication when using the term, and gives some clarification on interpretation in risk and reliability assessments.

Suggested Citation

  • Selvik, Jon TømmerÃ¥s & Signoret, Jean-Pierre, 2017. "How to interpret safety critical failures in risk and reliability assessments," Reliability Engineering and System Safety, Elsevier, vol. 161(C), pages 61-68.
  • Handle: RePEc:eee:reensy:v:161:y:2017:i:c:p:61-68
    DOI: 10.1016/j.ress.2017.01.003
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    Cited by:

    1. Colombo, Danilo & Lima, Gilson Brito Alves & Pereira, Danillo Roberto & Papa, João P., 2020. "Regression-based finite element machines for reliability modeling of downhole safety valves," Reliability Engineering and System Safety, Elsevier, vol. 198(C).
    2. Salimi, F. & Vahdani, Behnam, 2018. "Designing a bio-fuel network considering links reliability and risk-pooling effect in bio-refineries," Reliability Engineering and System Safety, Elsevier, vol. 174(C), pages 96-107.

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