Frazer-Nash Consultancy is a pioneering force in risk-based approaches and the management of safety and other risks. Our safety and risk services bring the very latest techniques and tools to bear. Frazer-Nash works at the leading edge of the introduction of the risk-based management approach and is engaged in policy development, management strategies and implementation. Our work centres on:
and broadens into more general operational and business risk management.
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Safety Management
Major accidents and serious environmental incidents in recent years have had the effect of focusing considerable attention on safety and it is a fact of life that accidents are often the way in which lessons are learned. Formal Safety Management techniques are rapidly becoming the accepted method for addressing and ensuring safety in many industries. It is no longer acceptable or viable to adopt a piecemeal approach or to rely on standards or codes of practice. Potential hazards are present in most engineering projects and legal obligations require that these must be actively investigated, managed and mitigated against.
The key to the effective assessment and management of safety is the adoption of the 'Safety Case' approach which is now being mandated in an increasing number of situations. True experience of this kind of formal safety management is not common and, if poorly controlled, production of a safety case can be expensive. Frazer-Nash has experience of safety assessment for transport, aerospace, nuclear, weapons and marine applications which makes it extremely well qualified to assist clients in safety case management.
Safety Management Planning
The fundamentals of this approach demand that safety is considered from first principles. Safety management and assessment tasks that must be carried out are defined at the outset and formalised in a safety management plan. The responsibilities within the organisation for the execution of the plan, the composition and responsibilities of safety review panels and the independent audit authorities are clearly established.
Safety Assessment
The cost of safety assessment can grow rapidly if the objectives and ground rules are not clearly laid out. The ability to see the knock-on effects of the plan needs experience and knowledge of the benefits and pitfalls associated with the process. Selection of the most appropriate and cost effective assessment methods is the key.
Normally a consequence versus probability matrix is used to identify which hazards are acceptable and which require particular attention, so that the level of effort allocated to particular aspects of the design or operation can be balanced.
Safety Assessment Techniques
There are many established techniques available for the safety assessment studies themselves, for example:
- Hazard Analysis: HAZAN and HAZOP
- Failure Analysis: FMECA and FTA
- Consequence Analysis: ETA
- Accident simulation
Safety assessment benefits from Frazer-Nash's experience of applying these techniques in a wide variety of industries including MoD platform and weapons systems and the marine, nuclear and aerospace industries. Our staff who support this work have extensive experience in design and engineering disciplines, as well as safety analysis expertise.
Benefits
The objective of safety assessment is to reduce the hazards associated with an engineering project to acceptable levels. Traditionally this has been tackled piecemeal with the attendant risks of discovering safety hazards late in the project or even in service. Formal Safety Assessment programmes can achieve the objective with the following benefits for the project manager and his or her organisation:
- The Safety Case provides a clear audit trail. It documents the procedures used and the results of the identification, analysis and mitigation of hazards associated with the project.
- The Safety Case demonstrates that the responsibilities of the project manager have been discharged professionally.
- Safety management structures, procedures and responsibilities are clearly mandated.
- Safety analysis commences early in feasibility allowing safety hazards to be designed out or minimised.
- A probability versus severity matrix ensures consistent levels of safety and the most cost effective deployment of resources.
- A safety culture is fostered in the organisation.
A Partnership with Frazer-Nash
Frazer-Nash offers a full range of safety services, from planning advice to taking on the role of safety manager and performance of all safety assessment work. Frazer-Nash is totally independent which allows it to be your auditor should you already have safety management capability. We have in-depth experience of the safety management role, both on its own design contracts and for external customers. Its staff have also acted as expert witnesses for safety issues in legal actions.
Our safety management expertise is supported by design assessment, analysis and project support skills. Much of this work relates to safety critical applications, often combined with demanding performance requirements.
Project Risk Management
Any development project is inherently concerned with change and innovation and cannot avoid risk and uncertainty. Such risk may arise from technical difficulty, commercial pressures or many other factors. Frazer-Nash offers an independent service in formal project risk management which aids our industrial clients in achieving their business goals and which supports the needs of government procurement authorities. Our approach to risk management is based on many years' experience of managing development projects. From this experience, we have developed comprehensive methods for evaluating and controlling risk factors, based on sound engineering and project management practice.
Experience
Frazer-Nash has more than 20 years of experience in the execution of projects for military and commercial customers. Project risk assessment and management at Frazer-Nash is performed by engineers with experience of running major projects. This helps us to ensure that our recommendations are focused on the needs of the business and produce real benefits. Our experience in the military sector includes land, sea and air platforms, weapon systems, communication systems and training simulators.
Methods
Frazer-Nash’s risk management approach is tailored to suit the particular project, whether it is at the feasibility study phase or approaching the in-service date, across both military and industrial applications. This approach is based on a number of recognised risk management guidelines:
- MoD DPP(PM)
- APM PRAM
- BS 6079
We use a structured framework for analysing technical and commercial factors best suited to the project. This framework ensures that during risk identification, issues such as resourcing, contract terms, subcontract management and acceptance criteria are considered hand in hand with technical factors. Risk identification is performed using a tailored set of prompt lists and questionnaires, followed by structured brainstorming and interviews with key project players. For smaller projects and proposals, this process can be swiftly accomplished directly with the customer’s project manager, eliminating the need for costly team brainstorming sessions.
The next key element in the process is assessment of the risks identified to gain a full appreciation of the risks inherent in the project. This evaluation provides a means of ranking risks in order to prioritise management action. Close liaison with the client's own project team enables the development of practical responses to transfer, avoid, reduce or remove the risk. Most importantly, ownership of the risk and hence responsibility for management is established. This process then provides an efficient ongoing management facility to support monitoring, review, control and audit.
Tools
Frazer-Nash also develops bespoke assessment and management software to support the process, based on its generic tools. The predominant computer support used is a management database to provide the recording, control and reporting facility. This basic management tool is supplemented by specialised analysis tools when appropriate. Frazer-Nash is a licensed user of the MoD PANDORA risk database.
Benefits
The key aims of project risk management are to meet project goals and to improve business performance in a project environment. Project risk management programmes are mandatory in many major contracts, but even where this is not the case, independent appraisal and management of project risks can be highly beneficial to the project manager. In many cases, a project team is working under extreme pressure and can be too close to the problem to assess the risks objectively. New ideas and experience can be brought to bear to improve the performance of the project overall.
Our proven approach results in earlier and better planned preventative and remedial action, giving rise to the following benefits:
- More effective bids and proposals with greater capacity to yield profit.
- Confidence that the project goals can be met, whilst ensuring the overall business objectives are enhanced.
- A formal view of risk which is essential for management given the pace of change.
- Improved control of commercial and legal liabilities.
If you would like further information about our services or products, or want to know if we can assist you in a particular project, please complete the form on the Contact Us page.