Safety Development and Management - Case Study Example

Title: Safety Development and Management Name: Registration No: Institution: Name of Professor: Date of Submission: 1. Introduction Coast Guard Helicopter has been designed so that it can be used by army officers to patrol the coats and ensure safety is observed. In addition, the helicopter s designed so that it is able to respond to emergency calls and also locate vessels that are experiencing problems both onshore and offshore. These include establishing areas where casualties have been located and assisting in their evacuation as well as delivery of medical equipment to be used in provision of first aid to them. In addition, the helicopter has been designed so that it uses stretchers to move people from the point of accident to hospital for treatment and other medical procedures. Another function of the helicopter is to allocate areas where accidents have occurred and reporting to the head office. The operating environment of the helicopter requires that it should meet particular design requirements so that safety of the users of the helicopter is assured. This paper provides support for claims of compliance to safe operations of the helicopter in its operating environment. 2. Discussion 2.1. Claim that Coast guard Helicopter CGH has been designed for its intended purpose in the intended environment Context and Scope The Coast Guard helicopter has been designed primarily for the purpose of patrolling around the coast so that operations that take place are maintained at a high level of safety and risks during its use are minimized. In addition, the scope of this paper is a presentation of methods in which the design of the helicopter has complied with the relevant legislations that dictate its use. The methods in which the design of the helicopter enables it achieve the objectives of rescuing people involved in accidents in vessels both offshore and offshore is also explained. This paper also explains measures that have been taken to ensure communication between the people on board the helicopter and the Coast Guard headquarter can be facilitated. Furthermore, the design of the helicopter identifies measures of operation of the helicopter that can result into minimized risks. Finally, it presents measures that have been taken to navigate the helicopter safely so that safety Functional Requirements are observed. Legal requirements are met There are a number of ways in which the design of the helicopter has resulted into compliance with legal requirements. An example of a legal requirement is that the helicopter must ensure safety of the occupants and should not break down during flight. The design and operation of CGH has complied with this requirement by setting the safe speed at which the helicopter will be flown. Another legal requirement is that the helicopter must be flown by a qualified pilot. The CGH will have complied with this requirement by assigning a qualified pilot to fly the helicopter. In addition, there is the legal requirement that the helicopter must be flown on specifically assigned areas. In this regard, the helicopter complies with this legal requirement by flying only along the coats and transporting casualties from the vessels that have broken down offshore to the hospital for treatment as well as providing them with first aid services. Another legal requirement that the operation of the helicopter has complied with is not to involve in any other activity apart from rescuing people and providing them with the necessary medical aid. Safety requirements are met Safety requirement during operation of the helicopter have been observed by assigning a flight mechanic who conducts examinations of the helicopter before it takes off so that it does not develop mechanical problems while it is in flight. Another safety requirement that the helicopter has complied with is setting the safe speed of 300km/h so that the helicopter is not subjected to a speed that can affect its operation and result into a breakdown. The helicopter is designed with materials which enable its operation in bad weather conditions thus, creating an assurance of the pilot and other occupants on board the helicopter during flight. Risks are managed In order to manage risks, the operation of the helicopter will be involved in continuous communication with the Coast Guard HQ to inform them of any risks encountered during flight. Another risk that the operation of the helicopter has observed is the risk of breakdown of the aircraft. This is managed by conducting regular maintenance of the aircraft so that any mechanical problem likely to be encountered during flight can be identified and corrected. The risk of inaccurate identification of the location of the helicopter has been managed by using two separate navigation systems that determine the exact location of the helicopter and its position can be calculated using GPS system and the use of an accurate satellite link. Safety Management arrangements are adequate Various safety management arrangements have been made in the design of the helicopter to enable it carry out safety management activities at the coat. For instance, the helicopter is designed with a stretcher section where victims of a disaster can be placed and carried to treatment centers such as hospitals. There is also first aid equipment in the aircraft which enable the professional involved in provision of first aid to the affected people carry out their duties efficiently. The rescue bay section of the helicopter has rescue equipment that assist the people in the helicopter carry out rescue operations efficiently. The cockpit section contains portable communication systems which enable the pilot communicate with rescuers and there is also an all-inbuilt external communication system which ensures communication with people in the control headquarters is achieved. Safety interface dependencies are managed Safety interface dependencies have been managed by designing the cockpit section so that the pilot is able to see the environment to which the helicopter is being flown for safety purposes. The cockpit section has electronic sensor connections that sense the location of the helicopter and provide the pilot with the information such as height of the helicopter above the ground so that the maximum height of flight is not exceeded. Safety interface is also achieved by use of GPS system to determine the position of the helicopter and also to create an accurate satellite link that enables interpretation of information recorded by the helicopter during flight. Material state is known Material used to make the helicopter is relevant for various factions which make the helicopter effective in performing its functions. For instance, the flight controls are electronic in nature thus allowing operation through electronic signals which makes the operation of the helicopter easy. The cockpit has portable radio communications which enables the pilot communicates with the Coast guard HQ as well as with rescuers. The main rotor of the helicopter has mechanical linkages and a mechanical turning gear which enables it rotate effectively, thus flying the helicopter to various heights and distances. The power bay is composed of gear box, diesel engine, electronic winch gear and fuel store that creates power which enables the helicopter to fly. Furthermore, the landing gear has structural mounts for wheels, brakes and wheels that enable the helicopter land safely when it needs to land. There are also hydraulic links from the Cockpit to brakes that enable the helicopter brake whenever it is necessary. Outstanding actions managed Outstanding actions that the helicopter needs to perform have been managed effectively. For example, the helicopter has a stretcher section that allows a stretchered patient to be carried to the hospital for treatment. There is also a 2-seater section which enables those who are injured but able to sit can use the section so that they can be transported to hospital for treatment. The action of providing first aid to casualties has been managed by ensuring the helicopter is fitted with first aid equipment. This equipment can then be used during restoration of stability of causalities before they can be transported to hospital for proper treatment. The action that the rescue activities require a fast landing without the need to use a runway has been achieved by use of the helicopter which is able to land at any point so that emergency cases in vessels can be attended to within the shortest time possible. This capability to land at any point also ensures the helicopter is able to locate persons and vessels in distress and carry casualties to a medical facility for treatment. 2.2. Items of applicable legislation An example of an item of applicable legislation is that no one may operate an aircraft that has been granted an experimental operation certificate for other reasons other than the reason why the certificate was issued (Padfield 2007). In this case, the helicopter is allowed to operate only for recue activities and communication with Coast Guard Headquarters about the state of safety offshore and offshore as well as providing quick medical assistance to casualties of vessels that have been involved in accidents. If the operator of the helicopter engages in other activities, legal action can be taken against them as a result of breach of terms of practice. Another example of applicable legislation is that the helicopter can only be flown by a qualified pilot. The pilot must be experienced enough so that possibilities of causing accidents are minimized. This implies that Coast Guard Headquarters must ensure the pilot assigned the duty of flying the helicopter has the right certification and skills to fly the helicopter before assigning the role. In addition, another legislation that is applicable is that no persons may be involved in operation of the helicopter in other areas other than the area in which it is permitted to fly (Seddon and Newman 2011). This implies that the pilot who will be operating the CGH will restrict operations to areas within the coast. This is due to the fact that its activities include patrolling along the coast and determining any accidents that has occurred and reporting to Coast Guard headquarters. Thus, it will not be allowed to operate outside this range. In addition, there will be legislation of a restricted takeoff when the airways along the coast are being used by other aircrafts or when the location where the aircraft needs to land is densely populated. Thus, the CGH will be required to stop its operations for a while when there is another aircraft passing along its area of operation. In addition, it will be required to avoid landing in densely populated areas where it can cause disruption of normal activities such as gatherings of people. Finally, the relevant authorization body may issue a deviation authority that provides a relief for the purpose of operating the helicopter for the purpose of conducting training (Johnson 1994). This implies that when Coast Guard needs to conduct training of its pilots, it will be allowed to deviate from allowed operations of rescuing casualties in vessels to operations where training is provided to its pilots. However, Coast Guard will be required to submit a request for deviation of authority within a specified time period before the training begins. In the request, they will be required to explain the nature of the proposed operation and justification of the level of safety in place to achieve the objectives of the operation. 2.3. Hazard identification The following table shows various forms of hazards that are likely to be encountered during the deployment of the CGH and measures that can be taken to overcome those hazards. HAZOP Chart for CGH Hazard Assessment Process Source/Node Measures of deviation Identify causes Associated consequences Apply risk ranking Action to be taken Engine failure -inability of the helicopter to start -Wear out of mechanical parts -Failure to rise when being operated -catastrophic -repair the engine Operation of the rotor -rotation at a low speed -malfunctioning mechanical linkages Inability to rise during flight catastrophic Repair mechanical linkages Inadequate fuel Inability of the engine to start -Lack of enough fuel in the fuel tank -inability of the helicopter to start Dangerous Fill the fuel tank with fuel The following are Zonal hazards that will be experienced during the operation of the CGH: Zonal Hazard Assessment Source/Node Measures of deviation Identify causes Associated consequences Apply risk ranking Action to be taken Low visibility -Inability to see the direction of flight -Increase in amount of mists or fog in the air -dust in the air -inability to monitor activities on the ground -possibility of colliding with obstacles critical Postpone flight until the sky is clear Windy weather Blowing of strong winds that can cause deviation of the helicopter into other areas Movement of the helicopter into undesired areas Long duration of time to explore the coast -Fuel consumption High Avoiding operations during windy weather Existence of fumes from factories along the coast Smoke in the atmosphere that reduces visibility Smoke emitted into the atmosphere, causing low visibility Inability of the helicopter to explore the area affected by smoke Medium Recommending the reduction of smoke emission by the companies along the coast The following table shows the functional failure assessment while the helicopter will be under operation along the coast. Functional Failure Assessment Process Source/Node Measures of deviation Identify causes Associated consequences Apply risk ranking Action to be taken Failure of the GPS System Inability of the pilot to know the exact location of the helicopter -Inaccurate reading provided by the GPS system - The helicopter can be directed to areas that are not required during the patrol along the coast High Investigate the source of error in the GPS system and correct the error Failure of onboard inertial navigation Inability to integrate speed and direction Lack of functionality of the satellite link inability to calculate the drift between the actual and calculated position Medium Correct error in the satellite link between the station and the helicopter No display of the position of the helicopter on charts No relay of calculated position of the helicopter on charts Failure of electronic chard to function Lack of knowledge of the position of the helicopter during flight High Repair the electronic chart 2.4. Hazard Analysis The following is a risk assessment for the two hazards identified in the case study: Hazard Low visibility Operating practice risk reduction measure Operating the helicopter when the sky is free from mist and fog Engineered barrier Creating mechanisms that reduces the amount of mist and fog in the operating environment Evidence of the integrity of the barriers When mist and fog are eliminated using artificial methods, visibility can be improved. When operations are delayed until the disappearance of mist and fog, the sky remains clear and visibility is improved, hence the helicopter can operate safely ALARP Statement for the barriers For the operating practice risk measure: the risk during the operation will need to be reduced to as low as reasonably practicable level by reducing operation costs while also reducing the level of risks of operating the aircraft in a foggy or misty atmosphere (Johnson 1994). For the Engineered barrier: The cost of implementing the barrier will be made as low as reasonably practicable while also ensuring the risk of operating the helicopter in a misty or foggy environment is also reduced as low as possible (Dunstan 2003). Hazard Windy weather Operating practice risk reduction measure Operating the helicopter when there is no wind Engineered barrier Designing flight strategies that enables penetration of the wind during operation Evidence of the integrity of the barriers When operation strategies ensure winds are penetrated, the operations cannot be interrupted by winds and recue activities can continue at any time. When operations are delayed until there is no wind in the sky, the helicopter will fly safely and possibilities of risks become low ALARP Statement for the barriers For the operating practice risk measure: The risk that would be incurred as a result if operating the helicopter in windy weather should be kept as low as reasonably practicable while the cost of operating the helicopter in a windy weather should also be maintained as low as reasonably practicable (Aven and Vinnem 2007). For the Engineered barrier: The cost of implementing the flight strategy that penetrates the windy atmosphere will be made as low as reasonably practicable while also ensuring the risk of operating the helicopter in a windy environment is also reduced as low as possible (Cummings 2010). 2.5. Safety Functions Safety navigation has been implemented by the use of GPS system which enables calculation of position. In addition, safety navigation has been achieved by use of on-board inertial navigation that integrates compass direction with the speed of the helicopter over time so that direction and distance can be known from a particular point. The calculated position of the helicopter is relayed onto electronic charts similar to Satnav systems so that the positions can be easily interpreted and safety measures taken to ensure the helicopter flies safely. The charts can be checked by the co-pilot and decision made on the right track to follow during flight. 2.6. Safety management Arrangements The following claims will be made on the safety management arrangements: i. The helicopter has rescue bay section which contains First Aid equipment that can be used to provide immediate assistance to casualties. ii. The helicopter has the ability to land at any point without the need of a runway, hence provide the necessary rescue operations whenever an accident has occurred offshore iii. The navigation of the helicopter is facilitated by a satellite connection which enables understanding of the actual position of the helicopter and any barriers it might encounter during flight, thus ensuring safety flight. iv. The use of the GPS monitoring systems enables understanding of the speed at which the helicopter is flying so that the right speed is set. v. The cockpit section has in-built external communication mechanism which enables communication with Coast guard so that any problems encountered are communicated and the right action taken. vi. The helicopter has a mechanical engineer who attends to any technical problem that may be experienced during flight thus ensuring safety. References Aven, T., & Vinnem, J. E. 2007. Risk management with applications from the offshore petroleum industry. Berlin: Springer. Cummings, L. 2010. Rethinking the BSE crisis: A study of scientific reasoning under uncertainty. Dordrecht: Springer. Dunstan, S. 2003. Vietnam choppers: Helicopters in battle 1950-75. Oxford: Osprey Publishing Ltd. Johnson, W. 1994. Helicopter theory. New York: Dover Publications. Padfield, G. D. 2007. Helicopter flight dynamics: The theory and application of flying qualities and simulation modelling. Oxford: Blackwell Pub. Seddon, J., & Newman, S. 2011. Basic helicopter aerodynamics. Chichester, Eng: Wiley. Read More