Desk-based Hazard Identification

Desk-based:

• Typically applied by a single experienced person;

• An individual working alone to apply some structured analysis process;

• Can be as simple as reviewing data or an existing hazard list;

• Multi-expertise is, however, recommended.

Typically variants of Failure Modes and Effects Analysis (FMEA).

• a structured process to identify:

  • the potential failure modes of the elements of a system;

  • the causes of these failures;

  • their effects on larger assemblies and the whole system.

• FMEA can be very time-consuming.

A Functional Hazard Analysis (FHA);

• Is a systematic, comprehensive examination of functions to identify and classify failure conditions of those functions according to their severity;

• Can be applied at system-level;

• FHA involves less work than FMEA;

• Can be started earlier than FMEA, because it just needs a specification and not a design;

• FHA is not good at finding hazards that are not easily characterized as the failure of a function (such as electromagnetic interference or fuel leakage).