SYSTEM FOR MONITORING SAFETY PROTOCOLS

• US 20130096979A1
• Filed: 10/12/2011
• Published: 04/18/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/12/2011
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: ACM Automation Inc.
• Original Assignee: ACM Automation Inc.
• Inventors: BINGHAM, Ken
• Application Number:
  US13/271,711
• Publication Number:
  US 20130096979A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/7.28
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0631 Resource planning, allocation, distributing or scheduling for enterprises or organisations
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/80 Management or planning

Abstract

Systems and methods for monitoring safety procedures for an industrial facility. A user interface for a safety operator interfaces with a database containing safety documents for components installed and in use in the industrial facility. The user interface also interfaces with a safety calculation module that calculates the risk level for specific potential consequences if specific safety procedures are not implemented. Whenever a potentially unsafe situation occurs, the risk levels associated with the potential consequences of the unsafe situation are presented to the safety operator along with contingencies which may be implemented to alleviate the risks. Past potentially unsafe situations are also presented to the safety operator by way of a time line such that a historical record of the safety of the facility can be taken in at a glance.

Claims

1. A system for monitoring safety related procedures relating to specific components in a facility, the system comprising:

a safety operator user interface for providing a safety operator with alarms and information relating to a plurality of components in said facility;

a database of safety related documents, said documents being accessed by said user interface to determine if safety procedures for said plurality of components are being implemented;

a safety calculation module for calculating risk levels and for graphically presenting said risk levels to said safety operator through said user interface using a color coded system, said risk levels being related to a probability of at least one consequence occurring in the event safety procedures for said plurality of components are not implemented.

2. A system according to claim 1 wherein said system alerts said safety operator about scheduled safety inspections for each of said plurality of components on said user interface.

3. A system according to claim 2 wherein missed safety inspections are presented on said user interface using a timeline.

4. A system according to claim 1 wherein, in the event of a potentially unsafe situation concerning at least one of said plurality of components, said user interface provides contingency options to said safety operator.

5. A system according to claim 4 wherein said contingency options are derived from said safety related documents.

6. A system according to claim 1 wherein, in the event of a potentially unsafe situation concerning at least one of said plurality of components, said user interface provides said user operator with potential consequences for said potentially unsafe situation.

7. A system according to claim 6 wherein said risk levels are related to a risk that said potential consequences will occur if said potentially unsafe situation occurs.

8. A system according to claim 7 wherein said user interface provides contingency options to said safety operator for said potentially unsafe situation.

9. A system according to claim 8 wherein, for each contingency option provided to said safety operator, said user interface also provides a modified risk level relating to said potential consequences, said modified risk level being a risk level that said potential consequences will occur if said contingency option is implemented.

10. A system according to claim 1 wherein said user interface displays potentially unsafe events to said safety operator on a timeline.

11. A system according to claim 5 wherein said user interface displays a risk level for said potentially unsafe situation, said risk level being calculated by said safety calculation module, said user interface displaying a modified risk level for each contingency option for said potentially unsafe situation.

12. A system according to claim 1 wherein, for each potentially unsafe situation concerning at least one of said plurality of components, said user interface displays a listing of consequences if said potentially unsafe situation occurs.

13. A system according to claim 1 wherein each one of said consequences is classified as to severity of said consequence.

14. A system according to claim 1 wherein each one of said consequences is classified according to a plurality of categories.

15. A system according to claim 14 wherein said plurality of categories includes at least one of:

safety

environmental

economic

16. A system according to claim 6 wherein said potentially unsafe situation comprises at least one of:

catastrophic failure of said at least one of said components

failure of said at least one of said components to perform according to expected parameters.

17. A system according to claim 1 wherein said user interface displays to said safety operator any contingencies options currently implemented.

18. A system according to claim 1 wherein risk levels are categorized as acceptable, moderate, or serious.

19. A system according to claim 1 wherein said user interface provides said safety operator with a section for entering notes regarding potentially unsafe situations.

20. A system for monitoring safety related procedures relating to specific components in a facility, the system comprising:

a user interface for providing alarms and information relating to said specific components;

a database of safety related documents, said documents being accessed by said user interface to determine if safety procedures for said specific components are being implemented;

a safety calculation module for calculating and graphically presenting risk levels to said user using a color coded system through said user interface, said risk levels relating to a probability of potential consequences occurring in the event said safety procedures for said specific components are not implemented.

21. A system according to claim 20 wherein said user interface provides alerts to said safety operator, said alerts relating to potentially unsafe situations due to a non-implementation of said safety procedures.

22. A system according to claim 20 wherein said potentially unsafe situations comprise at least one of the following:

a failure of at least one of said specific components

an underperformance of said at least one specific components

23. A system according to claim 21 wherein said user interface provides said safety operator with potential consequences for said potentially unsafe situations.

24. A system according to claim 23 wherein risk levels for each of said potential consequences are displayed on said user interface for said safety operator.

25. A system according to claim 24 wherein said user interface provides said safety operator with at least one contingency option for said potentially unsafe situations.

26. A system according to claim 25 wherein modified risk levels are provided to said safety operator through said user interface for each of said contingency options, said modified risk levels being risk levels that said consequences will occur if said contingency options are implemented.

27. A system according to claim 25 wherein said contingency options are derived from said safety documents.