Complete Analysis of a System

Now that you have a good background in systems safety, let's put all that newfound knowledge to good use and do a complete analysis of a system. Pick any system you are somewhat familiar with. It can be something you work with on a daily basis or it can be something you just read that interests you. The choice is yours. 

Provide a brief synopsis of your system and what it is designed to do. Then provide a complete analysis of the system from a systems safety standpoint. You can analyze the entire system if it isn't too big or you can do a subsystem, which is a part of the whole. Your analysis should include the following:

• A PHA
• Impact of each item in the PHA (i.e., what can happen if it is not mitigated)
• Risk Analysis Matrix
• Pick at least two of the items identified in your PHA and use any of the tools we have covered to analyze them.
• A detailed report to your boss: In this report be sure to provide your operating assumptions and recommendations for how to correct what you found.
• Thinking in terms of the two items you picked, tell how often they should be reevaluated throughout the life cycle of the system and why.
• Realize this isn't just a narrative. Your analysis should include the applicable charts, such as a PHA, PHL, or fault tree for example. You must have some of the actual diagrams you used to make your assumptions.