TJ Candy on LinkedIn: #safety #safetyprofessionals #safetyculture #safetytraining #safetyfirst… (2024)

The System Safety ChallengeAs we complete the first quarter century of this millennium, many of us considering ourselves “system safety experts” find ourselves in a conundrum in responding to the many recent high-profile safety issues.Design issues, quality problems, human errors, new technologies, AI and other challenges elicit no shortage of strong words and opinions on what the problem is and what to do to move forward both from inside and outside the system safety profession. The variation in “what to do” from the “safety experts” can confound any well-intentioned person trying to get a warm feeling that the industry is headed in the right direction with regards to safety. The problem is exacerbated by the fact that so many of these various safety experts can be fully or partially right, even if it sounds like they’re saying vastly different things.As a system safety certification instructor at the University of Southern California Aviation Safety and Security Program, I have a chart I like to show students that illustrates just how wide the definition of “safety expert” is.I ask students to circle where they are on this chart and in what capacity they operate and connect the circles with a line.Then I say that each top to bottom line can represent a different interpretation of what system safety is and result in safety experts sounding like they’re disagreeing when in reality, they are not.While I’m sure this chart can be expanded to some degree, the point is that depending on where the product you are developing fits into this chart, your “safety expert” may have different applications of safety standards, safety processes, and even terminology.While there are underlying fundamental truths about system safety, each “line” you draw from top to bottom for your specific application can carry its own unique path of how to make/keep a safe product.The cross-hairs of the system safety challenge lie with those in the “Role” line of the above chart.They are the risk managers, decision makers and recipients of the consequences from an unsafe product making it to the marketplace.The problem is that the definition of what a “safety expert” is for each of these roles really doesn’t have a firm industry accepted basis for definition.It is sometimes difficult even for safety professionals to know when they are talking to a tried and true safety expert or someone just assuming the role.I plan in the coming weeks and months to share highlights of what I believe has become my vision and mission for system safety coming from my 40+ years in the aerospace industry and nearly 20 years as a system safety professional.The reaction to date from my USC students on what I have had to say from has been very gratifying and encourages me to take on this topic in this forum.Let me hear your thoughts from your perspective!#safety #safetyprofessionals #safetyculture #safetytraining #safetyfirst #systemsafety #aerospaceengineering #safetyword

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If you have an interest in a career in fire safety, this is an incredible opportunity you should look into.

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Excellent blog on the three types of safety actions (reactive, proactive, predictive) used to manage product safety.I would only add that predictive safety might also be defined in terms of the use of safety analysis (MIL-STD-882 200 Series tasks, STPA, etc.) to identify previously undiscovered hazards. Tasking that should typically occur in the product development phase and best conducted by system safety professionals.https://lnkd.in/gKuFKpd2#safety #safetyprofessionals #safetyculture #safetytraining #safetyfirst #systemsafety#aerospaceengineering #safetyword

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After 43 years in the gas turbine industry I have decided that it's time to retire. I will be retiring on April 1st from GE Aerospace after 34 rewarding years there.I have had a most blessed and wonderful career in the Combustor Design, IT and Flight Safety departments. Not to mention all the years running with GE's USCAA corporate running team. I leave with memories of amazing experiences on a path I could never have predicted when I graduated from Michigan State in 1981.But it's time to let the next generation take the reigns and continue to build on the system safety foundation I've built on since the reigns were handed to me. And I can say the future is in good hands.I will continue to learn and help teach the System Safety Course at the University of Southern California for the foreseeable future and help out wherever I'm needed, but at a much slower pace. I plan to spend more time with my lovely wife Judy while visiting family, friends and wonderful places (serving quality beers!).I want to say thank you to all of you with whom our careers crossed, even for a short time. As iron sharpens iron, you have helped sharpen me. I hope in some way I've helped you.Godspeed.#safety #safetyprofessionals #safetyculture #safetytraining #safetyfirst #systemsafety#aerospaceengineering #safetyword

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Come join GE Aerospace and be a part of the future of System Safety.https://lnkd.in/gQ_KYQ2q

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Come join GE Aerospace and be a part of the future of System Safety. We're hiring future leaders!

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This week, the University of Southern California Aviation System Safety class stopped by the USC Aero Design and Rocket Propulsion Labs to hear about the amazing student-led projects they are engaged in. It was very encouraging to see the future of Aerospace design and development going into such brilliant and determined young hands. Fight on!

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Brief History of MIL-STD-882As a part of his masters thesis at the US Air Force Institute of Technology back in 1988, Lowell Thorson conducted some research and published a paper which included some history as well as observations of the system safety process. It contains a summation of the roots of the system safety discipline from the ICBM development, which came from "rapid unscheduled disassembly" events nearly 30 years prior to his research paper. It also contains a number of other brilliant observations on the system safety process, its conduct, the role and tasking of the "system safety manager" and even how other disciplines view the system safety process. The observations and conclusions are just as true today as they were over 30 years since his thesis was published.Given the events that have occurred in recent history, does the system safety discipline need to evolve further, or return back to its roots? https://lnkd.in/g4ikeKWn#safety #safetyprofessionals #safetyculture #safetytraining #safetyfirst #systemsafety#aerospaceengineering #safetyword

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To all my friends and contacts who have put on the uniform and stood in defense of my freedom, I can only say "Thank you".I am humbled by the sacrifice you and your loved ones took on. Your willingness to take action to defend our freedom is rightfully celebrated. I can only hope that in some way, you feel the appreciation of a grateful nation. And my sincere appreciation as well. God bless you.

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