Assessing the Evolution of Industrial Safety Management Systems in the Age of Automation: A Critical Evaluation of Accident Investigation Practices and the Development of Task-Specific, Technology-Adaptive Safety (Assessment)Tool

Anand Priyae Rajdarshan

Assessing the Evolution of Industrial Safety Management Systems in the Age of Automation: A Critical Evaluation of Accident Investigation Practices and the Development of Task-Specific, Technology-Adaptive Safety (Assessment)Tool

Authors: Anand Priyae Rajdarshan

Unique Paper ID: 177246
Volume: 11
Issue: 12
PageNo: 341-353

Keywords: Accident Investigation Practices Adaptive Safety Tools Automation Autonomous Systems Critical Evaluation Dynamic Hazard Identification Evolution Failure Mode Integration Flexible Safety Tool Hazard Identification Human Factors Engineering Industrial Safety Management Systems Interaction Mapping Lockout/Tagout (LOTO) Procedures Machine-Related Incidents Robotics Risk Analysis Risk Mitigation Risk Scoring Safety Framework Safety Management Practices Safety Tools Socio-Technical Systems Theory Systemic Analysis Task-Specific Safety Tools Technology-Adaptive Traditional Safety Approaches

Abstract:
The integration of robotics and automation in industrial settings has introduced new safety challenges, particularly concerning machine-related incidents. Traditional safety management systems, often rooted in static hazard identification frameworks such as Generic Risk assessment, JHA or HAZOP, struggle to address the dynamic risks posed by automated and robotic systems. This study presents the development and application of a flexible, task-specific, and technology-adaptive safety tool named Robotic Automation Hazard Identification and Risk Analysis (RA-HIRA). The tool was applied to five automation applications over a one-year period to assess its effectiveness in hazard identification and risk mitigation. RA-HIRA operates through five structured stages—Functional Decomposition, Dynamic Hazard Identification, Interaction Mapping, Failure Mode Integration, and Risk Scoring and Mitigation Planning—to provide a comprehensive and dynamic hazard analysis that extends beyond traditional safety approaches. The results indicated that RA-HIRA significantly reduced machine-related incidents, with four of the five applications reporting zero accidents or property damage. While a single near-miss event was identified, it was not initially captured in the original hazard analysis, highlighting the need for continuous adaptation. The study concludes that RA-HIRA offers a robust, function-specific, and adaptive safety framework that better aligns with the complexities of modern automated environments compared to traditional safety management tools.

Download article

email to a friend

Cite This Article

ISSN: 2349-6002
Volume: 11
Issue: 12
PageNo: 341-353

Assessing the Evolution of Industrial Safety Management Systems in the Age of Automation: A Critical Evaluation of Accident Investigation Practices and the Development of Task-Specific, Technology-Adaptive Safety (Assessment)Tool

Available:https://ijirt.org/Article?manuscript=177246

25 Apr, 2025

Industrial Safety, Psychomotor Progression and Accident vulnerability. A study on Improving Industrial Safety Performance through Stage-Specific Training and Psychomotor Profiling: A Focus on the Mature Associative Phase

Impact Factor
8.01 (Year 2024)

UGC Approved
Journal no 47859

Join Our IPN

IJIRT Partner Network

Submit your research paper and those of your network (friends, colleagues, or peers) through your IPN account, and receive 800 INR for each paper that gets published.

Join Now

Latest Publication

Recent Conferences

NCSEM 2024

National Conference on Sustainable Engineering and Management - 2024 Last Date: 15th March 2024

Submit inquiry