198: Method Unavailable or Inadequate

Node Method Unavailable or Inadequate

Definition/Typical Issues

Was there a method or system for communicating the necessary message or information? Was the communication system out of service or otherwise unavailable at the time of the incident?

Examples

Example 1

  • An automatic valve was stuck open. The control room operator attempted to contact the building operator using the public address system to instruct him to manually close the valve. The public address system was not functioning properly, and the building operator could not be contacted, resulting in overflow of a vessel.

Example 2

  • A reliability engineer noted some repeat failures in a particular component. He wanted to communicate this to the engineering design group so that the problem could be eliminated in a redesign of the component. However, he was unsure how to communicate this issue to the design group.

Example 3

  • An operator failed to close a valve when needed, resulting in a process upset. He should have received an instruction from control room personnel to close the valve. The instruction was not given to the operator in time because the two-way radios did not work in the area in which the operator was located.

Typical Recommendations

  • Ensure that some method of communication is functional at all times.
  • When the primary method of communication is unavailable, provide some temporary means of communication (e.g., two-way radios).
  • Provide contact information in the company phone book by function.
  • Use logbooks to communicate between shifts.
  • Provide guidance on the content of shift turnovers.
  • Conduct shift meetings that involve members of management during various shifts.
  • Provide policy and procedure updates to contractors.
  • Set up a Web page with password protection to allow communications between your organization and your contractors.

Cross-References

Version 10 Element(s)
Node ID Node Name
195 Method Unavailable or LTA

 

Maritime Element(s)
Node ID Node Name
222 Method Unavailable or Inadequate
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