NASA Glenn Research Center - Plum Brook Station

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Safety & Quality

Safety

  Policy Policy

"Mission Success Starts with Safety"

It is the policy of the Glenn Research Center to manage and conduct its research and development operations in such a manner as to eliminate or minimize all potential hazards and to avoid accidents involving injury to personnel, damage to property, or loss of research operating time and effectiveness.  The Glenn Research Center will follow all applicable and contractual laws and regulations affecting the safety and health of its employees. In addition, the Center will adhere to recognized safety codes, regulations, and standards based on the dictates of sound engineering judgment in all institutional and R&D operations and activities, including modification or construction of facilities.

 

  Processes Processes

Hazard Analysis Process

Risk management shall be an integral part of Plum Brook Station operations and activities to assure that hazards are identified and evaluated in a timely manner, that risks are assessed, minimized, and consistent with the complexity of the operations or activity, and that residual risk is recognized and accepted by management.  A hazard analysis is performed on each active research facility and its associated systems.  Each research customer shall submit a hazard analysis report for the research package.

 

Safety Permit Process

 

Typically, a safety permit request is submitted about twomonths in advance of the activity.  This allows time for the safety committee to review the support documentation and hold one to tworeview meetings.  The specific length of review time and the number of review meetings is based on the nature and complexity of the project or activity.  

 

Support documentation usually includes:

  • Description of the Activity - test objectives, technical description of the systems/equipment, location, duration and frequency of operations.
  • Drawings, Figures, and Parts Lists - materials of construction; design pressures, flows, temperatures; class of electrical equipment; instrumentation and control components; interface with facility systems; plot plan; barricade plan.
  • Design Criteria - project requirements, design approach and assumptions, applicable codes, support calculations, design and operating limits, results of validation tests.
  • Operational Information - operating procedures/checklists; emergency plans and procedures; list of alarms, shutdowns, and permissives.
  • Training of Qualified Operators

Safety committee members are Glenn Research Center employees from a variety of disciplines, such as safety, environmental, mechanical, electrical, instrumentation and control, structural, and operations.

Quality

  Policy Policy

"Our commitment to continuous improvement and innovation ensures quality products, excellent services, and satisfied customers."

Glenn Research Center and Plum Brook Station Business Management System is ISO 9001 Certified.

 

  Processes Processes  

Operational Readiness Review (ORR)

The Operational Readiness Review (ORR) is a statement of the operational performance requirements of the system(s) or research project, including data quality, and a pre-operational review of those mechanisms that should be in place to ensure that these requirements are met.  An ORR is conducted approximately one to two weeks before testing is initiated.

There are three levels of ORR.  The level of review an activity receives is based on the following criteria: 

  • Risk of injury to personnel or facility damage
  • Impact on the program if there is an incident
  • Financial investment
  • Visibility of the activity

Members for the ORR Committee are chosen with respect to the level of review required (A, B, or C) and to provide a representative mixture of various engineering and safety disciplines.  Members for a Level A review are selected from within Plum Brook Station.  Members for a Level C review are selected from outside Plum Brook Station.  Members for a Level B review are a mixture of internal and external sources.

 As a minimum, the ORR presentation shall include the following:

  • Project Description - requirement, goals, and objectives; schedule; sequence
  • Operational Performance Requirements - hardware, software, data quality, personnel, operations, maintenance, and how system performance was validated
  • Status of Safety Review
  • Security Requirements

Quality Audit Process

Plum Brook Station conducts routine assessments of its processes to ensure a high quality of testing service and data quality.  Quality auditors from Glenn Research Center perform an annual audit.  The ISO Registrar also performs an annual surveillance audit.

  Customer Feedback Process  Customer Feedback Process

Plum Brook Station is responsible for reviewing its customer's requirements and, before accepting the task, ensuring that these requirements can be achieved.  Additionally, PBS maintains an open dialogue with its customer to efficiently resolve any issues that may arise.  Customer complaints or concerns are entered into a tracking database, analyzed for root cause, and corrected.  At the end of each project, Plum Brook Station solicits feedback from its customer on technical, schedule, cost, interaction, and overall value.  This information is evaluated to ensure a quality product, excellent service, and customer satisfaction.

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