The HSE Report and the Vital Importance of Specifications: Where Control System Failures Really Begin
When an industrial accident occurs, the natural reaction is to look at the shop floor and operator errors. Yet the HSE’s landmark ‘Out of Control’ report reveals that 44% of control system failures originate during the specification phase, and nearly 60% of failure risks are introduced before equipment ever reaches the facility. This analysis explores why engineering specifications must be treated not merely as procurement lists, but as a system’s safety constitution.