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AK1002 Safety in Complex Systems 7.5 credits

Course offerings are missing for current or upcoming semesters.
Headings with content from the Course syllabus AK1002 (Autumn 2014–) are denoted with an asterisk ( )

Content and learning outcomes

Course contents

To a high degree, the management of nuclear industry safety involves knowledge areas pertaining to the roles of the individual, the organization, and the culture - as risk contributors and as prospects of functioning safety management. Studies of the underlying causes of incidents in nuclear industry and in other complex enterprises show that individuals' actions, the organization, and cultural factors (e.g. norms, values, attitudes) have interacted with technical factors so that accidents have occured.

The aim of the present course is to give an overview of models, technologies, experiences etc. that are used today to analyze and manage risks associated with human actions and the way organization, culture, etc., interact with human acitivities in the development and maintenance of nuclear technology.

The course comprises lectures and seminars. Practical examples from nucelar industry and from other safety-sensitive enterprises are given considerable space.

Content:

- Accident models

- The human element in risk management

- Learning from incidents and accidents

- Probabilistic safety analysis

- Safety management

- Safety culture

Intended learning outcomes

After completed course, the student will be able to

- account for the basics of safety management and MTO ("humans - technology - organization")

- display basic ability to analyze incidents and accidents and draw relevant conclusions for the safety management from  exposed defects.

Literature and preparations

Specific prerequisites

- Basic statistics and theory of probability, whether in a specific course or as part of a general university mathematics course, e.g. the course HN1002.

- Physics of Nuclear Engineering (SH1600) or equivalent knowledge.

- Nuclear Engineering (SH1700) or equivalent knowledge.

Recommended prerequisites

No information inserted

Equipment

None.

Literature

Meddelas senast fyra veckor före kursstart. Preliminär lista:

- Urban Kjellén. (valda delar) Prevention of Accident Through Experience Feedback. Taylor and Francis, 2000.

- Reason, J. (1997) Managing the risk of Organizational accidents, Ashgate Publishing Limited, Aldershot.

- Rollenhagen, C. (2003). (valda delar) Säkerhetskultur, RX Media.

- Rollenhagen, C. (2003). (valda delar) Att utreda olycksfall: teori och praktik. Studentlitteratur.

Examination and completion

If the course is discontinued, students may request to be examined during the following two academic years.

Grading scale

A, B, C, D, E, FX, F

Examination

  • INL1 - Written Assignments, 4.5 credits, grading scale: A, B, C, D, E, FX, F
  • SEM1 - Seminar Participation, 3.0 credits, grading scale: P, F

Based on recommendation from KTH’s coordinator for disabilities, the examiner will decide how to adapt an examination for students with documented disability.

The examiner may apply another examination format when re-examining individual students.

This syllabus is valid until 2015-06-13. After this date, there is no teaching and no examination on the course.

Other requirements for final grade

Seminar participation (SEM1; 3 credits) and written assignments (INL1; 4.5 credits).

Opportunity to complete the requirements via supplementary examination

No information inserted

Opportunity to raise an approved grade via renewed examination

No information inserted

Examiner

Ethical approach

  • All members of a group are responsible for the group's work.
  • In any assessment, every student shall honestly disclose any help received and sources used.
  • In an oral assessment, every student shall be able to present and answer questions about the entire assignment and solution.

Further information

Course room in Canvas

Registered students find further information about the implementation of the course in the course room in Canvas. A link to the course room can be found under the tab Studies in the Personal menu at the start of the course.

Offered by

Main field of study

Technology

Education cycle

First cycle

Add-on studies

No information inserted