RE: Specifications

[Steven_S_Prevette@rl.gov]

Let me offer an opinion on one specification in John's list:


"The recent fire at a Rhode Island club indicated that all requirements had
been met, all inspections were up to date, and yet over 90 persons died."

The AIM of the system should be to provide a safe location for people to
participate in a music experience, and if something were to go wrong, they
should be able to get out of the building prior to harm coming to them.

In order to execute the aim, I need to have some operational definitions.  I
know that if the building is "too crowded" and the escape routes "too few",
it is more likely that harm will come to a person in an incident.  To make
the system manageable, I make specifications for size, number, and
properties of emergency exits.  I come up with a maximum occupancy for the
building.  All should be in line with the aim, but offers me a way to
execute the aim (by what means).  I can station a person to count the number
of people entering and exiting such that I know approximately how many
people are in the building.

I also may have building inspections.  It is alleged that the owners
purchased the cheapest material to serve as sound proofing, and that was
done recently.  The building did undergo one inspection, and the new
material was not noted as a problem.  As we know, no inspection process is
perfect.  The inspectors may or may not have asked what modifications were
made since the last inspection.  The owners may only have been interested in
the initial cost of sound proofing materials (not the long term costs,
obviously).  But we do have inspectors and standards to operationally define
what is a "safe" location.

My point would be that specifications which provide me an operational
definition and a means to implement the Aim are worthwhile.

Steve Prevette
Site Technical Authority for Statistical Trending
Environment, Safety and Health
Fluor Hanford, A Fluor Global Services Company
ASQ Certified Quality Engineer
steven_s_prevette@rl.gov
509-373-9371