Institution news
The Institution of Mechanical Engineers organises an annual seminar for engineers to discuss the technical, legal and regulatory challenges and share strategies to overcome them.
Ahead of this year’s seminar which focuses on the theme of emerging risks in engineering, we caught up with Robert Cosgrove, Consulting Director, Strategic Lead (Defence) at Jacobs.
Read our interview with Robert as he discusses his role and involvement with regards to safety and risk management, the challenges of applying and demonstrating ALARP, the risks that need to be considered with novel and emerging technologies, and why it is important for engineers to attend this event.
Q: Please briefly explain your role, involvement and experience with regards to safety and risk management
Robert Cosgrove (RC): I am currently the Defence Strategic Lead in the Independent Advice and Assurance Directorate in Jacobs. In this role we provide a variety of safety services into the Defence community, ranging from policy advice to conducting assurance and reviews aimed at improving safety performance. Previously I completed a 35+ year career in the Army, finishing off as the Defence Land Safety Regulator.
Q: What is the top challenge facing engineers and risk managers when applying and demonstrating ALARP?
RC: Everyone says that safety is important, but it is always competing within projects against other pressures. While there are some really good benchmarks and standards to be followed, ultimately the ALARP judgement is subjective, and it can be difficult to convince project managers to invest more in safety when there is often no immediate benefit.
Q: What challenges do engineers need to factor in when considering risks associated with novel and emerging technologies?
RC: How do we know what to do when no one has done it before? How do we push the boundaries to exploit novel and emerging technologies without taking unnecessary or unreasonable risks? This is a challenge that has beset engineers since the beginning of time, but today’s pace of change is such that we do not always have the space to make the considered judgements, which are essential if we are to get the risk/reward balance right.
Q: What developments are going on in your industry which will change your approach in the future?
RC: The 2 key developments, which are related, are the increased use of autonomous systems and artificial intelligence. Both of these developments are removing the human from the decision-making loop, and the one thing that humans are good at is protecting themselves.
Q: What will you be presenting at the ALARP 2024 seminar and how will this benefit participants?
RC: For the past 18 months I have been working with MOD to develop their policies and processes for integrating safety at the heart of their acquisition programmes. I hope delegates will be able to see the progress that has been made to date and understand the challenges that MOD faces when operating in complex and hostile environments.
Q: Which other speakers and presentations are you looking forward to hearing at the forthcoming seminar?
RC: I am really looking forward to hearing from speakers who are operating at the cutting edge of technology. AI is a real challenge, not least understanding what is meant by the term let alone the potential uses.
Q: Why is it important for engineers and safety practitioners to come together and share best practice?
RC: Using good practice sits at the heart of the ALARP judgment process. While some of this is contained in industry standards, etc, the informal sharing through seminars such as this is critical to maintaining our understanding of current practices.
The ALARP 2024 seminar will be taking place on 24 September at the ICC in Birmingham.
Join this seminar to:
- Gain in-depth insights into ALARP methodologies employed in a range of safety-critical sectors – allowing the transfer of best practice
- Understand developments around the interpretation and application of ALARP
- Develop the knowledge and skills needed to successfully apply the ALARP principle to 21st century engineering challenges
- Mitigate and manage risks effectively to eliminate safety-critical events
- Reduce your exposure to regulatory and legal penalties by understanding expectations and meeting them fully
To book your place, please visit the event website.