Safeguard Overrides and Temporary Defeats
An Override Transfers Risk—it Does Not Remove It
A trip, alarm, interlock or protective function is installed because a credible hazardous condition must be detected or stopped. Temporarily overriding that safeguard may be necessary for controlled testing or approved operations, but it creates a period of increased vulnerability. The decision must be authorised, visible and supported by effective compensating controls until the safeguard is fully restored.
Controls to confirm
- Use the approved override or impairment process to define the reason, affected safeguard, hazards, operating limits, authorisation and expiry time before applying the defeat.
- Establish and verify suitable compensating controls, clearly communicate the impaired condition to affected personnel and record it at every relevant handover.
- Continuously track the override, stop or escalate when its limits are exceeded, and independently confirm that the safeguard is restored, tested and removed from the impairment register.
Today’s action
Review the active override or impairment register today and physically verify the status, owner, compensating controls and expiry of one entry.
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