ABSTRACT
Negative phenomena, such as accidents, failures or occupational diseases do not occur randomly. There are certain inherent laws that form their causal dependency. The aim of all safety-enhancing or risk minimization measures is identifying the causal dependency of negative phenomena occurrence and consequently its discontinuance. The performed analyses must be based on the identification of the properties of individual phases of causal dependency for each particular negative phenomenon. The identification involves defining their properties and, if possible, parameters characteristic of particular phases. Precise identification of the phases requires knowing the actual operational condition of particular machinery and corresponding manufacturing processes. The importance of this procedure is increasing with the emergence of new technologies and newly developed machinery, such as mechatronic systems, nanotechnologies, biotechnologies, new renewable energy sources, which bring about new risks and potential hazards.
