Contact Us

HCRQ, Inc.
P.O. Box 264
Williamsburg, Virginia 23187
Tel: 757-564-7703
Fax: 757-564-7704

 

Courses - Karl Lindberg
Defense System Safety - Charles Walken
Aviation System Safety - Charles
Heavy Rail System Safety - Blake Palmer
Light Rail System Safety - Blake
High Speed Rail System Safety - Blake
Commuter Rail System Safety - Blake
Facility System Safety - Wade Hildegard
Nuclear Power Safety - Wade
Medical Device Safety - Wade
Software Safety - David "Hunter" Levan
System Security - Jade Wallace
Technical Writing - Karl
Help Desk - Please Help Me
General Inquiries - Information

Help Desk

Perhaps you have a technical question, you need an explanation, or you are looking for something.

Sure, you can spend your time surfing the web but sometimes you are not sure if the information you locate is accurate or just someone's opinion. A little bit of knowledge is a dangerous thing and everyone has an opinion about safety. Even people who call themselves "safety engineers" can be way off base.

• Take your loaded labor rate which is at least $1.00 per minute and, more likely, higher.
• Multiply it by the time you spend looking for answers.
• Now how much of your company's money did you spend?
• Do you really save money by not seeking expert help?
• Are you sure you obtained the right answer?
• Will your boss remember you if after you make the wrong choice?

With over 20 years of experience, HCRQ is ready to help you with practical advice, information, and answers to your questions.

Fast response. No contract required. Convenient payment by credit card.


E-mail us your question. There is no obligation. We will advise you:

• If we can help you (we don't admit to knowing all of the answers, although we humbly admit that we know most of them).
• How soon you will have your answer (often immediately).
• How much it will cost.
• You can then decide if you would like to proceed.

Some of the questions we have received at our help desk are:

• Is it wise for us to use off-shore system safety consultants?
• Where can I find a copy of STANAG 4404?
• I am a safety engineer. There has been an accident involving a system that I analyzed years ago when I worked for a previous employer. I may have to provide testimony. What advice can you offer me?
• How effective is software sneak analysis?
• Which RTOS would you recommend for SIL x?
• What SIL should platform screen door functions attract?
• Should we ground platform screen doors on a 3-rail system?
• What FTA software packages should we avoid?
• I need to conduct an OSHA Job Hazard Analysis. Any pointers?
• I understand you believe that RSPPs are flawed. What do you think is wrong with them?
• I am looking for guidance for Bent Pin Analysis (BPA).
• Where can I find an example of a good SSPP?
• Is it wise to use Java in safety-critical systems?
• I am looking for software safety training in Canada.
• Am I personally liable as a designer of safety-critical systems?
• What textbook do you recommend for safety-critical system design?
• Do you recommend SFTA or SFMEA and, if so, why?
• We are burning money at a rapid rate using DO-178B for level "A". Besides compliance, what is this buying us? Does this mean our software will be safer than it would be if we followed (less expensive) level "B" requirements?
• Do you have a comparison between MIL-STD-882C, MIL-STD-882D, SAE ARP4761, DEF STAN 00-56, and IEC 61508?
• What is the difference betweeen a hazard and a failure condition?
• The lawyers have asked us for our corporate safety policy. Help!
• Do you have practical guidelines for Barrier Analysis (BA)?
• Can you provide some pointers on creating a hazard risk assessment matrix?
• We produced a risk assessment matrix which has been accepted by our client. Now we realize that it is going to be very expensive to comply with it. Do you have any suggestions?
• I represent a commuter railroad. Is there something wrong with our supplier's SSPP?
• We have a helicopter landing on a ship. What safety standards are applicable?
• Do we need both a SAR and a safety case?
• Would you recommend APTA's SSPP guidelines?
• We have an aircraft under development. What development assurance level would normally be used for the xxx system?
• I am looking for MMEL for UAV.
• Do you have severity level definitions for health hazards?
• Do you have severity level definitions for aircraft damage?
• Do you have severity level definitions for radiation hazards?
• Can you recommend someone to help us with PFMEA and DFMEA?
• Do you think there should be a Software Safety Program Plan for Positive Train Control systems?
• Can you recommend someone to perform sneak circuit analysis?
• What fault tree analysis software do you recommend and why?
• Which RTOS would you recommend for SIL 2?
• How do we derive the probabilities of data corruption for use in our fault trees?
• Can MS Windows be used for SIL 1 and SIL 2 systems?
• Our customer is xxx. Any advice?
• Can I use C# for a safety-related system?
• Please provide an example of a claim, argument and evidence for a safety case.
• Could you skim through our SSPP for us?
• How do we develop "vital" software for a railroad system?
• Do we need a PHA as well as an FHA for an aviation system?
• We have an RSPP. Should our suppliers provide us with an SSPP?
• System safety does not seem to fit under the umbrella of Human System Integration (HSI) even though it is a requirement. Please advise.
• Would you recommend PHA or HAZOP for hazard identification?
• Can you provide a reference for the determination of software failure rates?
• Where can we obtain information to include in section 10 (safety assurance concepts including design principles and assumptions) of the PSP required by 49CFR236 subpart h?
• Is there a measure of effectiveness for CRCs?

One of our customers told us:
"For such a small fee, I received exactly what I was looking for and fast."

Another wrote:
"Your knowledge is impressive."

Yet another said:
"I would rather call HCRQ than surf the internet looking for answers."