Purpose - Spare parts needs are dependent on the characteristics of the product in question, e.g. its reliability and maintainability, and the characteristics of the environment in which the product is going to be used (e.g. the temperature, humidity, and the user/operator's skills and capabilities), which constitute covariates. The covariates have a significant influence on the system reliability characteristics and consequently on the number of required spare parts. The main objective of this research study is to evaluate the associated risks (i.e. risk of shortage of spare parts) in estimation of the required number of spare parts due to not considering the characteristics of system operating environment. Design/methodology/approach - An event tree is a graphical logic model that identifies and quantifies possible outcomes following an initiating event (non-considering system operating environment in this case) in spare parts planning. In the present research a risk analysis is performed through a new and non-standard event tree analysis. It used an event tree analysis in which the states of organization and managerial decisions took place in risk analysis. Findings - In the present study a modified form of event tree analysis was introduced and implemented. In the new version the undesired states were used instead of barriers in combination with events and consequents changes as a safety function in event tree analysis. The output of the event tree analysis shows that there is a considerable operational risk due to losses (production and economical) associated with the non-consideration of the machine working environment. Practical implications - In the estimation of the accurate amount of support and spare parts needed for any industrial system/machine, it is strongly recommended to take the product operating environment into account. This can be proved by the event tree risk analysis method used in a modified and non-standard form in the present research. The results of risk analysis can help managers in making accurate decisions for product support and spare part needs in the future. Originality/value - Modified event tree analysis is a new approach suggested for visualizing the risk associated with non-considering of system operating environment in required support/spare parts estimation. Visualization of risk in graphics can facilitate correct decision making in spare parts planning.

Qualitative and semi-quantitative reliability and risk analyses are usually performed, using inductive analysis approaches, e.g. FMEA/FMECA (Failure Mode and Effects [Criticality] Analysis), PHA (Preliminary Hazard Analysis) or HAZOP (Hazard and Operability Study). After the identification of possible failure modes or hazards, their possible effects at different system levels are estimated. In several cases the possible effects at higher system levels are very severe, indicating that the system under study is highly unreliable or hazardous. This conclusion, however, can be modified by taking into account the effect of current controls or countermeasures that can reduce the likelihood of an adverse effect or reduce the severity. Condition monitoring provides a useful risk control approach, primarily aiming at reducing the likelihood of an adverse effect. In this paper this risk control approach is described in some more detail and a proposed methodology is described. This methodology combines FMEA and ETA (Event Tree Analysis), with special attention taken to the utilization of Condition Monitoring.

Teleservice, utilizing modern information processing and communication tools, is by now a well-known way of supporting a product and we have seen the emergence of e-manufacturing and related types of e-service, in particular e-maintenance. In discussions of the present and future of emanufacturing and e-maintenance systems are among other things risks and vulnerabilities related to utilization of e-services identified as an important area for further research. In this paper the concepts of emaintenance and vulnerability are briefly described. The vulnerability of the e-maintenance system and its consequences for the managed assets are discussed to some extent. From different risk analysis approaches, e.g. related to computer and network security, several methodologies and tools for the management of vulnerability can be identified and an analysis methodology is proposed. The paper represents the view of a risk analyst and reliability engineer.

Within the International Electrotechnical Commission, IEC, there exists a committee, named IEC Technical Committee 56 "Dependability", TC56 for short. Its history can be traced back to 1965, when the Reliability and Maintainability Committee was formed. In 1990, after contacts with ISO, it was decided that the IEC/TC56 should be responsible for standardization in the field of dependability, in any appropriate technological area, including those normally considered as outside the scope of IEC. The term "dependability" is a collective term, used to describe availability performance and its constituent factors reliability performance, maintainability performance, and maintenance support performance. Within the IEC/TC56 a number of maintenance related standards and guidelines have been produced, covering e.g. maintainability of equipment, reliability-centred maintenance, integrated logistic support, and also an application guide entitled "Maintenance and maintenance support". Also, Chapter 191 of the International Electrotechnical Vocabulary, freely available on the Internet, contains a wealth of maintenance-related terms. This paper is intended to give an overview of the standards available and some insight into the ongoing efforts within IEC/TC56 to produce new standards and to maintain existing ones. It should not be seen as an official promotion of the IEC Dependability Standards series. Instead, it presents some personal experiences and reflections on the use and usefulness of the standards series.

Organisations have introduced reliability-centred maintenance (RCM) with a view to changing their overall way of performing maintenance. Many times, however, these organisations have experienced cumbersome or even failed RCM introduction. This is usually because of managerial and organisational obstacles, which more or less unexpectedly turn up during introduction. This paper focuses on managing the introduction of RCM. By applying process and requirement management principles, obstacles that turn up during introduction can be identified early on. As an example of this, we cite the results of a case study of the introduction of RCM in a Swedish hydropower company.

The authors strongly believe that the system view of dependability management will facilitate organizations to work with dependability matters, since things are "put together to create a whole". Total dependability management builds upon the availability and use of all three management system components: a set of supporting core values, an appropriate methodology, and the skillful use of contextually adapted tools.