Barrier management and bowtie diagrams: Enhancing organisational safety with Synergi Life

Achieving safer, more resilient operations with effective barrier management

Barrier management is a proactive approach to risk control, focusing on the identification, implementation, and monitoring of measures (barriers) that prevent or mitigate undesired events. Bowtie diagrams are a central tool in this methodology, providing a clear visual representation of how threats can lead to hazardous events and the barriers in place to control these pathways. Synergi Life offers a comprehensive solution for barrier management, integrating bowtie analysis to support organisations in achieving safer, more resilient operations. 

What is barrier management?

Barrier management involves systematically identifying human, technical, and organisational barriers that protect against risks and ensuring their ongoing effectiveness. The goal is to secure stable, safe, and predictable operations by: 

  • Identifying and evaluating barriers for their integrity and performance 
  • Monitoring barrier status in real time 
  • Implementing corrective actions when barriers are degraded or missing 
  • Linking barriers to incidents, audits, inspections, and other operational elements 

This approach ensures that all necessary systems, procedures, and operational elements are in place and functioning, allowing organisations to respond dynamically to changes and prevent the escalation of threats.

Example of Bowtie diagram

Understanding bowtie diagrams 

A bowtie diagram is a visual risk assessment tool that illustrates the pathway from potential threats (causes) to their consequences through a central event (the “top event”). It shows how preventive and mitigating barriers are applied to control these pathways: 

  • Threats: Causes that could trigger a hazardous event (left side of the diagram) 
  • Top Event: The central hazardous event that could occur if threats are not controlled 
  • Consequences: Potential outcomes if the top event materialises (right side of the diagram) 
  • Preventive Barriers: Controls that stop threats from leading to the top event 
  • Mitigating Barriers: Controls that reduce the impact or likelihood of consequences after the top event 

Bowtie diagrams make complex risk scenarios easy to understand, supporting communication, decision-making, and incident investigation.

Synergi Life’s approach to barrier management and bowtie analysis

Synergi Life’s Barrier Management module is designed to help organisations: 

  • Identify, manage, and monitor human, technical, and organisational barriers 
  • Visualise risk scenarios with intuitive bowtie diagrams 
  • Assess barrier integrity with live dashboards and ratings (fully functional, degraded, unacceptable) 
  • Drill down from bowties to underlying data for detailed analysis 
  • Proactively implement and track corrective actions 
  • Integrate incidents, audits, inspections, and maintenance data for a holistic view 

The system supports a line of sight from corporate strategy down to operational details, ensuring that barrier performance and improvement actions are visible and actionable at all levels.

Barrier management in Synergi Life

Key benefits of using Synergi Life for Barrier Management 

  • Comprehensive risk picture: Consolidate threats, barriers, and consequences in one unified view 
  • Real-time monitoring: Live dashboards and alerts for barrier status and integrity 
  • Actionable insights: Identify and address missing or degraded barriers promptly 
  • Holistic integration: Connects with other operational elements (incidents, audits, inspections) 
  • Customisation and scalability: Adaptable to different industries and organisational structures 
  • Regulatory compliance: Supports compliance with industry standards and regulations

Bowtie management in Synergi Life

Synergi Life’s barrier management and bowtie analysis capabilities are applicable across sectors such as oil and gas, manufacturing, healthcare, rail, and more. The principles remain consistent, but the specific barriers and risks are tailored to each industry’s unique requirements.

Move from reactive to proactive risk management

Barrier management, supported by bowtie diagrams, is essential for organisations aiming to move from reactive to proactive risk management. Synergi Life empowers organisations to visualise, monitor, and improve their barrier strategies, ensuring safer operations and stronger compliance. By integrating barrier management into daily processes, organisations can achieve operational excellence and resilience in the face of evolving risks.

Learn more about Barrier Management in Synergi Life

Discover how Synergi Life can support your organisation

Synergi Life, DNV’s HSE and quality, risk management and ESG software, empowers organisations to proactively identify and mitigate risks, comply with regulations, and improve their operations.