An Introduction to System Safety Engineering

by Leveson, Nancy G.

• ISBN13: 9780262546881
• ISBN10: 0262546884
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2023-10-10
• Publisher: The MIT Press

Summary

A comprehensive, up-to-date introduction to the foundations of classical safety engineering, with an emphasis on preparing for future challenges.

Systems today are orders of magnitude more complex than in the past, and their complexity is increasing exponentially. Preventing accidents and losses in such systems requires a holistic perspective that can accommodate unprecedented types of technology and design. This textbook teaches the foundations of classical safety engineering while incorporating the principles of systems thinking and systems theory. Beginning with the framing and lessons of her classic text, Safeware, Nancy Leveson builds on established knowledge and brings the field up to date, challenging old approaches and introducing new ones. This essential book provides the core information required to build safety-critical systems today and in the future, including coverage of the historical and legal frameworks in which the field operates as well as discussions of risk, ethics, and policy implications. 

• Presents cutting-edge concepts anticipating the safety challenges of the future alongside thorough treatment of historical practices and ideas
• Provides a comprehensive introduction to the foundations of safety engineering
• Covers accident analysis, hazard analysis, design for safety, human factors, management, and operations
• Incorporates extensive examples of real-world accidents and applications 
• Ideal for students new to safety engineering as well as professionals looking to keep pace with a rapidly changing field

Author Biography

Nancy G. Leveson is Professor of Aeronautics and Astronautics and Engineering Systems at MIT and author of Engineering a Safer World: Systems Thinking Applied to Safety (MIT Press). A leader in the field of system safety engineering, she has worked in almost every industry to improve analysis, design, management, and operation of safety-critical systems.

Table of Contents

Preface xiii
1 Historical and Industrial Perspectives on Safety Engineering 1
2 Risk in Modern Society 27
3 Fundamental Concepts and Definitions 43
4 Why Accidents Occur 73
5 The Role of Software in Safety 129
6 The Role of Humans in Safety 147
7 Accident Causality Models 179
8 Accident Analysis and Learning from Events 201
9 Hazard Analysis: Basic Concepts 241
10 Hazard Analysis Techniques 261
11 Design for Safety 315
12 Human Factors in System Design 359
13 Assurance, Assessment, and Certification 397
14 Designing a Safety Management System 429
Epilogue: Looking Forward 471
Appendix A. Medical Devices: The Therac-25 473
Appendix B. Space: The Challenger and Columbia Space Shuttle Losses 503
Appendix C. Petrochemicals: Seveso, Flixborough, Bhopal, Texas City, and Deepwater Horizon 529
Appendix D. Nuclear Power: Three Mile Island, Chernobyl, and Fukushima Daiichi 609
References 659
Index 675