Safety assurance; where does the effort go? Where should it go?

In recent years, there has been steady focus on production of engineering safety cases. Predominately, focus is maintained on standards-compliant process and presentation. Although developments such as Goal Structuring Notation do help by encouraging focus attention on the central argument of the safety case, it is symptomatic that the standards do not require the expression of a coherent Safety Argument. With such omissions being typical, a culture of ´broad spectrum´ analysis has developed, whereby work is carried out to comprehensive guidance and checklists, resulting in much work that adds little value. In this paper, the author examines the culture of safety assurance, discusses the need for safety assurance to be integrated with key business drivers and contrasts typical and desirable activity for people and organisations involved in achieving and demonstrating safety. Suggestions are made concerning effective effort deployment whereby safety activities are better integrated into business ventures..