Towards a new paradigm of systems safety with special reference to advanced electrotechnologies

With every technological advance, safety concerns are likely to arise among potential users and the general public. Such concerns will become even more pressing as adventurous new areas of technology are explored, and particularly in the electrical, electronics and computer fields. In this setting it is important to employ a more rigorous approach to safety matters than has been generally evident hitherto. This paper reviews the main features of a systems safety approach, including the related issues of risk modelling and analysis. The contrast between “traditional” and “systems” approaches are highlighted. Some real-life examples are given to illustrate the main concepts discussed