An Introduction to System Safety Engineering

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

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.