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Safety Cases — How Did We Get Here?

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Safety and Reliability of Software Based Systems

Abstract

One of the topic areas chosen for CSR 95 was that of safety cases. Although safety cases are now well enshrined in UK law they are possibly not so well understood outside the UK. The presentation upon which this paper is based aimed to provide background information on safety cases. The paper starts by examining some historical accidents and moves on to discuss the development of safety law in the UK and summarises some of the principles embodied within the Health and Safety at Work Act of 1974. Following this attention is given to risk assessment and the ALARP principle. Safety cases are introduced with specific reference to those industries currently using them. Finally, standards covering the use of Programmable Electronic Systems (PES) in safety related applications are identified and their role in producing safety cases discussed.

Neither Lloyd’s Register nor any of its officers, employees or agents shall be responsible or liable in negligence or otherwise howsoever in respect of any inaccuracy or omission herein.

Without derogating from the generality of the foregoing neither Lloyd’s Register nor any of its officers, employees or agents shall be liable for any indirect or consequential loss caused by or arising from any information advice or inaccuracy or omission herein.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. System Integrity and Risk Management Department, Lloyd’s Register, 29 Wellesley Road, Croydon, CR0 2AJ, UK

    Roger Shaw

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  1. Roger Shaw
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  1. ERA Technology Limited, Cleeve Road, KT22 7SA, Leatherhead Surrey, UK

    Roger Shaw

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© 1997 Springer-Verlag London Limited

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Shaw, R. (1997). Safety Cases — How Did We Get Here?. In: Shaw, R. (eds) Safety and Reliability of Software Based Systems. Springer, London. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4471-0921-1_2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4471-0921-1_2

  • Publisher Name: Springer, London

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-540-76034-4

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4471-0921-1

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

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