Book excerpt: The completely revised and updated Third Edition of the benchmark On the Practice of Safety thoroughly covers subjects that must be mastered by anyone seeking to attain professional status in the practice of safety. Like its predecessors, the Third Edition provides a solid foundation for the study of the practice of safety in degree programs. Additionally, it serves as a basis for self-analysis by those safety professionals who seek to improve their performance, gain recognition from management for providing value, and achieve professional status. On the Practice of Safety’s distinctive essay format provides a penetrating exploration of a variety of subjects not possible in a standard reference. The Third Edition expands on the content of the former edition, adding updated statistics to reflect recent trends and developments in the field. In addition to a greatly extended chapter on quality and safety, author Fred Manuele contributes four new chapters: Heinrich Revisited: Truisms or Myths Addressing Severe Injury Potential Acceptable Risk Behavior-Based Safety Each chapter is a self-contained unit that offers comprehensive coverage of a particular topic. All of the chapters in the Third Edition reflect the increasing professional incidence of safety, occupational health, and environmental affairs falling under a common management, and address each issue accordingly.