Book excerpt: Provides a nuts-and-bolts understanding of current system safety practices Basic Guide to System Safety is an ideal primer for practicing occupational safety and health professionals and industrial safety engineers needing a quick introductionto system safety principles. Designed to familiarize the reader with the applicationof scientific and engineering principles for the timely identification of hazards, thisbook efficiently outlines the essentials of system safety and its impact on day-to-dayoccupational safety and health. Divided into two main parts - The System Safety Program and System Safety Analysis: Techniques and Methods - this easy-to-understand book covers: System safety concepts System safety program requirements Probability theory and statistical analysis Preliminary hazard analysis Failure mode and effect analysis Hazard and Operability Studies (HAZOP) and what-if analyses The Second Edition reflects current industry practices with a new chapter on the basic concepts, utility, and function of HAZOP and what-if analyses, two analytical techniques that have been routinely and successfully used in the petrochemical industry for decades. In addition, expanded coverage on the use of the job safety analysis (JSA) adds practical examples emphasizing its value and understanding.