There have been several messages about why 61508 has 
not been adopted by or generated much interest in
industries other than the process industry.

Every industry has their own approach to safety that
has been developed primarily because their safety 
problems differ from other industries. These solutions
are based on the specific features of their safety
problems and the culture, etc., within their industry.
I can't imagine why industries (such as aviation) would
adopt the process industry approach, particularly 
when aviation (and many of the other industries) have
been much more successful in reducing accidents than 
the process industry has.

It makes little sense to adopt one approach to solving
all problems. It may simplify the world, but it will
not result in better problem solving.

I don't agree with the approach to safety taken in
61508, even for the process industry. But that is
historically what they have done and, at least in
the simpler systems of the past, it fits their 
engineering problem and culture. But it would be
a big step backward for industries to adopt it 
that already have more successful approaches 
that fit their safety problems.

Nancy

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Dr. Nancy G. Leveson

Professor of Aeronautics and Astronautics 
Professor of Engineering Systems 
Director, Complex Systems Research Lab (CSRL)
MIT                                  
Room 33-334
77 Massachusetts Ave.            
Cambridge, MA 02139-4307        

Tel: 617-258-0505              
Fax: 617-253-7397
Email: leveson@xxxxxx       

URL: http://sunnyday.mit.edu

  It isn't what we don't know that gives us trouble,
  it's what we do know that ain't so.  
       Will Rogers