FAA System Safety Handbook

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) recently updated The System Safety Handbook (SSH.) It was developed for the internal use of the FAA to establish “a formal, disciplined, and documented decision making process to address safety risks in relation to high-consequence decisions impacting the complete life cycle.” I think it gives good guidance to anyone thinking about how to manage systemic risk.

You can use the links below to get a copy.

Table of Contents

1. Introduction to the System Safety Handbook (PDF)
2. System Safety Policy and Process (PDF)
3. Principles of System Safety (PDF)
4. Safety Assesment Before Investment Decision (PDF)
5. Post-Investment Decision Safety Activities (PDF)
6. System Safety Guidelines for Contracting (PDF)
7. Integrated System Hazard Analysis (PDF)
8. Safety Analysis: Hazard Analysis Tasks (PDF)
9. Analysis Techniques (PDF)
10. System Software Safety (PDF)
11. Test and Evaluation Safety (PDF)
12. Facilities System Safety (PDF)
13. The Application of System Safety To the Commercial Launch Industry (PDF)
14. System Safety Training (PDF)
15. Operational Risk Management (PDF)
16. Operational Safety in Aviation (PDF)
17. Human Factors Engineering and Safety: Principles and Practices (PDF)

Appendices

1. Glossary (PDF)
2. Comparative Risk Assessment Form (PDF)
3. Government References (PDF)
4. Structural Analysis and Formal Methods (PDF)
5. System Safety Principles (PDF)
6. ORM Details and Examples (PDF)
7. Order 8040.4 (PDF)
8. Standard Practice for System Safety (PDF)
9. Not used
10. Software Safety (PDF)