System Engineering and Safety Assurance

 

"In the early 2000s, seesaws have been removed from many playgrounds in the United States, citing safety concerns. However, some people have questioned whether or not the seesaws should have been removed, indicating the fun provided by seesaws may outweigh the safety risk posed using them" (Wiki).

Such dilemma is a typical example of risk trade-off decision where System Engineering (SE) and Safety Assurance (SA) disciplines must co-work so closely as heads and tails of a signle coin. There is even a joint abbreviation used in the rail industry for such coherent pair - SESA. 

If SEeSAw is used as an image one can interpret it that Safety Assurance is lifted high as a praised value leveraging off a heavy and intense System Engineering. Such is the right balance and interpretation of happy relation between procedural and technical disciplines.

If the seesaw sways the other way it may indicate bureaucracy, inefficiency, incompetency or nigligence. Lightweight systems engineering approach shows low safety culture of organisation.

Notably, the pivotal point is a Human Factors assessment.