Quantum technologies are rapidly transitioning from theoretical con-structs to practical systems with profound implications for safety engineering. Their unique properties enable capabilities beyond classical limits, including breaking widely used cryptographic protocols, simulating complex chemical systems, and enabling ultra-sensitive sensing. These same properties also introduce novel risks: malicious misuse such as cryptographic compromise or the development of dangerous materials, and accidental misuse arising from inherent error rates and verification challenges. This paper explores these interactions, drawing parallels with assurance challenges in artificial intelligence, where probabilistic outputs and limited observability complicate verification and validation. We highlight the novel capabilities of quantum technologies, the difficulty of ensuring correctness in safety-critical applications, and the need for probabilistic assurance frameworks. Finally, we introduce quantum resource estimation and the Quantum Threat Tracker (QTT) as tools to forecast when quantum capabilities will realistically im-pact safety and security, enabling engineers and policymakers to prepare for the quantum era with informed, risk-based strategies.