Title: A New Approach to creating Clear Safety Arguments

Author(s): John Knight, Patrick Graydon, Richard Hawkins, Tim Kelly

Publication Event: Proceedings of the Nineteenth Safety-critical Systems Symposium, Southampton, UK

Publication Date: 2010-12-15

Resource URL: https://scsc.uk/r674.pdf

Abstract:

We introduce assured safety arguments, a new structure for arguing safety in which the safety argument is accompanied by a confidence argument that documents the confidence in the structure and bases of the safety argument. This structure separates the major components that have traditionally has been confused within a single safety argument structure. Separation gives both arguments greater clarity of purpose, and helps avoid the introduction of superfluous arguments and evidence. In this paper we describe a systematic approach to establishing both arguments, illustrated with a running example.